I came, I studied architecture in America, so my technical

Host: The morning sun slants through the window of a small café tucked between the gray, weathered buildings of an aging city. The clink of cups and the low murmur of conversation form a gentle background hum, but for Jack and Jeeny, the world outside is forgotten. They sit at a table near the window, surrounded by books and papers, the quiet weight of their conversation pressing down between them. Jack taps his pen, his eyes focused, while Jeeny stares out the window, the silence between them as heavy as the thick air.

Jeeny: “I’ve been thinking about something I read recently — a quote by I. M. Pei. He said, ‘I came, I studied architecture in America, so my technical background’s completely western. But my seventeen years, the formative years of one’s life, and I can’t say that the Chineseness in me is not there.’”

Jack: (leans back, raising an eyebrow) “Hmm. That’s an interesting quote. So, what is it? A conflict of cultures? The tension between the East and the West?”

Jeeny: (nods, her voice thoughtful) “It’s exactly that, Jack. You can see the division in his words — the western training, the technical skills, but then there's this undeniable pull of his heritage, his roots. His Chineseness.”

Jack: (a smirk playing at the corner of his lips) “I mean, isn’t that the way of things? We’re all products of where we come from, whether we like it or not. Pei might’ve studied architecture in America, but he’s still shaped by that culture. It’s not like you can just escape your origins, no matter how much you try.”

Jeeny: (leans forward, her voice more intense) “But that’s what makes it so fascinating. It's not just about being a product of your upbringing. It’s about the struggle between what you’ve learned and who you were born to be. Pei was trained in one part of the world, but there’s this deep connection to his Chinese roots that’s impossible to ignore. The way he sees and experiences the world — you can’t erase that.”

Jack: (folds his arms, raising an eyebrow) “So, you think that identity is more than just the sum of what we’ve learned? That the cultural influence of those formative years actually shapes who we are, regardless of how far we travel?”

Jeeny: (nodding) “Exactly. It’s not just about knowledge, Jack. It’s about the values, the way of thinking, the way you see the world that’s ingrained in you during those crucial years. Pei may have studied in the West, but that doesn’t mean he’s left China behind. His identity, his core — that Chineseness — still defines him. And it shapes everything he creates. Every building, every design, carries a bit of both worlds.”

Jack: (a cynical edge creeping into his voice) “I’m not so sure. You can’t have it both ways. If you’re trained in one culture, doesn’t that eventually become your identity? Take someone like Pei — he didn’t study Chinese architecture. He studied Western techniques. How do you reconcile that?”

Jeeny: (quietly, her voice softening) “By blending them. The tension isn’t a contradiction, Jack — it’s an evolution. Pei didn’t just embrace the West and reject the East. He took those technical skills, those innovations, and filtered them through the lens of his heritage. His designs are a marriage of both worlds. The formality of the West, combined with the spirit of the East. It’s like looking at a painting and seeing both the boldness of the lines and the delicacy of the brushstrokes. Both are necessary.”

Jack: (pauses, thoughtful) “Hmm. So you’re saying that identity isn’t just a choice? That it’s not a matter of deciding which culture you want to live by, but more about how those influences interact inside you? How they shape what you create?”

Jeeny: (her eyes narrowing with conviction) “Exactly. It’s not about rejecting one part of you to embrace another. Identity is a complex, layered thing. It’s about harmony, about taking all the parts that make you who you are and combining them in a way that feels authentic. Pei’s architecture is a reflection of that. It’s not just about east meets west — it’s about how those influences can coexist, can enrich each other. He never left China behind. It’s just that his experience in the West added another dimension.”

Jack: (smiling a bit, his voice softer now) “Okay, I get it. It’s about integration, not just assimilation. You carry both worlds with you, and they can coexist if you let them.”

Jeeny: (smiling back, her voice gentle) “Exactly. And in Pei’s case, his work is the embodiment of that struggle. The tension between the technical and the cultural, the east and the west, it’s what gave his work its depth, its meaning.”

Host: The sunlight outside shifts as the day edges into the late afternoon, casting long shadows across the room. The air is heavier now, but the tension between Jack and Jeeny has eased. They sit quietly for a moment, as if each is lost in their own thoughts. In the distance, the faint sound of a car horn breaks the stillness, but neither of them seems to notice.

Jack: (looking at Jeeny, his voice a touch softer) “I suppose that makes sense. Struggle, tension, they’re a part of life. Maybe the most authentic thing we can do is embrace it.”

Jeeny: (smiling, a slight softness in her eyes) “Exactly, Jack. We’re all a blend of different parts — of our past, of our cultures, of our experiences. And what we create in the world reflects that complexity.”

Host: As the light slowly fades, their conversation settles into a peaceful silence, the weight of the morning having passed, leaving them both with a deeper understanding. The world outside continues to move, but for now, they remain in the stillness of the moment.

End Scene.