Chinese Clock in Bucareli

People tend to use it as a meeting point and more often than not they just pass it through without any acknowledgement. The Chinese clock in Bucareli Avenue in Mexico City has a special significance due to the historical moment it was given in. The clock was a gift from the last emperor of China, Puyi to Mexico and it was meant to celebrate the 100 years of Mexican Independence. It is curious how the clock was given in a time when both countries were about to suffer great changes in their government.

It was 1910; Mexico was still under the dictatorship of Porfirio Diaz and China was still under control of the Qing dynasty, but both governments were coming to an end. In 1910 the Mexican Revolution overthrew Porfirio Diaz, establishing a new government. In 1911 the Chinese revolution, led by Sun Yat Sen overthrew the empire and created a republic; however, the clock has been a sign of friendship and unity between the two countries, regardless of who gave it and who received it; the clock has transcended governments and has become a beacon of unity between two millenary cultures. Originally, the gift was just the bronze clock; but the Chinese community in Mexico united and built the tower it sits on to give the clock a dignified place to stay.

It is often ignored by most Mexicans the importance that China has in our country, ignoring the fact that a Chinese community has been established in Mexico for quite a long time, or the fact that so many things that we pass by or consume come from the asian dragon. It is necessary to recognize the friendship between these two countries to start seeing other aspects of the country, to be more in touch with it and to try to eliminate the stigma and stereotype that both countries have of each other.

Mexico has recently signed a strategic partnership agreement with China, Aeromexico has been flying to Shanghai for nearly a decade, and Hainan Airlines has filed for Beijing-Mexico City flights and not to mention all the Chinese companies that are established in the country. The Chinese are here, they have been a long time and both countries are more close than ever, yet, most people ignore the fact that there has been a friendly relationship with China since diplomatic relations were established more than a century ago.

In a time of globalization, stigma and stereotypes have no place to be, and the renovated relationship between Mexico and China requires a representation that people can look upon. The Chinese Clock in Bucareli should and could serve as a beacon of trust between two countries that have shared more than 100 years of friendly relations, a friendship that is constantly becoming closer and that requires awareness and goodwill. The clock should recover its rightful place as a representation of the Chinese-Mexican friendship, that has transcended different regimes and crises and that is not going anywhere anytime soon.

Bibliography

• Arregui, B. D. (n.d.). LA ÉPICA HISTORIA DEL RELOJ CHINO DE BUCARELI. Retrieved April 30, 2016, from http://mxcity.mx/2016/04/reloj-chino-bucareli/
• SECTURDF | RELOJ CHINO. (n.d.). Retrieved April 30, 2016, from http://www.mexicocity.gob.mx/detalle.php?id_pat=5794