Name-dropping is a tough decision

China's workers struggle with what to call themselves

BEIJING - A Chinese marketer for a British media company refuses to be called anything but Zu Jing, though many of her Chinese co-workers go by Western names like Jeffrey or Julie. Venture capitalist Wayne Shiong has adopted a Western moniker but says it is based on a new Chinese name suggested by a feng-shui master.

And Tracy Wu, a supervisor at the Louis Vuitton designer store here, said she likes having an easy to pronounce English name on the job because it's "polite to foreigners."

In this capital city with countless new East-West exchanges, particularly with the influx of foreigners during the Olympics, the struggle over something as fundamental as "what's your name" illustrates the cultural conflicts that come as China expands its role in the world economy.

For many white-collar workers employed by international companies here, adopting a Western name has become almost essential, and sometimes even a job requirement. Nobody wants to risk losing important Western clients because the name Jianlian stumps them and James is much easier to say - and remember.

Yet, this accommodation appears far less common higher in an organization's hierarchy. In fact, refusing to be called David or Donna is seen by some as a sign of self-confidence, a status symbol more revealing than owning a BMW or a Rolex.

"When they get more important, they don't want to use their Western name," said Reena Lee, whose Chinese name is Li Yujie and who is editorial director for Target, a Beijing magazine devoted to the luxury lifestyle. "When you know you're irreplaceable, people have to remember your name even if they have trouble saying it."

Actress Zhang Ziyi, who starred in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," told a Chinese TV audience that she refuses to take a Western name, preferring that people "put some thought into how to pronounce" her Chinese name (it's Tsong Zeh Ee).

Richard Robinson, an Internet entrepreneur in Beijing for eight years who is originally from Massachusetts, said many of the well-established Chinese business executives feel it is the Westerners who must accommodate them when doing business in China.

"If you're a real hard-core Chinese guy, the whole business card is in Chinese," he said.

Names were once a simpler matter. Soon after the Communist Party took power in 1949, the population was filled with proletariat-correct names like Weidong (Protect Mao) or Xiaohong (Little Red.) Seeking a feng-shui expert for names, a common practice for centuries, was branded by Communist rulers as "superstitious." And a Chinese who adopted a Western name would be branded a traitor.

But today many Chinese citizens want a broader expression of their identity.

"It shows a greater openness among the Chinese," said Sun Zhongxin, a Chinese sociologist who is a visiting professor at Tufts University. "They want a name that is functional, but they also want to show they value their culture as China is on the world stage."

In reconsidering their names, many Chinese have begun reviving the ancient practice of consulting a traditional Chinese horoscope or feng-shui advisers. According to Chinese tradition, the moment of someone's birth - including the exact time - automatically gives them a certain amount of five basic elements - water, wood, fire, earth, and metal. No one is born with the ideal balance of these elements, so a name with meaningful words is designed to provide the lacking elements.

Zhu Di, 27, a graduate student in sociology who studies consumer habits in China, said she too is curious about these ancient practices, though she notices the most intense interest among the new rich in China.

Zhu said she believes the well-to-do may be drawn to feng-shui principles because it's a traditional Chinese way to help provide some order - and relieve anxieties in fast-changing times.

"It may seem superstitious, but it has been around for thousands of years in China," Zhu said. "It makes sense to people."

Shiong, 31, a partner with an international venture capital firm, sees himself as combining the best of old and new China. He was born with the name Xiong Yuzhu. (In Chinese, surnames go first, followed by the given name.) Then a year ago, he decided he would consult a feng-shui master to see whether his name was a good match with his birthday, a practice repeated by many of his friends.

After a consultation, Shiong was told, "Your name doesn't work well." His birth name needed extra metal for ideal harmony.

The adviser said the best first name for him would be Weiming. The venture capitalist began telling everyone to call him Weiming, but when his Western colleagues said his new name quickly, it came out sounding like "women."

He came up with a compromise, and transformed Weiming to Wayne. And to make matters even easier on the job, he would change the spelling of his last name from Xiong to the more Western-friendly Shiong.

Pleased with the results, Shiong said he plans to pass on this global approach to life to the next generation. His wife is expecting and the couple plans to consult a feng-shui master on an auspicious name for the child.

"I also want to give the baby an English name," he said. "So the child gets used to it."

Patricia Wen can be reached at wen@globe.com.