ing discussion of respect and humility, the need to be humble stems from the
same recognition that learning is a lifelong journey. Although others may ac-
knowledge one’s achievement publicly, focusing on celebration for oneself
may be perceived as a negative tendency that pulls one away from further
self-perfection. For example, “facing achievement he would show humility”
and “she would not be too proud of herself; she’d remain calm. She’d reflect
on her purpose and tell herself that she needs to make more progress.”
The two negative affects associated with purpose and processes of learning
are lack of desire and arrogance. The former shows some affinity to the U.S.
indifference and boredom. Lack of desire is the opposite of a heart and mind
for wanting to learn (Li, 2001). Many Chinese learning related words and
phrases refer to this state as lying in the heart of any motivational problem.
By hearing or using these words, learners sense disapproval and concern from
their social world because, as Liu Xiang’s story alerts us, a person without the
desire to learn is one without aim and real power; not even the king can be ex-
empt.
Arrogance is also an affect that refers to complacency, conceitedness, and
hubris, which is the opposite of humility. Learners who achieve highly are be-
lieved to be vulnerable to this inflated sense of oneself. Given the importance
of humility in Chinese learning beliefs, there is little wonder why pride/arro-
gance is a great concern among learners. As respondents wrote, “she would
not be complacent and conceited for achievement because she knows the
meaning of ‘arrogance leads one to fall.’ ”
Similar to their U.S. peers, Chinese model learners were described to feel a
number of related negative emotions such sadness and pain when they experi-
ence failure. The most frequently revealed emotions are shame and guilt both
in terms of learners facing themselves as well as their families (Li, 2002a).
Shame is a powerful and prevalent emotion in Chinese culture (Li, 2002a; Li,
Wang, & Fischer, in press). Even though shame in Chinese culture is an emo-
tion of disgrace or humiliation as in most cultures, it is also a moral discretion
and sensibility that people desire to develop (Fung, 1999; Fung & Chen, 2001).
Thus, the meanings of shame and guilt shade into each other. Together they
function to direct people into self-examination in social situations in order to
recognize their own wrong doings, as well as to motivate people to improve
themselves. One respondent revealed that “he would feel guilty toward his fam-
ily. They provided all help he needed at all costs, but he failed to learn with his
heart and mind. How can he face his family? He’d hurry to change himself !”
SUMMARY OF THE TWO CULTURES’ BELIEFS
Based on the forgoing findings and analyses, U.S. beliefs center around a set
of purposes that focus on the finely differentiated functions of the mind in or-
der to understand the world, developing personal skills, and realizing per-
- AMERICAN AND CHINESE LEARNERS 411