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When Plato Meets Confucius
By Jack Huang
When I was in Los Angeles (California) earlier this year studying I was asked why the Chinese people are taking the Beijing Olympics so seriously. I smiled and tried to hide my feelings. How can I explain what it’s like for every Chinese citizen – no matter what continent they are living on - to feel disrespected by the world community – a disrespect that dates back to an unfounded fear of yellow peril and that this is China's chance to regain dignity?
"How can I explain what it's like for every Chinese citizen – no matter what continent they are living on - to feel disrespected by the world community – a disrespect that dates back to an unfounded fear of yellow peril and that this is China's chance to regain dignity? " -Jack Huang
Think about it - since 1949 China and the Chinese people have felt deeply hurt and tortured by the world community. Today's international headlines are very reminiscent of those times. This is why the Chinese people are standing up to protect their country.
It hasn't always been like this. China has enjoyed good relations with the West over the years. In fact, China has to undergone a kind of process of Americanization during the 20th century. Sun Yat-sen, often called the Father of Modern China, was a revolutionary figure, not unlike George Washington and he developed complex relations with America. As a result of his efforts many very bright Chinese students have left China to study in the U.S.
But Qiu Zhenghai, a highly respected Chinese scholar believes that this relationship with the West did not only offer a favorable result. Once a very strong country, China seems to have lost its position in the world to the front runner, America. This caused many Chinese people to feel inferior. Sometimes this inferiority causes the Chinese government to take a back seat to other nations so it will be accepted.
When you treat others as your lord how can you possibly expect them to treat you as a friend? Many Chinese people, especially those living abroad, see how Western media makes fun of China and sometimes the Chinese people as well. No one really takes these reports seriously mostly because when compared to reports coming out of Chinese media they are mild. But the Chinese people expect more from Western media that prides itself on being objective.
During the last meeting between Henry Paulson (Secretary of the US Treasury) and Vice Prime Minister Wu Yi before her retirement, Ms. Wu complained that American media has been unnecessarily critical of China without also mentioning China’s progress and the relief China has created for America during all these years negotiation.
Reactions to Western criticism have extended beyond these closed door discussions to include such poetic commentary widely circulated on the internet as what follows -
When we were called "weaklings of east Asia", we were looked down upon as "Yellow Peril";
When we are being propagandized by CNNs as the next super-power, you call us "threat";
When we closed our doors, you bombed it into pieces and poured in opium;
When we believe in globalization, you scold that we have grabbed the job away from you;
When this country was torn up into several pieces, your army flooded in for "equal rights";
When they have been jointed, you yelled out "free Tibet";
When we built our own industry, you call us "polluter";
When we sell you the cheap merchandise, you complain that we have worsened the greenhouse effect;
When we buy oil, you say we are the executer of genocide;
When you invade a country for oil, you call it liberation;
When we were quiet, you were blaming the lack of freedom of speech;
When we try to make our voices heard, you say it is ultra-nationalism;
"Why do you hate us so much", we can't refrain from asking;
"No, we don't", you say;
"We neither, but, can you understand us", we ask?
It is possible that we can’t understand each other. Things seem to run amuck when Plato meets Confucius. But I don’t believe that. Nonetheless how can Plato so easily lose his rationality while Confucius loses his ability to be tolerant? Now that is a question!
