Trauma In China

China has changed in certain ways and remained the same in others from the early Golden Ages to the late 1900s. China has experienced a series of cultural and political transformations, shaping the lives of many Chinese citizens. Culturally, the country’s art and literature hardly changed for almost eight hundred years. Along with their culture, China remained politically the same from the beginning of the Golden Ages all the way until the 1800s. On the other hand, China’s government and society were restructured after new leaders took over. From a monarch to total communism, China’s society had a multitude of new ideas and policies they had to adapt to.

The Qing Dynasty, like all the Chinese Dynasties, began with an expectation of success. The Zhou Dynasty found such success within the “100 schools of thought”, while the Qin found success within trade and exploration which in the end, unified China (Russ). However, the Qing Dynasty found a different way to make their mark with the development of the Chinese Dictionary, forming Banner systems and population increase. Nevertheless, while all of the Dynasties strived for success, they ended with the ultimate failure; by not obtaining the mandate of Heaven. Throughout the history of the region many Dynasties attempted to push China in a positive, powerful position, yet none

In Jan Wong’s entrancing expose Red China Blues, she details her plight to take part in a system of “harmony and perfection” (12) that was Maoist China. Wong discloses her trials and tribulations over a course of three decades that sees her searching for her roots and her transformation of ideologies that span over two distinctive forms of Communist governments. This tale is so enticing in due part to the events the author encountered that radically changed her very existence and more importantly, her personal quest for self-discovery.

Odd Arne Westad’s Restless Empire traces China’s participation with other countries over the past 250 years. Westad disputes that China has an ongoing association with the rest of the world through trading of silks and porcelains, allowing China to dominate the international trade market during the Ming and Qing empires. This significant piece of evidence reflects China’s connection with the outside world contrary to the thought that China has been an isolated society detached from most of the world as evidenced by China’s involuntary participation with the foreign countries which stems from colonialism. The author examines China’s foreign affairs over the past three centuries to provide chronological events that underline the advancement in economic growth of China, leading to the establishment of modern China.

Imperialism, capitalism, and anti-imperialism played a role in the revolutions that changed China. In 1919, Lenin founded the Comintern, “to help the national struggles of the oppressed nations”. (Zarrow, p.190) Russia wanted to show the Chinese that their revolution could be copied. After the May Fourth movement, two political parties formed. The Chinese Communist Party and the Guomindang. The Guomindang (GMD) was a Nationalist party, however, both parties were more disciplined, structured, and valued loyalty to their respective leaders than groups before them. (Zarrow, p.192)

Major changes in political structure, social and economic life define the Sui, Tang, and Song dynasties. Each period laid the foundation for the next, with changes and improvements to create a new order. China is one of the world’s richest historical countries boasting of ancient civilization. China has a mysterious and long history, about 5,000 years. China traces her culture to a blend of small tribes like any other great civilizations of the world. These small original tribes expanded to what is China today. The history of China records that Xia Dynasty is the oldest dynasty with Yuanmou man being the oldest hominoid in China. The country also documents a number of eminent people who contributed to the nation’s enrichment and development experienced today. However, this essay seeks to discuss the major changes in political structures, social and economic life that occurred during the Sui dynasty, the Tang dynasty and the Song dynasty in China.

Wild Swans by Jung Chang takes us on a journey through the multiple regime changes in China in the 20th century through the perspective of her grandmother, mother, and herself. Through their perspectives we get firsthand accounts on the events in China leading to the Communist Revolution. For the purpose of this paper I will be focusing on the events up to the Communist takeover of mainland China. The book is far from short on shock value as Chang provides the reader with grizzly accounts of the treatment of people under the Japanese. Her mother also describes her own rationale essentially for wanting to join the Communists in overthrowing the Nationalist government.

Throughout most of history, East Asia and more specifically China has been the cradle of civilization. Only until a few hundred years ago did China and most of the developing world today regress into the states they have been for the past several hundred years. For the past 100 years the US has been the world’s most powerful country, economically, militarily, and culturally; however China is resurging and is now in a position that is equal and perhaps greater to the US’s power.

China, the crown jewel of the golden ages, was left broken and without leadership after the Second World War. Their land was torn by war and their people’s morale had been severely affected with all

In a nation’s history there are times of downfall: poverty, war, and inhumanity, and times of prosperity: a period of peace and harmony and cultural development. Modern China, 1900-1970, was a point of isolation, poverty, and lack of freedom. In “Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China”, the author Jung Chang tells the first hand experience of her grandmother, mother, and herself living in China during the Japanese invasion, the Kuomintang rule, and Mao Zedong rule. Changes in gender treatment, education, freedom, and government occurred from the beginning of the period to the end, whereas the downfalls in the economy, familial customs, hierarchy, and the harsh consequences of disobeying government and culture were continuities of Modern China.

The essay begins with an outline of the Chinese culture and way of thinking during this time period. A historical understanding of the people and government will serve to better illuminate the social and political landscape of the era.

Growing up in the large country China, I have noticed the nation has suffered from many difficulties beginning in the early 1793’s. In my opinion, everything that has happened to China between 1793 and 1912 have been nothing but damaging to China’s lifestyles. Some of the harshest events that China experienced were the Opium Wars, the Taiping Rebellion, and the Boxer Rebellion. Some people would not agree that these series of rebellions hurt our country and some do agree. China was one of the strongest empires until Lord Macartney’s Visit- when the empire came to an end.

The Age of Ambition can be described as a “tour de force” of authoritarianism and aspiration with a description level that gives insight into China’s path to its modern self. As Osnos writes, “It is also a riveting and troubling portrait of a people in a state of extreme

China was ruled under the feudal system for about 5,000 years and she was in almost permanently dominant position within the world for a thousand years. With this superiority, the Qing dynasty developed the sense of “middle kingdom” [3]. The long history of dominance foster the belief in the “superiority of Chinese culture” (M&L, 160) and Confucianism. This belief attributes to China’s reluctance to change. It also makes abolishing the old Confucian ways of life and overthrowing the outdated feudal system much harder and longer.

After few days later, October 1st will be China’s 68th birthday. There are going to be a magnificent celebration ceremony at Tian An Men square. In 1949, Chairman Mao boarded the gate tower of Tiananmen and then announced to the world in his native mandarin that new China was founded after the Chinese people won a peaceful and stable country after decades of fighting. In the meantime, we have the awakening of our own consciousness and the struggle between different ideologies of traditional culture. The martyr's resistance with all cost is to live with dignity and for the sake of their posterity. It is a very proud thing that we can stand on our own land and strive for ourselves.