从这个角度看过去，你就会完全理解，为什么美国白人总是指责成功以后的小黄人“burning the bridge”，也就是忘恩负义。因为华人，也就是小黄人成功以后想的就是：要跨越阶层、光宗耀祖。而在美国白人看来：让你做我奴才是看得起你，怎么你还想要要做主人？这不是犯上作乱吗？你那身黄皮说明你不是“天选子民”, 你的种姓本身就不够格，你这个种族就不够格，凭什么做主人？
The reason why Chinese people in the U.S. don't fare as well as Indians is due to a lack of a certain mindset.
What mindset? The caste mentality.
First, let's introduce what the caste system is.
Caste System
The caste system is a product of feudal society in India and has historically existed in countries like India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, with the most extreme form being found in India. It is also known as the "caste system" or the "Indian caste system" (Hindi: हिन्दू वर्ण व्यवस्था, English: Caste system in India).
The caste system revolves around the ruling class and divides society into groups based on profession, creating endogamous (within-group marriage) social categories, known as castes. Depending on the region, these castes are further subdivided into sub-castes, and within the sub-castes, there are even smaller local caste groups. These local castes are divided into clans that may or may not permit marriage outside the group. This layered system forms a social structure that spreads across the entire Indian subcontinent. Therefore, the caste system influences most of Indian society, being closely linked to India’s social structure, worldview, religion, and interpersonal relations. It can be said that the caste system is one of the most important traditional social institutions in India.
The caste system originated as a social structure created by the Aryan invaders in India. Initially, it was not meant to create a hierarchy of status or privilege but to ensure that Aryans maintained political power and that each job had a stable number of people performing it. However, after India was conquered by Islamic powers like the Mamluks and Mughals, the caste system was adjusted for the needs of the rulers, and it became rigid during British colonial rule. Over time, the caste system solidified into a hierarchical structure with strict social boundaries.
Because the caste system promotes inequality and is fundamentally incompatible with modern democratic ideals and human rights, it is often criticized as a backward system that hinders social progress in India. After India gained independence from colonial rule in 1947, the legal status of the caste system was abolished, and discrimination based on caste was declared illegal. Nevertheless, the caste system continues to play an important role in the actual workings of Indian society and in people’s daily lives.
The caste system was established over 2,000 years ago by Aryan invaders from Europe to ensure their eternal dominance over India. This system has become a toxic tradition in India. Indians, having grown up in a society deeply rooted in this backward system, know how to navigate the hierarchy, treating people of higher and lower castes accordingly. As a result, when they come to America, they are adept at handling social dynamics.
This is because, at its core, America is also a hidden caste society.
At the top of the American caste system are the Brahmins, represented by the Anglo-Saxon Protestant royalty, followed by the Kshatriyas, which could be considered American Jews. Next are the Vaishyas, represented by rednecks, Indians (who have assimilated), and so-called "civilized" immigrants. Lastly, the Shudras include Chinese, laborers, Native Americans, and Central American immigrants. If you don’t understand this mentality, you can compare it to the Christian concept of the "chosen people." White people believe that the Aryan race is "divinely chosen" and that it is their mission to dominate "lower" races (Indians, Chinese, Black people, laborers, Japanese).
If you observe the lives of ordinary Americans, intermarriage between different castes is very rare. Marriages that cross more than two caste levels are almost non-existent. Barack Obama’s marriage to someone outside his caste is an exception, largely because his mother was extremely rebellious.
Thus, the different castes in America mostly live peacefully without much interaction, and the boundaries are not to be crossed.
But the Chinese lack this concept of caste. Chinese culture believes, "Are kings and generals born to their status?" The term "caste" implies that kings and generals are born into their roles, but Chinese culture fundamentally rejects the legitimacy of such a system, and has done so for 2,000 years.
Therefore, in the eyes of Chinese people, if you study and work hard, it’s only natural to break through the social hierarchy. Marrying a white woman, a Jewish woman, or even a British royal is considered reasonable and just a natural progression. After all, kings and generals are part of a cyclical system—"today’s king may be from my family." In traditional Chinese society, social mobility between different levels of society was crucial. The three hundred years following the Han dynasty were characterized by continuous wars and rebellions, and the country was difficult to unify, precisely because there was no imperial examination system. Social classes were almost entirely separated. From the time of Emperor Liu Xiu, who founded the Eastern Han dynasty, there was a massive enfeoffment of nobles, creating the first generation of aristocrats. In the late Eastern Han dynasty, a large number of farmers went bankrupt, and severe land consolidation led to the emergence of the first batch of large landlords. With the advent of the Nine-rank system, the ruling class was largely composed of aristocrats and landlords, confirming the establishment of a hierarchical system. Talented individuals from lower classes had no chance of rising to the middle or upper levels of society, leading them to frequently rebel to try to break through the social strata, and since the ruling elites were mediocre, they were easily overthrown. The successors of these talented rebels would then become mediocre, and the cycle would repeat.
After 587 AD, the Sui and Tang dynasties, realizing the importance of stabilizing power, dealt heavy blows to the aristocratic clans and promoted talented individuals from lower classes through the imperial examination system. The decline of the aristocracy marked the beginning of a more stable social order. Dynasties that implemented the imperial examination system, such as the Tang, Song, Ming, and Qing, generally enjoyed about 250 to 400 years of rule. This is because "today a farmer, tomorrow a courtier" was no longer just an ideal but a living reality. Talented individuals had a clear path to success. Not only was there a "scholar champion," but also a "martial champion," meaning that as long as one studied diligently or trained in martial arts, success was simply a matter of time. As a result, talented individuals had no reason to rebel, focusing instead on studying and training to prepare for the exams.
By contrast, the Yuan dynasty, which did not implement the imperial examination system, lasted less than 100 years before it collapsed. The Mongol rulers had imposed their own version of a caste system in China. They divided the population into four classes: Mongols at the top, followed by Semu (diverse ethnic groups), Han Chinese, and at the bottom, Southern Chinese. The result, unsurprisingly, was a repeat of history, as the Yuan dynasty was quickly overthrown.
In the eyes of the American ruling class, who do not understand the Chinese imperial examination system or the importance of social mobility in Chinese culture, Chinese Americans and China itself are seen as ambitious and constantly attempting to rise to power and usurp control. Chinese Americans are always thinking about breaking through or even dismantling America’s caste system, just as China aims to break through and dismantle the international order established by the West (an international version of the caste system). This is why China makes America so nervous.
In the James Bond movie "Dr. No," the Chinese antagonist No symbolizes this very idea. The name "No" signifies denial—denying what? The legitimacy of America’s caste system and the supposed nobility of British royal blood, constantly seeking to overturn the established order.
This is one of the fundamental cultural conflicts between China and the U.S. This conflict is a ticking time bomb that will eventually explode. One day, the Chinese will try to seize power and establish a modernized, Western version of the imperial examination system to determine social class through exams. This is Chinese culture.
From this perspective, you can fully understand why white Americans often accuse successful Chinese of "burning the bridge"—forgetting the kindness that helped them succeed. To white Americans, allowing Chinese people to serve them is a sign of their favor. Why, then, would these Chinese want to become masters themselves? Isn’t that rebellious? After all, their yellow skin shows that they aren’t "the chosen people." Their caste, their race, is unworthy of being rulers.
From this perspective, it also becomes clear why Western countries cannot tolerate China’s continued development or the internationalization of the yuan. It’s the same reasoning: they see China’s actions as "disrupting the international order," akin to rebellion. In their view, developing cutting-edge technology, internationalizing the yuan, or controlling the pricing and settlement of major commodities are not tasks for a low-caste nation like China—they are matters for the "chosen people" to handle. In their eyes, Chinese people are only fit for making pants, shoes, and socks—manual labor.
This also explains why Westerners despised the Chinese when they were poor and backward but now view China with hostility and vigilance as it grows rich and powerful. In their minds, they never considered the Chinese as equals because they, the white Westerners, are the "chosen people," and the Chinese are not.
When Indians come to America, they thrive because they are naturally attuned to the caste system. They know what they should and shouldn’t do, what they should and shouldn’t care about, which reassures white Americans. As a result, many managerial positions are given to Indians, who are entrusted to keep an eye on the "restless" Chinese.
I’m not endorsing the American caste system here, just outlining a rough mental model so that people can understand what’s going on in the minds of Americans.
Even today, this mindset still hasn’t changed; it’s just better concealed. With this framework, you can understand many phenomena in American culture. For example, why did Andrew Yang receive so few votes in the presidential election? Because his caste is too low, and rednecks won’t accept being governed by a Chinese. Why are Hollywood depictions of other races and genders mostly positive, while Chinese men are rarely portrayed in a good light? Because Chinese are seen as an ambitious caste, unworthy of admiration. Why do Asian male characters in American movies, whenever they appear, always seem to be talented yet brooding and plotting dangerous schemes, like Scar in "The Lion King"? The message is that lower castes always seek to rise to power, and they must be suppressed. Scar, with his black hair, thin body, and scheming nature, closely matches the Western image of the Chinese. The hyenas in "The Lion King" are essentially a metaphor for the so-called authoritarian and failed states of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The movie subtly defends and legitimizes the white caste system while planting the seeds of caste mentality in children's minds.
