Comments on: lions and tigers and bears, oh my

By: h. pouw

h. pouw — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 19:35:48 +0000

Right on, Andrew!

By: Andrew Pouw

Andrew Pouw — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:31:03 +0000

I’ve read quite a lot from that older generation…and dare to say that I understand the complexity of the feeling, as well as someone of my generation could, I think. Now, to clarify my own positions: I am not a CCP supporter so I will call things like I subjectively see them. But I am also not a CCP critic either; I understand how the Chinese have benefited from their helmsmanship, and how the population views their sufferings as intrinsically interwoven with the history of the nation and the Party. Metonymically, I am myself not Chinese, but then again, I am Chinese. Like you are saying, these things are part of a complicated world. Attempting to clarify them at all is almost another exercise in reductionism. You can only demonstrate them.

(You see now why I would never make it as a research scientist and why I am planning on limiting my future medical career to clinical or public work!)

By the by, a Western article that I read commenting on the 60th Anniversary celebration described Chiang Kai-Shek as “such a terrible general that he lost China one and a half times: half to the Japanese and then the whole country to the Communists!” The author’s tone was amused. To answer your other question about where China would be without the CCP, then: probably part of a Japanese Empire. There are video games and Tom Clancy books to indulge these scenarios if you are interested…

By: t..h.p

t..h.p — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:05:28 +0000

What is most telling is to get a survey of older Chinese people, the ones who have suffered under both the old society and under the CCP since 1949, and this way you get a better feel of the complexity of their feeling toward the past and the future. You are amongst them which should give you a much better feel.

By: t..h.p

t..h.p — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:55:09 +0000

The world is not ideal or perfect. Governing a country as big and as diverse as China is extremely difficult. Try to create another scenario: Roll back history 60 years and KMT won the power and where would China be under Chiang Kai-shek?

By: Andrew Pouw

Andrew Pouw — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:01:54 +0000

Well, at the same time, I’m no apologist for the CCP. The obvious over-emphasis on ethnic unity and particularly the Uyghur performances and exhibits in this evening’s fireworks celebration is kind of disingenuous. If anything, it just made me think more about the reasons why the Party would want to stress ethnic unity so much right now.

By: t..h.p

t..h.p — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 12:57:09 +0000

“This underlying sense of shame and redemption is something that no American pundit I have ever listened to understands, but every Chinese person with any amount of cultural self-respect feels deeply. It’s why everyone is looking forward so much to watching the celebrations for the 60th Anniversary of China’s founding tomorrow.”
You nailed it! China had suffered too much and most Westerner have no clues. So, we should take most western-reporting of China with a grain of salt!

By: t.h. pouw

t.h. pouw — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 20:20:32 +0000

Interesting perspective from the Chinese: “But still! It is also just a celebration! They are all being silly.”
It would be nice if this is just being silly.
In regard to the overwhelming positive sentiment of the Chinese towards the National Parade, the BBC has the following news article. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8283299.stm
I wonder who to believe!