Addendum

After going by 貝小梅 all year, my Chinese teacher bestowed upon me a new name this afternoon, one that is more sophisticated and appropriate for a young woman (xiao, meaning small, is associated with things that are cute, young, and small, not really so great for being taken seriously). From now on, my new Chinese name shall be 貝梅雅. The “mei hua” is the Taiwanese national flower, and in traditional Chinese thinking, is held up as a symbol of beauty and strength. The flowers are delicate and lovely to behold, but they are strong because they will only bloom in the coldest winter weather. “Ya” means elegant, graceful, or refined, so I make this announcement now that the next time I find myself in need of a Chinese name, I shall be Bei Mei-Ya.

~ by adventuresintaiwan on June 29, 2009.