My Name

In English, Tang has connotations to the juice. In Chinese, Tang actually means “soup” – no joke. It is short and simple; it is four letters long. When I explain what it really means, people chuckle – but I don’t explain it often.

            It’s not a common surname, but it is my brother’s, my father’s, my grandfather’s, all the others. And it is also mine. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t change it. A last name is nothing like a first name. It is foreign, but it is easy to pronounce – even though it’s actually pronounced with a short O sound. That doesn’t bother me though; even I pronounce it wrong, and on purpose.

            It’s cool in school when we learn about Chinese history and the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty. It was a good time: expansion, stable government, extensive trade, and all that usual jazz.

            I would like to be thought of as a princess – even if the unit only lasts for a week. But the truth is the Tang in my name is different from the Tang in the dynasty. My Tang means soup, their Tang means sugar, candy, and sweetness. But, no one has to know the difference.

written May 25, 2010 for a House on Mango Street assignment as a spin-off of "My Name"