Week+1

Articles for Week One

Archaeologists Unearth an Ancient City of Wu I thought this article was very interesting. I watch a lot of the television show Bones, so I have been very intrigued by archaeology and anthropology. It amazes me that people can go about their lives without realizing what archaeological gold mine they live above. When I was a kid, I would go out in the back yard to look for dinosaur bones (I never found any), but I can not image people not being interested to figure out what they are living on top of. “According to numerous historical references including Shiji, or Records of the Grand Historian, Wu's capital was located around Suzhou during the state's final years. Historians have long speculated it was buried under Suzhou city, but the discovery of an ancient city at Mudu has stirred new speculation.” This fascinates me because researchers look for evidence to back up their claims about forgotten cites and now with this uncovered ancient town, they have the ability to clarify their reasons. - Emma Ming
 * Old China **

Author Unravels Mystery of Plot That Toppled China's Last Emperor The article listed above goes into limited details about the fate of the emperor and the complex reasons for Phil's abdication of the Dragon Throne. Jia Yinghua, a Chinese historian, has strived to answer some of the most complex and mystery shroud questions pertaining to hot topic. Jia has discovered that in fact, like any thing pertaining to e Qing Dynasty, Western powers and corruption persuaded the Dowager Empress Longyu to sign away her adopted son, Puyi, right to rule. The Empress was received letters, most notably from the Russian Embassy, that she would be beheaded like the French King, Louis, if she did not accept a bribe of 1700lbs of silver in exchange for signing the abdication papers. The article makes it quite clear, though, that many of the pressures and letters where indeed falsified by members of the Empresses inner circle who had excepted bribes, mainly her trusted eunuch and Prince Yikuang. Mr. Jia's work is exposing how the seeds of corruption and blackmail played a part in the fall of the Chinese Empire whilst also highlighting the importance of Western military power and revolts against monarchs in other parts of the world. What is even more powerful, though, is the Communist Party's efforts to keep this information hidden: Articles like the one listed above as well as Mr. Jia's book are not permitted in China currently, and this information was kept away from those outside of China for almost a hundred years. -Laura R. Brawley

The Fate of Old Beijing The article (video) was absolutely fascinating. The people currently living in or previously lived in the Hutongs all seemed to be of the same mindset. They understood that the high rises have better air condition and heating systems. The high rises have indoor bathrooms, and thicker walls. That the rooms are bigger and access to the city is easier in the high rises. Despite knowing all these things though, these people love their way of life (or in the cases of those forced to leave loved). To them it is much more important to honor tradition and history. The Hutongs are so much more to them than narrow streets and poorly constructed homes. The Hutongs represent a sense of community and fellowship. The homes are all they know. -Sylvia Snyderman

Feudal Answers for Modern Problems Grand Canal - China's Ancient Lifeline Has Japan Ever Apologized to China for Its Wartime Aggression?

Henan Famine 1942 This article about the 1942 famine in Henan, which led to widespread starvation, points out some of the differences between the reactions of Americans or Europeans and the responses of the Chinese to hardships. The author describes how politics and corruption led to the neglect and subsequent death of three million people, as the Chinese government and the Japanese invaders, who occupied parts of China at the time, reached a sort of impasse, with both parties failing to provide relief to the people of Henan. Despite originating from Henan, the author had never heard of the famine due to the “collective amnesia” of the survivors, who chose to forget the event. The author speculates that Americans and Europeans under the same circumstances of starvation would have demanded to know why no one was providing for them and thus allowing them to die, but he mentions that the Chinese instead dealt with their struggles through using humor and choosing not to remember the famine once it ended. Through his research, the author found that many people dismissed the famine as merely another instance of people starving to death, and he also found a darkly comical anecdote about hunger and cannibalism during the famine. The author explains that by employing humor and putting the suffering out of their minds, the people could bring themselves to confront the situation, as their approach softened the reality of the famine. The author points out that this mindset presents a major cultural difference between Americans and Europeans as opposed to the Chinese; Americans and Europeans insist on knowing the reasons behind their misery and look higher to find who is abandoning them in their time of need, while the Chinese give themselves up to the problem and handle it through not trying to combat it, seemingly resigning themselves to the fact that no one will come to their aid. Because of the people’s decision to overlook the issue, a European man and two American men brought the famine to the attention of the Chinese government, but corruption prevented the government’s attempts at relief from taking effect. The article shows how the attitude that the people take in a difficult situation serves as a very telling feature of a society. The contrast between American or European resistance and Chinese passivity and acquiescence exemplifies an interesting differentiation between the ways of each culture. - Sophia T.

How the China Trade Made America I had no idea that China and the U.S. had been trading for so long. Now that I think about it, it makes perfect sense. The Americans were essentially British. The British love tea. China has lots of tea. The two countries make an almost perfect match. The article states that American politicians use China as a punching bag. I noticed mostly during the debates, by both candidates. Before, I had no idea how long The U.S and China have been trading, but now, I am very surprised to find out that the two countries aren’t better friends. Also, China helped out our economy a lot. It made people rich. I also didn’t realize how many desired things China had. They had silk, porcelain, tea, and not to mention, opium. As the article states, The U.S. would not be the same without China. - Robbie

Kung Fu Collides with Commercialism - and Survives <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Last Emperor's Kin <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Officials Seek Career Shortcut with Feng Shui

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Researchers Find Trickery in Ancient Chinese Divination The article talks about how oracles were able to control how the bones or shells they used to make predictions could be manipulated. Do to the level of control they had over the crack patterns, oracles could tell the public all sorts of things. The Emperor was often the head oracle as well, so he was able to let the public think what he wanted them to. This allowed him to guarantee he had power or fortune he may not have had, and pacifying the public. It also could be used by other oracles to manipulate what clients, noblemen, and other people believed. It was really interesting that they didn’t just say rubbish, they could actually control the burning and cutting so precisely that they could make their own fortunes. ~Ari Sanson

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Restoration is Taking Hold <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Reviving an Ancient City <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Suspected Tomb of Chinese Tyrant Discovered <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Uncertain Future for Architectural Treasures

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">What Big Highways Mean for China's Small Villages <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; line-height: 1.5;">I read this article because I had recently heard about China's new interstate system. I know a lot about the tech and things but Nova and Pop. Mechanics don't tend tend to talk about these "humans" often. While the article did not go into the people's opinions on the highway, it did show how it would change their lives. The photos (what made up the bulk of the article) showed many scenes, such as glacier valleys and then contrasted them against what the highways are influencing, boys playing pool, and new apartment buildings. I also really like it just for the photos, as they were awesome (especially the one with the camel yak thing). I am excited to see the events around the Chinese highways system unfold and to watch small communities like these. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">-Michael "The Best Guy" Walden

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">With Focus on Unity, China Embraces Its Pre-Communist Past <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">World Mahjong Championships

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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">.中国 and the End of the English-Language Internet <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Ancient Art Tells China's Modern Tale <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">People Use Same Brain Region to Read Alphabetic and Logographic Languages
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Chinese Language **