ABSTRACT
For starters, you won’t find “China.” The name “China” exists, of course, only in the English language. China’s native name, which means, literally, “The Middle Country,” (formerly “Middle Kingdom” or more accurately, “Center Kingdom” as in “center of the universe”) is Zhonguo. The language “Chinese” is Zhongwen. Chinese people are Zhonguo ren. “Ren” means “people.” Hence “Ren min bin,” or RMB, which means, literally, “The People’s Currency.” To the Chinese, the name of “America” is “Mei guo.” (“Mei” here is pronounced “may.”) Which is quite a compliment, actually. It means “Beautiful Country.” This is clearly indicative of how much they admired us. I was a Mei guo ren, myself, although frequently conflicted, at times, about just how proud I had a right to be about this.
