Yang Yilin

Dr. Dykhuizen

Expository Writing

June 21, 1999

My Photograph

            I am a twenty-year-old Chinese.  When I was eight years old, I came to Japan alone, so I have been in Japan for about twelve years.  A few days ago, I found my amusing photograph as a six-year-old boy by accident when I was organizing my room. His expression in the photograph reminded me of my good old days in Shanghai, China. 

            The boy is siting on a low wooden chair in his newly-married uncle�fs room.  Before him, there are many types of beautiful, colorful flowers in a white vase, and the shape of the vase is like a daikon.  The right hand of the boy is touching the top of the flowers.  It seems that the boy is imagining something pleasant because his eyes are looking at the right and upper side while smiling a little.  His plump face looks like a delicious huge and white peach; however, the hairdo is naturally straight as is common among Chinese boys.  The thin, black eyebrows that are like new moons symbolize strong will.  The big bright eyes that seem clever and the beautiful double eyelids are charming and titillate the minds of beholders.  In other words, Chinese believe that big bright eyes and double eyelids are the most important factors of beautiful or handsome people, so my neighbors became comfortable when seeing me.  Moreover, the boy has a tiny, straight nose, and the balance between the nose and face is perfect.  Although the left side of his mouth leans a little upward, the innate, fascinating dimples appear clearly while smiling.  In fact, Chinese prefer children whose dimples appear clearly while smiling because they think that clear dimples represent children�fs cutness.  In addition to these fine features of his face, the boy�fs hands and feet are very big, and also he is very tall for his age.  His light skin is as white as snow.  In China, people prefer male children with big hands and feet because they can become robust men.  Therefore, many people were looking forward to his growth and loved him because of his cuteness and powerful body. 

            At that time, I was a mischievous boy and also I was famous for my naughtiness among my neighbors.  Almost all time I played in my house, I broke furniture.  One day, I collided with an expensive electric fan and fell it down because I was running in the house with pleasant and loud voice.  Of course, the electric fan was broken with deafening noises, and I was scolded furiously with loud voice.  In addition, there were many artistic holes on the wall in my house because I used to get violent in my house.   For example, I strongly kicked and punched the wall in order to imitate stars or characters in violent movies or cartoons after I watched them.  Accordingly, my neighbors could often hear my noisy voices and the loud noise of something broken and hit when I was at home.  When I played outside, I used to stumble over rocks and fall carelessly.  Whenever I fell down, I made huge holes on my trousers; furthermore, my tough, strong knees and hands got injured with vivid painful bruises and scratches.  However, I never shed tears because I was a strong and big boy.  Needless to say, I would often be scolded after I fell and made holes on my trousers, but I never felt sorry because I like to be violent and I didn�ft think that my violence was bad.  Therefore, I had many worn-out fixed trousers. 

            In fact, I had lived with my kind grandparents, my mother�fs parents, in Shanghai before I came to Japan.  They had brought me up since I was born.  My father and mother were in Japan when this photograph was taken.  A suit of yellow clothes that I wore in this photograph was the present of my parents and it was sent from Japan.  Its sleeves were very wide, and there were three colorful paintings of children playing pleasantly on the clothes.  Its size was suitable for my huge body at that time.  I liked it very much because it was made in a foreign country, Japan, and many people said that I seemed very cute and nice in the clothes.  Therefore, I wore the clothes when this photograph was taken.  Moreover, the purpose of the photograph was not only to send it to my lonely parents in Japan and show them my surprising growth, but also to tell them about the fact I liked the clothes.

            As you can see, I never look at the photograph of mine without remembering what I was at that time and the episodes behind the photograph.  Although I became an adult and I am not such a cute and mischievous boy today, all memories of those days are my precious treasures that I can never forget forever.  Therefore, I want to keep the memorial photograph carefully.