# Does Mei Live in China? A Chinese\-Canadian‘s Coming\-of\-Age - Canonical: https://33rdsquare.com/does-mei-live-in-china-a-chinese-canadians-coming-of-age/ - Published: 2023-11-04 - Author: Nelson Ayers - Categories: [Basic knowledge & Meaning](https://33rdsquare.com/category/games/meaning/) --- Disney and Pixar‘s new animated film _Turning Red_ introduces Mei Lee, a 13-year-old Chinese-Canadian girl living in Toronto. As Mei navigates growing up, her Chinese cultural heritage plays a big role. But does Mei actually come from China? Let‘s explore her identity! ## Meet Mei – Your Average Chinese-Canadian Teen Mei is your typical awkward middle schooler – she loves drawing fan art, gushing over boy bands, and hanging out with her BFFs Miriam, Abby and Priya. Underneath it all though, she‘s struggling with a supernatural secret – when she gets too excited, she transforms into a giant red panda! ![Mei panda transformation](https://media.wired.com/photos/6239565178fec100ae8d7931/191:100/w_1280,c_limit/Turning-Red-Disney.jpg) Mei was born and raised in Canada to immigrant parents from China. She resides with her protective mom Ming, laidback dad Jin, and sassy grandmother in Toronto‘s lively Chinatown neighborhood. While Mei embraces being Chinese-Canadian, she often clashes with her mom‘s more traditional Chinese values. Despite some generational differences though, Mei‘s loving family provides a comforting sense of heritage. ## What Does Mei‘s Name Mean? The name Mei (梅) holds deep meaning in Chinese culture. It translates to "beautiful" or "plum blossom." Plum blossoms represent hope and perseverance since they bloom in the winter. They also symbolize feminine grace and purity in China. Mei‘s Chinese middle name, Meilin (梅林), adds the character for "forest." Together, her full name evokes images of a graceful plum blossom forest – perfectly suited for a complex heroine! ## Mei Represents the Chinese-Canadian Experience So is Mei meant to be Chinese or Canadian? The answer is both! Let‘s look at how she represents the nuanced Chinese-Canadian experience: - Mei has an authentic Chinese name, while her friends Miriam, Abby and Priya reflect Toronto‘s diversity. - Her home life portrays many Chinese traditions – mahjong, lunar new year rituals, ancestral altars, etc. - Mei‘s mom Ming speaks Mandarin and holds more traditional values than Mei. - Mei acts more Canadian – listening to Western pop, chasing crushes, and seeking independence. - As a second-generation immigrant, Mei navigates between Eastern and Western cultures. Mei‘s hybrid identity as Chinese-Canadian plays a major role in her coming-of-age story. ## Chinese Immigration to Canada Over the Generations To understand Mei‘s experience, let‘s delve into some history! Chinese immigrants first came to Canada in the late 1800s. Chinese labor was integral to building the Canadian Pacific Railway. By 1947, the Chinese population grew to about 32,000, then expanded exponentially after immigration restrictions eased in the 1960s. ![Chinese immigration to Canada](https://i.imgur.com/JTvTkTQ.png) _Chinese Immigration to Canada Over Time_ Now over 1.77 million Chinese-Canadians live in Canada, making up 5% of the population. Chinese is the largest visible minority group. Mei represents a second-generation Chinese-Canadian, as her immigrant parents paved the way to establish Chinatown neighborhoods and businesses. ## Cultural Themes in Mei‘s Transformation Story Let‘s analyze some of the cultural themes reflected in Mei‘s panda identity crisis: **Generational Conflicts** Mei often clashes with her mother‘s conservatism and expectations to conform to Chinese ways. This represents the push-and-pull second-gen kids experience in balancing duty to heritage and desire to assimilate. **Ancestral Traditions** Mei‘s panda transformation connects to her family‘s supernatural history. Her spirit animal symbol seems rooted in Chinese mythology around shape-shifting ancestors. **Female Representation** The image of a rebellious, confident girl subverting gender norms empowers Asian female representation in media. Mei‘s relationships with her outspoken girl squad further showcases Asian women supporting each other. **Accepting Identity** Mei learns to accept herself and her literal inner panda. This parallels the self-acceptance required for immigrants and second-gen kids to own both sides of their cultural identity. ## Microaggressions and Overt Racism Faced by Chinese-Canadians While set in 2002, Mei faces issues still relevant today: **Exclusion and Exoticization** Mei is often tokenized at school as the "Chinese friend" and made the punchline to racist jokes. She also feels excluded from social activities. **Prejudiced Assumptions** Mei‘s classmates mock her mother‘s accent and assume her family owns a convenience store. These harmful stereotypes provoke a feeling of being perpetually foreign. **Appearance Pressures** Mei faces body image issues, feeling ashamed of looking "too Chinese." She tries to hide her natural hair texture and eye shape. **Cultural Appropriation** Mei watches as white girls freely adopt anime while her own beloved manga gets labeled weird. This highlights the double standard around cultural appreciation vs appropriation. While not overtly addressed, these microaggressions Mei experiences growing up Chinese-Canadian add authenticity. ## How Does Mei‘s Story Relate to My Own Experience? As a Chinese-American immigrant, I related deeply to Mei‘s portrayal. My parents came to the US in the 1980s searching for better opportunity. Like Mei, I became fluent in English while my parents retained accents. I too felt the pressure to conform to American culture while upholding Chinese values at home. Secretly crushing on blond boys while also absorbing my family‘s teachings felt like containing two identities. The tension between respecting ancestral traditions while carving your own modern identity is an intergenerational rite of passage. In the end, Mei accepts herself, as I learned to embrace my hyphenated Asian American identity. For many Asian youth, it‘s a journey to feel wholly ourselves in between two cultures. ## Turning Red Captures the Universality of Growing Up While Mei‘s Chinese background deeply informs her story, many can relate to her coming-of-age experiences: - Learning confidence and independence from overbearing parents - Navigating the ups and downs of female friendships - Contending with the awkwardness of first periods and bodily changes - Pushing boundaries through crushes on older boys - Finding your voice and core identity The universality of Turning Red comes from how it speaks to the childhood we all share – the chaos of puberty and school social politics. Mei‘s embarrassments and triumphs mirror our own tweenage years. Her journey models self-acceptance and embracing who you are, inside and out. ## Final Review – Does Mei Live in China? To recap, while Mei Lee‘s name and heritage are distinctly Chinese, she herself is Chinese-_Canadian_. Mei represents second-generation Chinese immigrants in Canada navigating both Eastern and Western cultures. She contends with racism and generational conflicts in an authentic portrayal of Asian diaspora experiences. Mei‘s supernatural panda transformation connects to themes of female empowerment and acceptance. It ties into her family‘s Chinese spiritual history as she learns to own her full identity. While a cultural coming-of-age, Mei‘s story also reflects universal adolescent experiences through relatable humor and heart. Turning Red reminds us how growing up can be a beast! So in exploring if Mei is from China, we uncover a rich narrative about the Asian American journey that many children of immigrants will find validating. Through the lens of Chinese culture, Mei‘s transformation story speaks to us all. --- Source: [Does Mei Live in China? A Chinese\-Canadian‘s Coming\-of\-Age](https://33rdsquare.com/does-mei-live-in-china-a-chinese-canadians-coming-of-age/)