Two eminent Chinese American artists discussed how parental pressure, coupled with living in a different culture from the one their parents grew up informed their worldview, and even fuelled their sense of rebellion.

Cellist Yo-Yo Ma and novelist Amy Tan were speaking at last month's Sino-U.S. Cultural Forum, where they were joined by other celebrities from the US and China.

Both Tan and Ma admitted to having a rebellious streak growing up. However, Tan, with her admissions of drug-taking and temporary imprisonment outdid Ma's tales of occasional drunkenness.

Growing up in a world that was completely different to the one their parents knew, it was perhaps inevitable that Tan and Ma would challenge their parents' often harsh authority.

When discussing their immigrant parents, Tan, in particular, had many stories about her mother. Orville Schell, chairman of the forum and the Arthur Ross Director of the Center on U.S.-China Relations at the Asia Society in New York, recalled that Tan's mother lived with the expectation that her children would have all the advantages of living in America, coupled with Chinese character and discipline.

Tan remembered her mother's stern side. "She was very Chinese in her attitude to everything, especially things she considered dangerous," said Tan, author of New York Times bestsellers including, "The Joy Luck Club", "The Kitchen God's Wife" and "The Hundred Secret Senses. " Tan recalled growing up with her mother's endless threats and warnings ringing in her ears, especially where boys were concerned. "She'd say, 'Don't kiss a boy, otherwise it could lead to pregnancy, and then a baby, which you'd have to put in the garbage,'" said Tan. The chilling warning ended with the predication that Tan would probably end up killing herself as a consequence of kissing a boy at such a young age.

In addition to the warnings, there were threats of varying levels. When her mother would say, "I'll go back to China if you don't listen to me," Tan sometimes thought it wouldn't be such a bad thing. However, when her mother switched to, "Why didn't you listen to me? I may as well be dead," Tan knew she was furious.

Tan also recalled being taken to a girl's funeral by her mother. "She told me, 'That's what will happen to you if you're disobedient,'" said Tan. She also remembered a funny conversation, during which her startled mother said,"How could you think that, I haven't put it in your head yet!"

他们生活在异国他乡，成长环境与父母全然不同，还面对着来自父母的压力。他们的世界观是如何形成的？他们叛逆的性情又怎样被点燃？两位著名的美籍华裔文化人对此展开了探讨。

大提琴家马友友和小说家谭恩美与众多中美名人一起参加了上月举行的中美文化论坛。

谭恩美和马友友都承认，他们的成长历程中都留有叛逆的痕迹。不过，相比起马友友时不时的叮咛大醉，谭恩美磕药和坐牢的故事则更胜一筹。

谭恩美和马友友成长的环境与父辈完全不同，因此也无可避免地挑战着他们父母严酷的权威。

在谈到父辈那代移民时，谭恩美特别例举了她妈妈的众多轶事。本次论坛的主席、亚洲协会美中关系中心（纽约）的阿瑟•罗斯主任夏伟回忆道， 谭恩美的母亲期望她的孩子能享有生活在美国的优势，同时兼具中国人的品质和性格。

谭恩美回忆起妈妈严厉的一面，说道：“从她对所有事物的态度来看，她就是个中国人，尤其是在面对她觉得危险的事物时。”谭恩美凭借着作品如《喜福会》、《灶神娘娘》、《灵感女孩》等多次被《纽约时报》评为畅销小说家。谭恩美回忆道，她的成长伴随着母亲不绝于耳的威胁与警告，尤其是涉及到跟男孩子打交道的时候。“她会说，‘别和男孩接吻，否则就会导致你怀孕，然后你就会有了小孩，还不得不把他（她）扔到垃圾桶里，”谭恩美说道。最终，这个令人不寒而栗的警告以谭恩美很可能自绝生命的预言作为结局，因为她在青涩年华时亲吻了一位少年。

除警告外，谭恩美的母亲还有各式各样、不同级别的威胁。当她妈妈说：“如果你再不听我的，我就要回中国了。”有时候，谭恩美想这未尝不是件好事。然而，当她母亲转而说道：“你为什么不听我的？我还不如死了算了。”谭恩美知道那个时侯的她已经非常愤怒了。

谭恩美回忆起她母亲带她去参加一个女孩的葬礼，“她告诉我，如果你不听话就会变成这样。”她还记起了一个非常有趣的对话，其间，她母亲表现得颇为惊讶，既而说道：“你怎么能这么想呢？我还没把这些想法灌输到你的脑袋里呢!”