Have you ever felt like you don’t fully belong anywhere?
"Culture crossing, for starters, is about relishing the food we can't pronounce, connecting with people who don't speak our language, and seeing the world through their eyes." - Author Cheng Wang
"If Living is a journey, writing it is the ultimate adventure." Cheng Wang
Cheng Wang was born and raised in China during the ten-year Cultural Revolution, a period when intellectual freedom was severely constrained. As a member of the 17 million Mao-era “educated youth,” he firsthand experienced the social and intellectual upheavals of that time. These early experiences shaped his lifelong curiosity about culture, history, and the forces that shape societies.
Later, moving to the United States, Wang studied economics as a Ph.D. candidate for five years but built a 20-year career in the tech industry, eventually becoming a Principal Member of the Technical Staff. Living and working in two vastly different cultures and transitioning from a technical career to humanitarian writing gave him a unique perspective on the contrasts—and unexpected connections—between Eastern and Western traditions.
Wang’s writing examines culture, traditions, and philosophy, as well as the evolving relationship between technology and society. He is the author of the memoir From Tea to Coffee: The Journey of an “Educated Youth” (2021), which details his personal transition from Maoist China to a life of endless possibilities in the United States.
Adding to that mix, Wang was chosen as an ILI Fellow at the University of Notre Dame (2022-2023), a one-year experience that further deepened his involvement in global dialogue and cross-cultural understanding. His essays have appeared in Notre Dame Magazine, the South Bend Tribune, and other outlets, where he examines themes of cultural identity, historical change, and the contrasts and commonalities between Eastern and Western traditions.
About Cheng Wang
-
Growing up and being indoctrinated by Maoism during China’s 10-year Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) in a re-education camp.
-
Cheng Wang later crossed the Pacific and trained as a Western economist at the University of Cincinnati through a different education.
-
Pivoted toward a tech career for 20 years, becoming a Principal Member of Tech Staff.
-
In the end, Cheng became an award-winning author and essayist by staying true to his passion.
【旅美英文作家王成】以笔为桥跨越东西——开设英文专栏《中美文化交汇之旅 A Culture Crossing Journey》
(Wang's Column for the global platform for oversea Chinese reader)
“如果过生活是一场旅程，那么写生活就是一趟终极探险。”——这正是作家王成人生的真实写照。从毛泽东时代的战士和当年的“知识青年”，到二十七岁移民美国后转型为经济学家和科技高管，他的人生充满了戏剧性的转折。但他内心始终燃烧着对文学与写作的赤诚。2021年，他出版了获奖英文回忆录《From Tea to Coffee: A Journey of an “Educated Youth”》并在中，美知名杂志上发表了众多文章，记录了这一非凡的心路历程，并激励了众多读者勇敢追梦。
《中美文化交汇之旅》不仅是一个专栏，更是一位文化行者邀请您同行的探索之旅, 为我们揭开中美文化交汇处的无限风景与深刻哲理。