Sunshine

  Xiaoye Peng (Carol)

       

                                                       Sunshine 

My name is Xiaoye Peng, so it is easy to tell I am Chinese. Chinese names have two parts, and the last name always comes first. The order that the Chinese say and write their names is last name and then first name, not like the way that Western cultures say and write their names.

There is always a story or history behind Chinese names, and of course, I am not an exception. I got my last name Peng from my father’s last name, which is so common in China. However, some people take their mother’s last name. Some parents are creative and they put their last names together to form their child’s last name. I really appreciate that tradition.

My first name is Xiaoye that was the best gift from my parents. In Chinese, Xiao means dawn, it means Spring and it means to know something. In Chinese, Ye means brightness, it means kindness, and it also means glorious.  Overall, Xiaoye means to know how to be an excellent person. There is a history behind my name. Once upon a time, there was an emperor and his name was Ye, he was intelligent and he made a lot of contribution in politics. My father hopes that I can be as good as him. Now, I am slowly fulfilling his wish.

I really love my name, not just because of the meaning of it, but because it was the first gift my parents gave me.