“An Accomplished Chinese Overseas” Bai Shi Yin: Transmitting Positive Energy Culture

When Bai Shi Yin first came to Singapore in 1992, her intention was to experience life as an overseas student and returning home after 2 years. But how time flies as it is already the 26th year of her staying outside China. On 3-4 May 2018, the “Chinese Model” Column of the Old Story Channel of China Central TV (CCTV) conducted a special interview of Bai Shi Yin Guang Bo and traced her footprint in Singapore.

Bai Shi Yin receiving the plaque presented by the leader of the “Chinese Model” Column of CCTV

In mid-May 2016, another Column of CCTV, “Chinese People Overseas” came to Malaysia to interview Bai Shi Yin Guang Bo and document her story of disseminating and promoting the fine Chinese Traditional Culture. “Chinese People Overseas”, a large-scale documentary column, is the first global Chinese documentary film on the profiles of inspirational professionals, and the first documentary of the Chinese national archives on the history of the development of overseas Chinese.

In the “Chinese Overseas” documentary, the love of the Motherland demonstrated by Bai Shi Yin Guang Bo is illustrated by the concrete actions taken by her in utilising the spirit of the Positive Energy of China to assist on the developmental efforts of Chinese schools as part of the exercise in perpetuating the dissemination of Chinese Traditional Culture.

Bai Shi Yin was a youth of the era of the Great Leap Forward, the Shang Shan Xia Xiang (Youth Relocation Programme) and overseas education, and had the inevitable experiences the tumultuous period accorded. While undergoing the Relocation Programme, she had taken up the responsibilities of being a primary and secondary school teacher and being the principal of a primary school. Relocated overseas, she continues to involve herself in the research and dissemination of the acclaimed Chinese Traditional Culture.

Twenty years ago, in an era when overseas mainland Chinese were universally discriminated against, she would not hesitate to pronounce her Chinese roots in whatever settings she found herself in, proudly declaring, “I am a mainland Chinese!” and added that it was her hope to leverage hard work and practical endeavours to build up a dignified image of the Chinese people.

Following China’s rise to become the world’s second largest economy, the international status of China has been elevated to an unprecedented level. The wisdom of this ancient nation has been studied and researched in by more and more people. In a training class of a Centre in Kuala Lumpur, the attendees are not just traditionally the Chinese and Malays but consist of a group of Indians. When the words of ancient Chinese wisdom – “exhibiting filial piety is the first priority; following this, take utmost care with your words and deeds, and be trustworthy; love all beings and stay close to the benevolent and people of high morality” – emanate from the fluent articulations by the dark-skinned compatriots, an emotional surge is inevitably invoked. Who is actually behind this training class? In May 2016, China Central TV’s Column of “ Chinese People Overseas” came to witness the on-goings of the training class and interviewed its initiator – Bai Shi Yin Guang Bo. During the interview, Bai Shi Yin stressed, “The acclaimed Chinese Traditional Culture is derived from a collective great wisdom.” She works to disseminate the acclaimed Chinese Traditional Culture widely, to give more people the opportunity to unleash their grand portal of wisdom.

Bai Shi Yin was born into a small family in Guang Ze County in Fujian Province, China. One might describe her upbringing as an immersion in the immense love and affection of the family. Bai Shi Yin was upbeat about the year 1975, when the shang shan xia xiang activity was at its peak. activity was at its peak.

Bai Shi Yin disclosed, “The experiences during the relocation to the villages allow me to appreciate the maxim that education by way of walking the talk, is far superior than mere oral teaching. All naughty and mischievous children can be guided to adopt a positive mentality. A teacher ought to let them learn about the virtue of discarding certain things, which is letting go of all shortcomings. Educate them on morals in order to cultivate talents that are imbued with morality.” However, what she did not fathom then was that the experience gained during the period was to be so pivotal in laying a solid foundation for her future research works.

Chinese youths then were embracing the trend of studying abroad in the early 1990s, and in 1992, Bai Shi Yin realised her cherished dream of going overseas for further education.

Today, after more than 20 years abroad, she continues to reflect the love for her Motherland through specific activities carried out to disseminate the acclaimed Chinese Traditional Culture, and to foster the development of Chinese schools overseas under the auspices of “Positive Energy of China”. In her birthplace, her own efforts are augmented by the collective help of many well-wishers, especially the immense support given by various levels of the Chinese government departments of China, and the administrative cadres of Dun Shang Village in an unrelenting effort to design and implement the concept of “Beautiful Dun Shang Village”. From a provincially classified Impoverished Low-Level Village, Dun Shang has now been appraised and approved by Fujian Province as a Distinguished Tourism Village at the provincial level, and as an Exemplary Village at the provincial beautiful village level.

Please watch out for the “Chinese People Overseas” programme where it would be helpful to comprehend the hundred years of adventurous Chinese history, and its entrepreneurial past; to explore the roads travelled by the role models; to decode the paragons’ innovative genes and listen attentively to the success stories to unveil the splendour of their lives and enhance national pride and the power of national cohesiveness.