It's a pity that we see mutual hostility between the two Asian powers sustained so many years after the foolish war and its atrocities despite the fact that both nations do expect to improve bilateral relations.
Why is Sino-Japanese relationship so feeble that a very small incident could serve its deterioration, despite the efforts of many Japanese as well as those of many Chinese?
I am here not to comment on Sino-Japanese relationship. but to try to reveal how hatred towards the Japanese has been sustained for over half a century here in China (perhaps in South Korea as well) from the perspective of an average Chinese, whose fathers fought fiercely for national dignity against the Japanese invaders, of course with generous aids and assistance from your fathers.
The history textbook incident is just the immediate cause of the protests and some violence reported in the many cities in China recently. Beyond that are a number of interrelated facts or factors accounting for such durable confrontation between the Chinese and the Japanese-----
1) Repeated Japanese harassments in history even prior to their atrocity in World War II, together with Chinese history text-books highlighting national heroes standing firm in face of cruel Japanese invaders. So what the Chinese younger generation know about the Japanese is largely that they are a people with whom we have feud. In fact the problem with China's education does not only concerns Sino-Japanese relationship, but also affects how youngsters view China. Education is severely distorted to cater to CCP dictatorship and will ultimately undermines the Chinese nation's reason.
2) The Japanese, as a pagan nation like the Chinese, lack the ethic of repentance, thus are unlikely to win forgiveness from neighbors as the Germans have from their neighbors, while the Germans have won forgiveness with their sicerity, wisdom and courage.
3) The average Chinese people envy the Japanese as a nation having inflicted atrocities upon us for their prosperity and seek to curb them as a power seeking to revive their millitarism.
4) The Japanese, after their successful transplant of western civilization in Japan, now tend to look on indigenous Asian culture, of which Japanese culture is a cpmponent part, as inferior to western civilisation.
Adding to the above, the
While on the Japanese side, they may feel that the Chinese are too fussy over what is past, complaining that although mainstream Japanese society, since normalisation of bilateral democratic relations in 1972, have always been willing to help China develop its economy partly in repentence for their war atrocities, (though Japan also benefits from China's economic revival). But the Chinese always feel that the Japanese have done far from enough.
Personally, I do feel helpless about this situation. Perhaps both peoples need to wake up to the fact that hatred and confrontation have always served deterioration of matters and that wisdom, good-willedness and tolerance are vital. .
Thanks
Why is Sino-Japanese relationship so feeble that a very small incident could serve its deterioration, despite the efforts of many Japanese as well as those of many Chinese?
I am here not to comment on Sino-Japanese relationship. but to try to reveal how hatred towards the Japanese has been sustained for over half a century here in China (perhaps in South Korea as well) from the perspective of an average Chinese, whose fathers fought fiercely for national dignity against the Japanese invaders, of course with generous aids and assistance from your fathers.
The history textbook incident is just the immediate cause of the protests and some violence reported in the many cities in China recently. Beyond that are a number of interrelated facts or factors accounting for such durable confrontation between the Chinese and the Japanese-----
1) Repeated Japanese harassments in history even prior to their atrocity in World War II, together with Chinese history text-books highlighting national heroes standing firm in face of cruel Japanese invaders. So what the Chinese younger generation know about the Japanese is largely that they are a people with whom we have feud. In fact the problem with China's education does not only concerns Sino-Japanese relationship, but also affects how youngsters view China. Education is severely distorted to cater to CCP dictatorship and will ultimately undermines the Chinese nation's reason.
2) The Japanese, as a pagan nation like the Chinese, lack the ethic of repentance, thus are unlikely to win forgiveness from neighbors as the Germans have from their neighbors, while the Germans have won forgiveness with their sicerity, wisdom and courage.
3) The average Chinese people envy the Japanese as a nation having inflicted atrocities upon us for their prosperity and seek to curb them as a power seeking to revive their millitarism.
4) The Japanese, after their successful transplant of western civilization in Japan, now tend to look on indigenous Asian culture, of which Japanese culture is a cpmponent part, as inferior to western civilisation.
Adding to the above, the
While on the Japanese side, they may feel that the Chinese are too fussy over what is past, complaining that although mainstream Japanese society, since normalisation of bilateral democratic relations in 1972, have always been willing to help China develop its economy partly in repentence for their war atrocities, (though Japan also benefits from China's economic revival). But the Chinese always feel that the Japanese have done far from enough.
Personally, I do feel helpless about this situation. Perhaps both peoples need to wake up to the fact that hatred and confrontation have always served deterioration of matters and that wisdom, good-willedness and tolerance are vital. .
Thanks