http://www.thewuway.net/archives/296 Writers who really know China Sat, 31 Jul 2010 13:18:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.thewuway.net/archives/296/comment-page-1#comment-11864 Jocelyn Sun, 12 Apr 2009 19:27:58 +0000 http://www.thewuway.net/?p=296#comment-11864 Thanks for the comment, and for shedding more light on this subject. I'd have to agree with you that the seeds were planted before the Opium war, and you're right to mention the sense of inferiority from the Manchu and Mongol rule. The resulting nationalism you mentioned can be dangerous indeed. I was in Shanghai when the protests against the Japanese embassy happened -- frightening stuff. Thanks for the comment, and for shedding more light on this subject. I’d have to agree with you that the seeds were planted before the Opium war, and you’re right to mention the sense of inferiority from the Manchu and Mongol rule. The resulting nationalism you mentioned can be dangerous indeed. I was in Shanghai when the protests against the Japanese embassy happened — frightening stuff.

]]> http://www.thewuway.net/archives/296/comment-page-1#comment-11863 kashby Sun, 12 Apr 2009 04:49:15 +0000 http://www.thewuway.net/?p=296#comment-11863 Very interesting view toward the Chinese idea of identity. I find the Chinese to be have a strange mix of an inferiority complex and a simultaneous feeling of superiority. I do think this began far before the Opium wars. Remember that China had been ruled by an essentially foreign power - the Manchu since 1644. The Manchu had gone to great lengths to keep themselves essentially separate in culture from the majority Han. And before that China had been subjected to rule by other more militarily capable powers including the Mongols during the Yuan dynasty. The roots of Chinese feeling of inferiority go deep into it's long history and unfortunately were not excised during the Communist Revolution. What is dangerous is that these feelings are easily manipulated into a radical ultra-nationalism that often threatens to dominate China's diplomacy toward the West. Very interesting view toward the Chinese idea of identity. I find the Chinese to be have a strange mix of an inferiority complex and a simultaneous feeling of superiority. I do think this began far before the Opium wars. Remember that China had been ruled by an essentially foreign power – the Manchu since 1644. The Manchu had gone to great lengths to keep themselves essentially separate in culture from the majority Han. And before that China had been subjected to rule by other more militarily capable powers including the Mongols during the Yuan dynasty. The roots of Chinese feeling of inferiority go deep into it’s long history and unfortunately were not excised during the Communist Revolution. What is dangerous is that these feelings are easily manipulated into a radical ultra-nationalism that often threatens to dominate China’s diplomacy toward the West.

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