Topic: news Western Beauty, Eastern Faces: Beauty Development in China

Nice article. Though I do disagree from a different perspective. When most people say Caucasian this and Caucasian that... doesn't it just seem like ethnocentrism taking it's toll? As in Caucasian's perception of various ethnic groups attempt desire to emulate them or reference them. This is understandable because caucasians were the ones who set the foundation for most modern day culture. However a good example that show this is not the case would be the double fold eye surgery Asians usually have.

It obvious that these Asians want to conform.Conform to who? Well let's use china. What's the majority group in china? Chinese. With extensive research or a view of a plastic surgery ad for Asians it easy to find out that approximately 50 percent of Asians have naturally born mono or one fold eyes. And the rest? approximately 50 percent have naturally born double folded eyes or "big eyes." Wow It's social factor and a psychological factor, people want to be closer to what that society regards as beauty. With research of oriental china's perception of beauty favored small nose, big eyes, small lips, well rounded small jaw, lean body, lighjt skin. These traits are what plastic surgeons try to accomplish most of the time with their Asian clients. Though some Caucasian's surgeon are very ethnocentric to their own culture hence forth calling it westernizing no matter ethnic the client is. As double eye fold trait is possessed by those from all ethnicity though Caucasians claim it as they main trait when in fact African's eyes seem to have a superior double fold. On the otherhand there are surgeons who are cuacasian, asian and african who knows that the value and emphasize on the Asian characteristics that differ from Caucasians, as they work though the procedure.

http://www.drmccurdy.com/double.htm- a link to more info.

Another reason for this distorted perception on Asians is probably stereotypes which occurs mostly in American, a country that is very ignorant of various minority culture and ehtnics, but strive to understand more. Since asians are generalized and exaggerated by stereotype they fail to conceive that Asians like whites have various different eye sizes too.

As for the light skin. It's a social class factor. As you pointed out. Oh in Asian culture social class is as important then one's life. As reputation and respect is lusted after. Anything that symbolize high social class is taken in consideration including lighter skin. This has been this way for over five thousand years.

On a personal note:
I myself am a Asian, an Asian American. I have have various friends from different ethnicity and age. From what I understand individual physical traits is connected to ethnicity, but it doesn't really have that strong of a connection as perceive in stereo types. I have white friends who do have small eyes, African friends with small lips and Asians with big eyes. I have a mono or one fold set of eye while my sister, mother and grandmother have natural double fold eyes or "big eyes." My mother once suggested I have surgery to conform to them, but I refused because I dislike the idea of cutting myself up just to conform.

Any how thank you for whoever is reading this and I hope this give you more insight.