At peer group we are talking about culture, my reflection is between Dominant civilization and Weak civilization.
In the first century, the Roman Empire was the predominant civilization and maintained its influence until the eighth century. Weaker civilizations often followed the lead of dominant powers during this period. A comparable era in Chinese history occurred in the sixth century with the Tang dynasty (唐朝). During this time, people from across the world traveled to China via the Silk Road to engage in trade, exchange stories, and share their cultures, values, and faiths, making it one of the most diverse periods in Chinese history. Christianity was introduced to China in this era, leading to the establishment of churches in major cities.
This period also marked significant cultural influence on neighboring countries. For instance, Japan sent envoys known as 'Qiantangshi' (遣唐使) to learn from China, later adopting many aspects of Chinese culture as a foundation for Japanese civilization. Similarly, Korea, Vietnam, and Southeast Asian regions were influenced by Chinese culture.
After the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976) in mainland China, many historical relics were destroyed. As a result, those seeking to experience traditional Chinese culture often turn to Japan and Taiwan, where much of the heritage has been preserved.
Now a day, the most No1 Dominant civilization is America, people coming to the United States paying whatever the prices they had. The place that people yearn for is either heaven （天堂Tian-Tang） or canteen（食堂Shi-Tang）.
But when a country starts to xenophobia, ignore the immigration, that means they their internal crisis, this internal sense of crisis shows that this culture is beginning to go down. This is a process of exchange between weak and strong cultures.We have the historical Roman Empire and the Tang Dynasty in China as references, so we still pray ————God bless America!
Rev. Daniel Gong
December 16, 2025 Richmond VA
