Helen

1) Taoists view scholars as people who use excessive knowledge and words. Taoists find scholars’ language confusing to understand for them who live based on their philosophy. They believe that scholars' words are arrogant and make them look superior. However, the quote, most likely to be said by a scholar, explains that his daily language is not complicated. Rather he believes that “Straightforward” words are more contradictory and more puzzling. The two different ideas can be seen because scholars and Taoists have contrasting daily lives, and are accustomed to their separate ways of lives.
 * TAOISM QUESTIONS**

2) Pooh thinks that scholars are dull and not amusing. Even if scholars are necessary in a way, Pooh dislikes the idea of ‘scholars’. They share too much information and think more and deeply than what is really needed for life. They are also confusing and do not fit into the ‘simplicity’ of life. (Hoff 31) This relates to the Taoist view of knowledge because Taoists believed that people should be natural. They see knowledge as not very important part in their lives. Rather than education, people should learn to accept flaws, in other words “What’s There”, and learning from them. Therefore, Pooh exemplifies a mind of a typical Taoist.

I don’t blame Korea for taking a long time to “open up to the west” because all the Eastern Asian countries didn’t like to have foreign influences. Chinese and Japanese felt the same as the Koreans when the first Westerners came into their borders. All three nations neglected and isolated the rest of the world and showed strong nationalism. Korea was the last one open up to the West because Korea already had troubles with foreign invasions. Also, Westerners were more interested in opening China first because China was richer in resources within the borderlines. Therefore, Korea was “excluded” as it was mentioned in The Interests. However, I don’t think that the time the three Asian countries opened up to the West matters. Even if Korea was last, the country is as developed or even more advanced than Japan and China. It is true that Korea was able to improve in many ways due to Westernization; however, Korea would have been at the same stage as today even if it opened up to the west earlier.
 * Westernization in Korea Reflection**

As I was reading the introduction of Rape of Nanking, I kept thinking of Hitler and the massacre he occurred, and that Japan was like Germany in Asia during the World War II. It was shocking to learn that there was another massacre like the one in Germany somewhere else in the country. It can be said that there were big events of tragedies in every region of the world in history; Hitler in Europe, Stalin in Russia, and Nanking massacre in Asia. As the author mentioned that the Nanking massacre is an obscure incident and that it isn’t well-known outside of Asia, I didn’t know much about it. As I read the description of how many peopled suffered and died, I realized that this incident was as big as the Holocaust and that it deserves to be more widely known than it is.
 * //Rape of Nanking// Introduction Reflection**

I was surprised by the fact that the author’s parents wanted their daughter to know about this incident. They were willing to share the real, nasty side of the world rather than protecting and saving her. I was curious of why the massacre was even more severe towards women. It was interesting how in Germany, it is illegal for teachers to delete the Holocaust form their history curricula, whereas Japanese have removed evidences of the Nanking massacre. It seems like Germans are “proud” of their history, and Japanese are trying to hide and not admit their actions. I liked the way the story was structured with different perspectives; Japanese, Chinese, and Europeans/Americans.

“Determined to achieve eventual victory over the West, the new imperial government adopted the samurai ethic of bushido as the moral code for all citizens.” (p.22) The Japanese seemed very arrogant and this chapter gave me a different thought about Japan. When I read Korea Unmasked, I thought that Japan was very peaceful, quite country where Japanese are humble and generous. However, after Japan had opened up to the West, Japanese thought that their development in economy, science and military was all because of themselves. This is how Japan got confident in spreading. “In September 1894, only six weeks after war was declared, the Japanese not only captured Pyongyang but crushed the Chinese northern felt at sea.” (p.23) Japanese military kept intruding and invading other countries continuously, and possessing other territories. These actions show attitudes of greed and superiority. Japan went further than Asia; they were very certain to gain all the land of China and other countries of West. “They looked enviously upon not only China’s vast resources but those of Western countries.” (p.26)
 * //Rape of Nanking// Chapter 1 Reflection**


 * //Rape of Nanking// p. 54-59 Reflection**: Why do you think the Japanese were so cruel? How can ordinary Japanese soldiers commit such atrocities (cruel acts)?

Many scholars were puzzled about the reason behind the Japanese soldier’s cruelty and why they committed atrocities. There are different reasons that were concluded by experts and can be considered. First is the Japanese culture itself. “Because moral obligations in Japanese society were not universal but local and particularized, they could be easily broken on foreign soil.” (54) Japan didn’t want to look like a weak, falling nation to the West. Therefore, as they westernized and adopted many Western technology and military techniques, Japanese wanted to show that they were also capable of being a strong nation.

Second reason is the non-Christian nature of Japanese religion. “Christianity puts forth the idea that all humans are brothers… Shintoism in Japan purports that only the emperor and his descendants were created in God’s image” (54) The Japanese were only aware of showing superiority and discriminating the inferior.

Even worse, the soldiers were killing the Chinese civilians for entertainment. “The contest was ‘fun’ he declared.” (56) However, some of the soldiers during the Nanking massacre admitted that they had been taught to kill and they were completely lack of remorse or sense of wrongdoing. Nagatomi Hakudo, a Japanese soldier in the past and became a doctor said: ““There are really no words to explain what I was doing. I was truly a devil.”” (59)

The Rape of Nanking is definitely more of a massacre or genocide than a holocaust, because it was a discrimination of the Chinese that the Japanese brutally slaughtered. A holocaust involves destruction of humans by fire or nuclear war. However, Rape of Nanking did not have much serious nuclear weapons involvement. The Japanese soldiers killed and murdered numerous Chinese. It is closer to a genocide because the people that suffered were in the same particular ethnic group, or at least had the same nationality.
 * Is the Rape of Nanking a genocide, holocaust, or massacre?**

Yes, countries have an obligation to compensate each other for injustices done in time of war. They caused the war and ruined the society of a certain place. If the countries that were involved in the war do not take control of the consequences, there is no one else to take recover the places. Other Western or American countries are not going to take care of the damages and develop the cities for the countries. The countries in time of war are the ones who need to take responsibility of what they have ruined. Even if it isn’t a full recovery, there needs to be at least a small act, at least an apology, to show that the countries are taking duties after what they have done.
 * Do countries have an obligation to compensate each other for injustices done in time of war?**


 * Article: //Nogun-ri// Reflection. How this is the same or different from Korea-Japan controversy? Do you still have the same opinion about compensation? Why? If you believe this situation is different, how is it different? How is your opinion about compensation different?**

The massacre at Nogun-ri was initially organized by the U.S. army specified for attacking South Korea. Unlike the Korea-Japan controversy, the U.S. took actions for what was done in the past. For example, the Present Clinton offered compensation as stated on the article: "President Clinton offered an unprecedented apology for the deaths and announced that, in remembrance and honor of the victims, scholarships would be awarded and a memorial built at the site." The U.S. took responsibility to their wrong actions in history and offered to help Korea recover. Also, while the Japanese wanted to hide their actions in text books, the Americans continued to develop the story of the Nogun-ri massacre including more pictures and information. The Americans were brave enough to take consequences and spread the unknown story to the world. Japan does not have this kind of weak responsbility to Korea, but also to China, as Japanese didn't want to reveal their stories of the Rape of Nanking for education. The situation of Korea-Japan and Korea-America is very different because the U.S. showed more actions towards the wrong doings than Japan. Even in present, it is not certain whether Japan has officially apologized.

I thought that compensation was only in a form of direct money or payment made for recovering the society and ruins. However, after reading the article, I realized that compensation includes recovery of relationships, admitting the wrong actions the country has taken, and building a memorial site. Even if U.S. didn't aid financially for improving the society- at least in this article it didn't- as stated in the quote, President Clinton awarded scholarships. It might be better than money because offering international students to study abroad means that the countries need to continually interact with each other. This way, the countries can improve stronger relationships naturally.

South Korea and China do have a say in what Japan puts into its textbooks because the Japanese published the wrong and/or bias information. In order to fix the faults, South Korea and China are definitely the first ones who can tell Japan to correct the textbooks because they know the true stories the best. The victims are the ones who experienced the massacres run by Japan, and the possible countries to correct Japan with proofs. Having false information in Japanese textbooks doesn’t harm anyone but their own country. Many can view Japan as an irresponsible country and a country that lies about its history. Also, the people who learn from the false textbooks don’t become educated properly because they have the wrong information.
 * Should Korea and China have a say in what Japan puts into its textbooks?**

Unfortunately, Japan hasn’t learned from its past. Recently, the scandal over Japanese textbooks happened again, over the information of the Dokdo Island. The textbooks falsely stated that the Dokdo Island was a territory of Japan, when it has clearly been an island of Korea since history. Therefore, the Japanese had to bow their heads once again for their fault and corrected the textbooks.

This propaganda piece emphasizes on the citizens’ happy faces and smiles, as well as Mao’s. There are a variety of people, including women, men, and children, which portrays equality. All of the people are willing to follow the great leader, as there are many more small figures in the background following Mao in one road. The red flags represent Communism, and the way people are all dressed well shows that they have pleasant lives. One emphasis that can be made on this picture is how Mao is not wearing anything that shows his status, or power. He doesn’t wear something that looks more expensive or magnificent. He is wearing a dark, long coat like everybody else. Mao actually looks poorer that others by seeing what his wearing. Also, the Chinese have many instruments in front, showing that they have celebration and joy in their lives. All the adults are looking at Mao, meaning that they will always glorify and follow Mao. My piece has a similar meaning and tone from the example one. However, it more focuses on promoting the Cultural Revolution. The figures at the back, holding hands, represent the Red Guards, who are cooperative and unified. The students symbolize how they were thought to be the most important during the revolution. They are each carrying an apple, showing knowledge and intelligence. In the area, there are gathered crops showing productivity. The sunrise represents the spread of red, and the glory of Mao. The overall background is during autumn, when there is the most red in nature, and the most prolific and peaceful time of the year. My propaganda fits well to the Cultural Revolution time period because it promotes the idea of the revolution.
 * Analysis of Propaganda during the Chinese Cultural Revolution**