A Chinese Buff? Not Exactly......

I major in Chinese Studies. I chose to do so after the release of my "A" level results. Although the Arts Faculty has always been regarded by many to be a "dumping ground" for poor academic achievers, a disclaimer ought to be made here that I was never forced by any kind of circumstances to enrol into it. And I have never regretted my decision, despite the possibility that Chinese Studies is a "sunset" industry.

But then again, I might have made a wrong choice. Unknown to many, including my closest friends, my real passion lies in History and Political Science, particularly the former. In some aspects, I know more about Athens, Rome and Persia than about China. Nonetheless, I chose to major in Chinese Studies because I do possess an interest in it and more importantly, I know that I can do reasonably well for it. The Higher Chinese subject had never posed a challenge to me, all the way from primary school to junior college. It was one that I could afford last-minute work and yet top the class and perhaps even the level at the end of the day. In fact, for the "A" level examinations for Higher Chinese, I skipped a whole 10-mark question and still got an A grade for it.

Of course, things are a lot different now from what they were in the past. Rote learning and mere memory no longer suffice, and I need to do considerable research before I can ascertain any claim or finding. Whatever the case is, I have never betrayed my true passion. The Chinese Studies discipline is actually very different from that of the Chinese Language. While it is true that we write most of our reports in the Chinese script, we don't do linguistics at all. The Chinese Studies discipline entails a whole array of topics, ranging from history and literature to philosophy and society. My actual specialty is Chinese History, and I kinda suck in the rest. I have decided that my Masters dissertation shall focus on the Sino-Japanese interactions during the Ming Dynasty, with an emphasis on the Ryukyu Islands as an important node in the relevant trade routes. That is, if my application to pursue a Masters Degree is approved. It is my ultimate wish that I can graduate as a PhD holder in History. So if you are talking about my lifelong goal, this shall be it. It may not be simple, but dreams make successful men, and I hope I can become one of them. :)

Now who dares to say that I bear only regressive thoughts? :)