Read and then blog at this course blog thread below Part 1 of Peter Hessler's book ORACLE BONES: A JOURNEY THROUGH TIME IN CHINA.
BLOG GUIDELINES
1. In your blog post, list and describe FIVE of Hessler's observations about China in this section of the book that you find important, intriguing, confusing, or useful, using 2-3 sentences to describe each observation. Feel free to use quotes from his book, but keep your selected quotes to a sentence or shorter, and be sure to cite a page number.
2. In the same blog post, raise one SPECIFIC question about China that this section of Hessler's book raises for you. Be sure your question starts with the following words: "My question about China is..."
Mojo a go go,
Dr. W
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ReplyDelete#1: On page 11, Hessler describes the filing system that he used to store the newspaper clippings he was responsible for storing. He questioned the bureau chief regarding the nature of some of the categories, for example; tea. In response to his inquiry the bureau chief replied, “sooner or later every China correspondent has to write an article about tea.
ReplyDelete#2: On page 16, as an aspect of his discussion of the protests that occurred in China, Hessler talks about the impact that the vandalism of the protesters had on the Albanians. Due to the fact that the violence against the Albanians served as a catalyst for NATO’s campaign against Yugoslavia, the Chinese found the Albanians to be responsible as well.
#3: On page 21, Hessler discusses the ever present issue of the Chinese government’s influence on the media, and what information actually reaches the people of China. This withholding of information is illustrated by President Clinton’s address of apology to China, and how it was cut short before it aired on national television.
#4: On pages 33-34 the idea of book burning is introduced by way of Qin Shihuang and his part in the destruction and abolishment of books all across the country. The topic carries over into the next page, as Hessler describes a scholarly man named Imre Galambos. Galambos felt that both censorship and creation have a potential for harm, expressing that “In order to write a story, and create meaning out of events, you deny other possible interpretations.”
ReplyDelete#5:On page 51, Hessler introduces the idea of “Simple English,” a variation on standard English that was established during the cold war, making it easier for English to be learned. Hessler compares it to his own experience with what he calls “Simple Chinese,” and refers to it as a very natural way to pick up a new language.
My question about China is… are the people aware of the influence their government has on the information they do or do not receive through the media?
Observation One: On page 19, an observation I made is that in China they do all they can to be happy. I got this observation from the birds outside the memorial. Hessler talked to Mr. Gong and he stated how depressing the memorial was, therefore in his eyes it helped the people see a brighter side of the situation.
ReplyDeleteObservation Two: On page 21, “ I didn’t like leaving the bureau for home. Every evening I lingered trying to find any kind of distraction- another news story to watch, another story to read.” This event was taking over China, and Hessler was the one being stared at, He had to devote more time thinking about different body language and how to act around the Chinese.
Observation Three: On page 23, it is interesting how when Hessler is preparing to leave the restaurant how Uighur walked over and introduced himself. Hessler took his name and number and was invited over for dinner sometime. It was after Uighur stated that Americans should be able to kill more than three Chinese if they wanted to. This event shows how Uighur saw the different outlook of the situation rather than just blaming Hessler. Represents how diverse the Chinese culture is.
Observation Four: On page 51, they state how on the news they use a language called “special English.” Special English consists of limited vocabulary and simple words and is spoken at a slower space. This is so that the language itself would be easier to understand. It ended up being a teaching tool for millions of people.
Observation Five: On page 67, it wasn’t unusual for people to speak about war or conflict. They fully believed that the United States and other countries deliberately bullied China. Thus making it ironic how the people were very friendly to foreigners.
Question:Is the use of media in China used as much as it is in the United States?
Five Observations- Important, intriguing, useful, confusing
ReplyDelete1. I found this Peter Hesslers job kind of confusing during the reading. I wasn’t sure what a clipper was and what the significance of each of the files he kept listing were. Later in the reading I came to realize that he was a teacher and taught students English. I was wondering how these two jobs were connected and related.
2. I think an important part of this reading were the amount of protests that were discussed. Hessler witnessed firsthand how the Chinese government and people felt about Americans. After a bombing that occurred a ling that was repeated was “ Down with American Imperialism”
3. I also thought the information provided in the book about Tiananmen Square was useful information. I would really like to learn more about this incident before we visit China. It’s interesting to me that the Chinese government tried really hard to cover up what happened. At the anniversary the military kept a really close eye on everyone.
4. “A few Chinese told me that America was a nation without history, which resulted in the lack of a moral core.” This makes me wonder what Chinese people are going to think of me when we are in China.
5. I don’t remember a specific page number but I liked when Hessler was talking about the man who broke into his hotel room and things were kind of a blur and started talking about Dreams. I reminded me of our freshmen core reading Accidental Mind. I thought it was also interesting that the hotel staff thought something must have been wrong with the robber since Hessler was able to chase him down and beat him up.
My Questions about China is on the chapter about the broken bridge. I wanted to know why the Chinese government tries to tip toe around what happened on June 4th at Tiananmen Square.
Observation #1
ReplyDeleteHessler remarks how different Uighurs and the Han Chinese are, in terms of geography, culture, language and even history. An important observation as it is, to this day, relevant to China. (Page 27)
Observation #2
Hessler reiterates Imre Galambos’ opinion regarding the vastness of the written world. I agree completely with this observation, as it is an important aspect of Chinese culture. The accumulated written texts of past dynasties dictate various aspects of everyday life in each subsequent dynasty and time period. If anything, this written world has expanded even more in our modern time. (Page 34)
Observation #3
Hessler mentions Nancy, one of his students, and her father’s unlucky fate during the mid 1990s. While most people tend to view China as a growing country, what was really happening during this time was the reorganization and shifting of society. The new economy exploded into a very chaotic mess, with counterfeits of everything being produced. It is my opinion that only recently has the economy truly settled the social structure within the country. (Page 47)
Observation #4
It is very interesting that Hessler notes the paradoxical attitudes displayed when in Dandong. Hessler notes that it wasn’t “unusual for people to speak about war or conflict with a sense of inevitability, and they fully believed that the United States and other countries deliberately bullied China”. These contradictions are hard to decipher, but they provide a good framework of the domestic attitude. (Page 67)
Observation #5
Possibly the most telling observation of Chinese ideology, Hessler mentions proposing the question “Would you rather have a long life with the normal ups and downs, or an extremely happy life that ends are only another twenty years?” Almost everyone in his class chose the former option. I cannot completely explain the significance of this choice, as it would entail something close to a long and drawn out essay, but this incident resonates deeply with me. (Page 78)
My question about China is…. Will the core principles of Chinese culture continue to persist, as it has for so long?
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ReplyDeleteObservation #1: thought the archaeological process of uncovering Huanbei in Anyang was interesting, and that it was cool how they were mapping out the borders of the city, but I was confused how the core samples worked. How do archaeologist know when they’ve hit the wall, and are these samples ruining the historical integrity of the dig site.
ReplyDeleteObservation #2: Chapter 1 spent a great deal talking about the protests on the bombings on the Chinese embassy during the Kosovo War. My dad was involved in it being in the air force, and until now I never really thought what his involvement was. Usually he’s refueling planes, and hearing about the riots and how everyone came up to Hessler asking where he was from and his opinions on the matter, made me unsettled on how my father had to deal with that kind of stuff. I feel that the way Hessler depicts the riots shows how patriotic China is, how everyone is uniform and against the US because three Chinese men are killed, is really important part of Chinese culture.
Observation #3: I was confused about Polat’s job as a middleman. I understand he works on the black market, but I don’t understand the process of money-changing. Hessler, on page 61, talked about the conversion of a Yuan to the dollar, and how he stretches the bill more than the government does. I guess I just didn’t follow how that is possible.
Observation #4: I thought it was interesting that the Chinese had rebuilt their side of the Broken Bridge, and how North Korea hadn’t; even if the bridge never connected it’s still a tourist attraction. It reminded me of the Berlin Wall and how the west side is all developed and modern, whereas the east side hasn’t changed. It looks poverty stricken, and decrepit.
Observation #5: on page 85, Hessler quotes a cab driver saying, “That’s how things work in China-one person says something should be done, and it happens. That’s Communism.” Here in America, things don’t typically happen by one person making a statement; there needs to be clubs, PR work, protests. There needs to be a whole lot of voices pleading about one subject, and to think that a country as powerful of China can listen to a single voice.
Q: My question about China how is the government currently dealing with North Korea, particularly in regards to cities that are nearby, like Dandong?
1. China seems to be the power force of manufacturing and trade. In fact, nearly everything is made in China. With that said, how is their economy so 'low.'
ReplyDelete2. I was surprised to find out how recent this novel is, dating back to just a decade ago. However, there are barely any written records and artifacts left now, what's it going to be like after another decade or two pass by and time really interferes with history.
3. Hessler illustrated China's Industrial Revolution, "A generation that would define the nation's future" (12). If idealism was at it's peak and there was work, why was there the need for a migration. It seems each generation is because of a new migration or other drastic change.
4. Hessler says, "Xinjiang is one of the most ethnically diverse parts of the country. There are thirteen non-Chinese ethnicities native to the region, and the Uighurs, who number around 8 million, are the largest group" (23). China's most diverse city only has thirteen ethnicities, compared to the 100's of ethnicities in America, the biggest melting pot. By default, China should be operating much smoother than other countries. Fewer ethnicities means fewer problems because everyone is on the same page. For example, less religious conflicts, gender issues, land disputes, etc. So is China in better condition?
5. On page 35 Hessler explains how life is created by past stories and events. He says, "It's through these important people and events. But while studying Chinese history, you learn that maybe some of these events didn't happen, or they were minor." Only some stories are passed down along with the according customs, values, traditions, etc. What chooses what is important or not? But more importantly, what is true and not true?
I really enjoyed finding out how modern this 'text book' is. It is within the last decade and about a travel writer, which is something that interests me. But one question I have is, are the local Chinese going to bombard us with political questions and ideas?
1. The migration of Chinese citizens from rural to urban areas was the largest peaceful migration ever recorded in history.
ReplyDelete2. Some people in China believe that America has no history or moral code.
3. In the NATO bombing of a Chinese embassy in Yugoslavia, there were never any conclusions made about what happened, the news barely reached America, and the Chinese were told versions of the story that served as propaganda against the U.S.A.
4. There is a fascination among the younger generations of Chinese with the English language.
5. Many people worldwide and in China have studied English through the radio show The Voice of America.
My question is: In the time that this book took place, how much money (in dollars) was needed to live and how many people made under that?
1. There has been no local media coverage in Tiananman Square since 1989 and the majority of people in china dont even know how many people died, while the foreign media being the only people to have guessed the death toll being in the hundreds. It is not called a massacre when it is brought up, just june 4th.
ReplyDelete2. The chinese embassy in yugoslavia was bombed by NATO, and no conclusions were ever made about it. When the US was blamed they said they had missed by accident. The Government thought it was strange that such a technologically advanced country could miss with their ballistics.
3. When Bill Clinton apologized for the bombings the Chinese government censored it. So the government could control their reactions by not showing that we had "apologized" and making them think that we did it on purpose.
4. It was considered scandalous for a young man and women to share an apartment and not be married so Nancy had to adopt the mans last name so that it would not be shunned.
5. China has had good relations with North Korea, but when asking people in Dandong about their neighbors they had nothing too good to say and even seemed bored with the subject. They also had no motivation to go to North Korea because they thought that it was useless and would not learn anything.
Question- Will the Chinese government's control over the media help them or hurt them in the near future with the way the economy is going all over the world?
1. The censorship of President Bill Clinton's apology, for the accidental bombing of a Chinese Embassy.
ReplyDelete2. The record making migration of the chinese population.
3. The role of the clipper. Thought it was a cool pre-curser before the era of massive online collective search banks.
4. the symbolic attack on the Ronald McDonald Statue.
5. Chinese relationships with neighboring North Korea.
1. I was slightly confused with Hessler’s job as a clipper was. I knew he was some sort of journalist and somehow they kind of relate but I don’t understand the purpose of the job.
ReplyDelete2. Pages 13-17, Hessler makes a trip to Nanjing where protestors were rioting (protesting in Nanjing was unheard of in Nanjing) about NATO bombing the Chinese embassy in Yugoslavia. Three Chinese people died in the bombing. NATO claims that it was an “accident”.
3. What’s up with the book-burning in China? I keep hearing about book-burnings in the readings, so this must be something of importance to their history. On page 34 Hessler describes a half Hungarian, quarter Kazak, quarter Tatar man’s dissertation about the development of ancient Chinese writing. He notes that “centuries of historians have been obsessed with the tale of the book-burning, but they have ignored the quite but continuous process of selecting works for copying”.
4. On page 60 it mentioned something about a Heineken sponsored party of some sort and it got me thinking and something I have always wondered. Why do Asians default to drinking Heineken? This may seem silly, but I am Asian myself and never knew why and something I’ve noticed among the Asian community Does it have something to do with the green color? Or what? It’s certainly not because of the taste because I don’t think it tastes all the great. Not to sound like I’m stereotyping, but it’s true…
5. You can kill your own tethered rabbit or bird and eat it for 1-3 yuans. Page 68.
Question: I would like to know more about China’s relationships with it’s neighboring countries like: Kazakhstan, North Korea, Russia, Pakistan, India, Laos, etc?
1. On page 11 Hessler is discussing his job as a clipper for the Wall Street Journal in Beijing when he first raises the topic of the Belgrade bombing of 1999. On page 14 we begin to see this concept play out in an interesting way with the student protests in Nanjing. I thought it was interesting that the students were focusing their anger at fast food chains like McDonalds and KFC as an embodiment of America, even though in actuality they were Chinese-owned.
ReplyDelete2. On page 23 we first discover the character who goes by the alias of Polat (or "Steel"), at the Uighur dumpling restaurant. It was fascinating that Polat spoke up for Hessler who was being berated by Han Chinese about the Belgrade embassy bombing. It was also interesting how different the view points were between the Uighur and the Han, and where their allegiances fell.
3. On page 35 Hessler is explaining who Imre Galambos is, a man who has an interesting explanation for Chinese history. The man's ethic background is quite complex; he is half hungarian, a quarter Kazak, and a quarter Tatar and he just so happens to be a scholar of ancient Chinese. Galambos explains that the problem with Chinese history is "the Chinese say that every five or six hundred years a sage appeared. In reality (Galambos) would say it's more fluid, more complex; there's a lot of stuff going on" (Hessler 35).
4. On page 46 the topic of Willy Freeman's romance with Nancy Drew is brought up. I think this is a key difference in how our societies operate differently. Hessler writes how "young people who engaged in courtship could be punished by an official demerit that would remain in their political dossier, subject to inspection by future employers" (46). This idea is so foreign to me as an American who is bombarded by a culture run by sex and scandal.
5. On page 71 when Hessler is talking with the old Chinese veteran a few things are brought up of interest. One particular aspect of this conversation was the difference in positions held between the younger boat pilot and the veteran, with the last words of the evening by the pilot "many old people don't understand the way things are in China nowadays" (72). This seems to suggest that the newer generations might be affected by the globalization of the world.
My questions about China is if Willy Freeman's town, and other's like it, are still subject to having only one 14 inch TV for an entire village or if has it become more high tech?
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ReplyDeleteObservation 1: Until the capitalistic reforms of Deng Xiaoping, it was rare for Chinese people to leave their home regions. Because of this, until the free-market reforms were passed in 1978, approximately four fifths of the Chinese population was rural.
ReplyDeleteObservation 2: In Dandong, it became tradition for some newlyweds to rent a boat, put on life jackets over their wedding clothes, and sail along the North Korean shore. This speaks miles about this region, in which its peoples seek novelty in traveling to another country “for just one Yuan”.
Observation 3: I found it interesting that the Chinese police, regarding the robbery incident, were more preoccupied and ashamed that a foreigner was robbed in their city as opposed to being apologetic and reassuring that they would catch said criminal.
Observation 4: I found it interesting that The Tiananmen Square massacre was so controversial among the peoples of china that it became taboo to even mention the event by name. Most locals refer to the events as “Liu Si” or June fourth.
Observation 5: The area known as Yabalou, in Beijing, is also known as Russiatown or the Russian Market. There, it is not uncommon for the foreign traders to shoe away Asian looking customers and tell them openly that they are not welcome to shop there.
Question: My one question about China is how has the incident at Tiananmen Square affected the relationship between the people of china and its government?
The first Observation in Oracle Bones that I found interesting, was the second paragraph on page thirteen which talks about simplifying the past. what I found most important about this section was the juxtaposition of the three, in my opinion increasingly pessimistic, slogans, "The whole world as one community/ Serve the people/ Be practical and realistic" with the seeming improvement displayed in the spiral outline of Chinese history described.
ReplyDeleteThe Second observation I found interesting was on page 28 when talking about the differences between Uighur and Chinese culture, describing the former as more fluid, while describing the other as more based around communal pride. I thought it was interesting that two cultures that are so completely different can be considered part of the same country.
Thirdly I found the line on page 34, "Censorship captures the imagination, but the process of creation might be even more destructive. In order to write a story you deny other possible interpretations." I found this observation odd, the way the creation of a story is described here sounds exactly the same as censorship, is the book saying that they in essence are the same thing?
the fourth thing I found interesting in the reading was on page 67 when the author discusses his discovery of China's unique relationship with the rest of the world, through his conversations with the people of Dandong. I found the emphasis on courtesy, and friendliness to foreigners , while remaining critical of their ways interesting but confusing.
Fifth I though that the observation on page 95 that the only thing finished in the overnight city was the exports, and when this is contrasted with his later observation of looking down on the city and seeing all the planning put into it was very interesting. it seems like the planning is being outweighed by the speed at which things are going on, and I feel like that is kind of a reflection on the world in general, everything goes so fast, it's difficult to plan ahead properly.
My question about China is... what was the purpose behind replacing the traditional names of villages with things like "Number 10 Village"?
Observation 1 p. 23: Hessler observes that Xinjiang is one of the most diverse areas of China. There are 13 ethnicities other than Chinese in that area. The Uighurs are the largest group, having a population of about 8 million.
ReplyDeleteObservation 2 p. 27: China is such a vast country that within it borders there are ethnic groups that are different in every respect. They Hessler compares Uighurs and Han Chinese to illustrate, describing how they differ in geography, history, language, and culture even though they are all Chinese.
Observation 3: p. 39: Hessler talks about how in the past Chinese rarely left their home regions, but that changed in the 80s. It was difficult to leave, but many did so in order to get jobs as the capitalist-style changes took place. Leaving was difficult but those who did became more capable.
Observation 4: p. 51: A special version of English, called special English was originally intend to make static radio broadcasts easier to understand during the Cold War, but it quickly became a teaching tool. This language has only 1500 words, which are very simple. Sentences are short and simple, and contain only one idea. No idioms are used and it spoken at a slower pace. Hessler compares it to McDonalds: a slow-paced fast food language.
Observation 5: P 58. In recalling the events of Tiananmen Square, Hessler mentions that students asked him if people had actually died. Most memories of the even are fuzzy and inaccurate.
My question about China is how long will the government be able to stay on top of censuring the media and keeping information away from the people in todays environment.
The first observation I found significant was Hessler’s of Yang Jun. In this paragraph he discusses how more than one hundred million Chinese had migrated, many to ‘boomtowns’. “Social scientists described it as the largest peaceful migration in human history (Hessler 12).”
ReplyDeleteThe next useful bit of information I found on page 33 where Hessler is discussing Qin Shuhuang. In 221 B.C. he became the first ruler to declare himself emperor. He was able to standardize weights, measures, and currency. He was a major part in unifying China; despite brutal methods and destruction he is the reason there is a shared written text.
On page 39 Hessler is describing the migrants who leave their villages and obtain education and jobs outside of their hometowns. These people give up their traditions, and often achieve well academically and can speak English well.
I find it useful to know how the people in the region around Tiananmen Square reacted around the tenth anniversary of the event. People do not speak of it but there is a feeling that is described in the book.
I think that it is intriguing that there are modern cities built on top of old and ancient ones. There is so much history that lies beneath areas that need special clearance to go through, while other areas are under farm land. China is a vast country with a long and rich history; some of which seems to have lost itself in time, while other parts are etched into history.
My question about China is how are the little emperors and empresses getting along in marriage?
1) On page 3, Hessler says that China’s past is not told in narrative but in story. I find this interesting because China was among the first to develop ways of reading and writing so I would think that they would have told it in longer narratives rather than stories. On the other hand I also think it would make sense because the Chinese also pass most things along through word of mouth and their traditions are often passed down orally.
ReplyDelete2) On page 15 Hessler was talking about the students that were confronting him in the mob after the attack on the embassy. He said the students didn’t blame him personally but wanted to know why America would do such a thing. I found this interesting because when the attack happened on Pearl Harbor Americans blamed the Japanese-American citizens for the attacks even though many of them had never stepped foot in Japan. I would think that the Chinese would have reacted differently towards an American at a time like that possibly acting as paranoid as we were in the early 40’s.
3) On page 33 when the chief minister said to execute anyone who even spoke of the books or past. I find this partially shocking and partially hilarious. I find it shocking because any leader should be embracing cultural history and values but this man clearly was not. I find it hilarious because even today China doesn’t want anything to do with their dark moments in the past. For example it is illegal in china to talk about Tiananmen Square and if you are caught trying to learn about it or talking about it you will just disappear.
4) On page 69 Hessler is talking about the relations between the Chinese and the North Koreans and how when the Chinese were asked they would say “It’s not interesting.” To me it feels like the Chinese are trained to not talk about things that make them uncomfortable or are questionable content. Much like with the burning of the books and Tiananmen Square incident. I personally wouldn’t be able to function in a society with such strict limitations on free speech. I love my freedom of speech and I don’t know what I would do without it.
5) On page 88 Hessler is describing the living/working conditions of the Chinese workers in the three-in-one plants and how even though they were illegal and the workers knew it. As Americans were appalled at those working descriptions but our industry thrives on their cheap labor so we choose to not do anything about it.
My specific question about China is: How does the Chinese government get away with such harsh censorship and still manage to have their population under control from uprising?
#1. In the beginning of the chapter, Hessler describes how Americans ignited protest in China by attacking an Embassy building by bombing it. He explains that three Chinese people died in the attack, bringing about anger and grief from the citizens who lived there. Within this protest, people mostly marched against American fast food chains and chanted, “down with American imperialism!”
ReplyDelete#2. At the bottom of page 21, Hessler describes talking with local Chinese about the Opium Wars during the 1800’s. He explains that some Chinese people told him that America was a nation without history, which attributed to their lack or moral core. HE explains that despite this, he was always truthful about his nationality, because he felt that any lie could lead to future complication.
#3. At the bottom of page 23, the author describes one particular city called Xingjiang as one of the most ethnically diverse areas of the entire country. He explains that in this area there are thirteen non-Chinese ethnicities native to the region. The largest being the Uighurs, who number at around eight million in this region alone.
#4. On Page 30, Hessler describes how the embassy bombings slowly vanished to a distant memory. He explains that when locals did speak to him about it, they were more disappointed than angry over the fact that the Chinese government had accepted the U.S. apology and financial settlement for the damage to the embassy.
#5. On page 39, the author explains that in the past it was rare to see Chinese leave their home regions, especially when four fifths of the population was rural. He explains that this all began to change after 1978 when Deng Xiaoping instituted free-market reforms.
Question: Why did it take so long for China to join the free-market system?
Mojo a'go go - excellent questions and observations here, colleagues!
ReplyDeleteMissing from the Blog:
Stephen P
Blythe W
Let's dive in during class!
Dr. W