nwillingness of the members in the European culture to learn about Hu s culture through Foucquet s lack of concern for Hu, and through the extreme reaction of locking up Hu. Hu has his own way of being unwilling to accept European culture. He doesn t respect the way people regard other peoples property, such as the horse incident, and he does not show much appreciation towards the people who let him stay with him. Hu also holds the belief that women and men should be separated. Hu made a little flag with Chinese characters that said, Men and women should be kept in their separate places. Though women have less rights in Europe than men do, they are not completely segregated. By bringing the faults and stubbornness of each culture into light, Spence is showing that for cultures to live harmoniously together they should be allowed to hold on to their distinguishing aspects, and members of both culture should appreciate the diversity of others. Perhaps the most important question The Question of Hu asks, though, is: what does it mean to interpret another culture? In Foucquet s case, he is trying to interpret the Chinese culture in terms of Christianity. Hu is interpreting European culture from a Chinese standpoint. The difference between the two interpretations is that Foucquet is controlling Hu s Chinese culture and making him adapt to the new things he is learning, while Hu is not in any way trying to change European culture. Foucquet controls and changes Hu by making him wear European clothes. If Foucquet is moving in such wealthy circles, he must get Hu a suit of European clothes...He orders for Hu a complete suit of finely woven, sturdy cloth, for autumn is not too far away, with a tight-fitting over-tunic, or justaucorps. Hu is curious about his new surroundings and does wear his new clothes and partakes in some aspects of European life, but tries to hold on to some of his own cultural comforts. For example, when Hu had to sl...
