[Frederic Vial]

The USC China/US Summit series seminar is a close interactive study and/or experience that delves into the historical and contemporary significance of gender roles and their generational evolutions as they specifically relate to the political, economic, social and spiritual/religious timelines of Chinese, Korean and Japanese cultures and/or civilizations.  The opportunity to participate and learn from the guest lecture speakers was invaluable to my curricula as a 7^th grade World History teacher.  My reflection on how best to integrate what I learned into my teaching practice, specifically when covering China, Korea and Japan, will offer my students the opportunity to benefit further as they examine these civilizations during the Middle Ages.

               Much of what I enjoyed discussing and contemplating throughout the week’s seminar involved interpreting and/or understanding the scope of what brought the current modern circumstances that are revealed in contemporary China, Korea and Japan.  The different paths taken by each with the influence of cultural diffusion from, specifically the West, is of particular interest to me.  Although most of this personal interest is not pertinent to the curricula I teach and, therefore, not directly relative to my students, it nevertheless offers me a newfound perspective on how to approach teaching the past as a vehicle for relating to the present we find ourselves from the global standpoint. 

            From Day 1 of the seminar, Professor Yan established the concept of how patriarchal hierarchy in China was established and offered a clear origin for what would become traditional female roles in both the family and society as a whole.  The understanding of how the family unit was comprised in terms of its hierarchy explains how certain social structures were established early on in Chinese civilization, which offers a glimpse of how China later would influence, by extension, Korea and Japan, both directly and indirectly.  Professor Yan discussed Ban Zhao, a female historian, writer & politician, known for writing Lessons For Women – essentially a proposed female code for a virtuous life.  The explanation of female devotion and self-sacrifice as essential traits for how women were to live their lives clearly suggests that women participated in the fostering of the attitude that women were naturally inferior to men.  The guidelines and/or codes that were taught by women to women (i.e. humility, harmony with in-laws, singlemindedness, marriage, obedience etc.) were, undoubtedly, influenced by Confucius with respect to the general moralization of certain inequalities paralleling the lines of gender and generation. 

            This particular lecture helped set the tone for the sequential lecturers that would present.  In my mind, this seed of normalizing gender and generation inequalities would have reverberating effects throughout the East Asian arena, extending itself to socio-economic and political influences, that would ultimately culminate in communist ideology as a vehicle for breaking out of certain stagnated traditions.  Professor Yan’s own personal life experience documents much of this evolution.  The notion of helping the poor or downtrodden in the name of communism is one that I experienced by watching the documentary film, Jeronimo.  The failed deliverance of certain promises preys on the poor and downtrodden, ultimately weaponized to take freedom as opposed to making good on the freedom it promises.  And, although, for my students this historical context and perspective would be difficult to comprehend, the opportunity to see its evolutionary aspects is something of value for them to study and learn.  Comparing the social structure changes, specific to the evolution and progress of women within the confines of these social structures, is of tremendous value when examining the notion of progress in its entirety. 

            The opportunity to study Chinese, Korean and Japanese civilizations through the lens of gender progress and effective change was fascinating.  How this progress was affected based on a civilizations’ attitudes with respect to political ideology was equally fascinating.  I, sincerely, appreciated the opportunity to reflect on these topics. 

 

 

[Frederic Vial]

Jonathan,

You make a great point regarding future generations and the importance of maintaining the lessons learned from such horrific conflicts. The recording and recounting of primary source, first-hand accounts of people who lived during these times is of paramount importance to preserving the lessons learned by them.

[Frederic Vial]

Our guide was 6 years old when he was taken to an interment camp in Utah.  I was impressed by our guide's vivid memory of the night they were forced to leave their home. His recollections were, indeed, heartbreaking.  His continual reference to his not speaking Japanese denoted an element of shame, one which he admittedly referred to as the reason he was now "making-up for it" by serving and working at the museum. Being guided through the museum by a primary source individual was very special. I feel fortunate to have had the experience and opportunity to simply listen to our guide's stories.

As others have stated, I was also unaware of the Munson Report and wonder why the Roosevelt Administration did not adhere to its findings. I can only be left to assume it was due to political reasons. A theory exists that the Roosevelt Administration knew the attack on Pearl Harbor was going to happen but buried the information since it was the only way to get public support behind the war. Prior to Pearl Harbor, Americans did not want to get involved in the European conflict. Once US soil was attacked, this public opinion quickly changed. I can only deduce that the reason to ignore the Munson Report would have been to maintain this public support for going to war by instilling a sense of paranoia amongst US citizenry.   

[Frederic Vial]

Diana,

I agree the Q&A part was the most meaningful. The elements of cultural diffusion presented by the artifacts below demonstrate a clear influence China had on South Korean culture.

[Frederic Vial]

I truly enjoyed visiting the Korean Cultural Center and plan to contact Joy about bringing my class for a field trip. I found the 3rd floor discussion and video presentation about South Korea very interesting, especially the distinctions made between North and South Korean cultures.  Although they share the same language, it was made clear they have their own respective sets of sub-cultural influences, including distinct differences in cuisine, art, pop-culture, music etc.  This is, no doubt, a result of the political ideologican differences in landscape between the two countries.  The K-Beauty aspect is a topci I was not aware of.  It's interesting the concept of beauty crosses gender lines and is not specific to women in nature.  I wonder where this influence originates specifically and if it is tied to contemporary times, specifically western cultural influences.

[Frederic Vial]

I'm always searching for primary source articles.  My students often compare primary and secondary sources.  A variety of graphic organizers such as Venn Diagrams, Spoke Diagrams, Graphs, Tables, Charts are used to help students visually categorize the differences.  This primary source is something my students can definitely use as part of a lesson plan.

[Frederic Vial]

It was suggested that communism and its utopian promises never had the opportunity to flourish because it was isolated within a capitalistic world. I find this suggestion historically inaccurate, one that is often justified via a revisionist historians' construct. The Cold War, which was referenced during lecture, existed during a time of geopolitical bipolairty, whereby two clearcut super powers - the United States and the Soviet Union - controlled the global ideological landscape.  

The suggestion that communist states were isolated because of the world's capitalistic inclinations is simply unfounded. The fact the Soviet Union, China, the Eastern Block and other communist states did not allow its citizens to travel freely throughout the world is a clear example of communism's self-imposed isolationist policies, requirements and/or tendencies. During the Cold War, a clear line in the sand was drawn. Communist countries existed within their own self-imposed ideological and isolationist confines. Within these confines, communist ideoleogy was allowed to flourish where trade and support between communist states readily occurred. Despite the lack of justification for the Vietnam War, the reasons for entering the war were to stop the "domino-effect" occurring, whereby communist countries were, essentially, taking over their neighbors and forcing their ideological systems on their populace, welcomed or not. Communism wasn't some fringe ideology, isolated to one country or area of the world. It was an ideology that occupied a significant part of every hemisphere at the time of the Cold War.  

Therefore, I find this rhetoric troubling for a mulitude of reasons, notwithstanding the fact that a growing majority of young millenials find "socialism" as a plausible alternative to capitalism. Since socialism is often,  or can be, a precursor for communism, it's important to note certain historical facts surrounding its ideology and history.

The reason communism has routinely failed is because it is socially, politically and economically flawed since it does not account for mankind's ingrained biological need to survive on a variety of levels.  

Socially, it attempts to collectivize the individual in the name of a unified and fair - everyone gets a piece of the pie - society. In the 1930s prior to WWII, Stalin attempted to collectivize Ukranian farmers. When they refused, he murdered 10 million farmers. George Orwell's Animal Farm, written in 1947 right after WWII and when the Soviet Union was still considered an ally, is a genious, crystal ball-like example of communism, foreshadowing its social ills. The idea of collectivizing society by redistributing its "wealth" in the name of hope and unity is something relative to our current political climate. The calcuated destruction of the individual - his/her thought, speech, creativity - in the name of "unity" by silencing that individual's opinion and/or influence is how it begins. If one does not toe the party line, one is labeled and, then, his/her beliefs nullified, silenced, erased. And so, from a social perspective, for communism to survive it must contradict ideas such as freedom of speech, thought, and even the press (which is ironic since the same media that promotes it, does not know it's cutting off its own nose to spite its face). It promises what it has no intention of delivering, since to deliver it would contradict every human impulse and biological need of which familial honor, trust, love, spirituality and survival is an integral part of the species since the beginning of time. This violates natural law, whether one chooses to define such law from the scientific or religious point of view. Furthermore, it explains why communism seeks to eradicate the family and all forms of organized religion and/or spirituality unless it is directed exclusively towards or controlled by "the party."  

From the political standpoint, it wreaks of hypocrisy. The idea that "self-interest" will not exist contradicts every natural human impulse embedded in our very biology - the survival of the fittest. It claims to collectivize, unify society by ridding itself of the greedy individual - the evil chief operational agent of capitalism - by replacing him/her with other greedy individuals. It does not admit to simply shifting the capital/power to a different group, a group that then centralizes power in such a way to create a greater rich and poor divide. Lastly, communism does not admit to more mass murder than any other signal ideology within the last 100 years. After a recent visit to the Museum of Tolerance, I was shocked to discover there was not a single section on communism and its violation of human rights.  

From the economic standpoint, it saps all innovation, ambition and incentive. It is unrealistic in its claims. Try working extra hard for the "good of the state" when your comrade keeps calling in sick or puts half the effort you've been routinely putting forth in your work day in and day out. China's current economic model is essentially state run capitalism. Hong Kong, arguably the world's most capitalistic city has been the model for China's economy since taking it over from the British for years. China, from the political standpoint, has traditionally regarded capitalism as an evil entity because of its socially progressive attributes. It's kept its hardline communist tradition, from the political standpoint, while quietly reeping the economic benefits of capitalism. It refuses to allow for the free exchange of ideas, freedom of the press, concepts largely associated with capitalistic countries, yet uses capitalism's economic prosperity to grow its sphere of influence in the world arena.

I am not suggesting capitalism does not have its own set of social ills and issues. In fact, we have socialism in the United States more extensively than people think. FDR's slew of programs which gave us Social Security are all clear-cut examples of socialism. However, no single ideology throughout history has lifted people out of poverty more than capitalism. Despite the "evils" promoted in the free press, it remains the only ideology that allows for a free exchange of ideas, thought, press, speech - the promotion of the inalienable rights we hold dear. It is an evolving system that requires more progress in the social arena, no doubt.  And, because of the freedoms it affords, offers a brighter future than other ideologies claiming to give more could ever conjure.             

[Frederic Vial]

He Zhen's anarchist ideology questions a variety of socioeconomic and political realities.  Her critique that a capitalistic society is first and foremost ruled by money.  She draws comparisons by juxtaposing how those who provide the labor (i.e. farmers) are often the least likely people to actually be able to buy the very products their labor produces.  The wealthy, who do not perform the labor but own the capital, are able to purchase the goods/services provided by those who, despite providing the goods/services cannot.  She says the root and source of this discrepancy and evil is money.  

[Frederic Vial]

The Kundao explained certainly offers a different viewpoint specifically as it relates to female empowerment.  The dichotomy and paradox that exists however between public perception and social pressures women faced who chose the Kundao way of life is contradictory in nature to other viewpoints on gender in China.  The separation between the two is interesting, as if almost two different mentalities, cultures, countries exist.  

[Frederic Vial]

In teaching history, I reference poetry whenever possible.  The analysis and breakdown of the figurative language used in poetry forces students to use descriptive language in their own words in the analysis required.  The idea of first masticating a poem, analyzing it, explaining it in one's own words can be a difficult process for middle-schoolers, however it gets the flywheel turning and offers an excellent opportunity to teach students the value of being able to express themselves in detail, especially when it comes time to writing their college essays.

[Frederic Vial]

First off, thanks for sharing your personal experience.

Your response is extremely interesting to me because I feel it's important to have some vetting and/or response to filmmakers and their work.  So often we are told at the beginning of a Hollywood movie "based on a true story" and I'm left to wonder the fiction vs. non-fiction aspects of the filmmaker's work.  In other words, what is embellished as opposed to what actually occurred?  What is the "interpretation" of the filmmaker and what is historically accurate?  This is why the media and, in this case, filmmakers have a tremendous responsibility to report the truth, void of their own biased viewpoints.  As a history teacher, this lack of verification is troubling.  How is one to ascertain the truth if it is simply revised as one sees fit?  I'm not suggesting the filmmaker "made-up" the content of the film.  I have not seen the film but intend to do so online and use it as per the film essay assignment.  I'm simply questioning whether a series of isolated incidents that make for great drama ought to be suggested as the norm.  Clearly, your experience as someone who can be considered a "primary source" suggests differently.  Is this viewpoint shared in the film to offer the sense of balance you're suggesting is missing in the documentary?  I try to teach my students to exmine both sides of a coin before reaching any conclusions that often enforce certain belief systems they may or may not have.  Documentary films, especially by today's journalistic standards, need to be examined carefully.  The film medium is so powerful and influencing that it cannot simply be taken at face-value without a process of verification, unless one is ok with certain details or truths potentially being stretched or created for "artistic" purposes.  To me, the indoctrinating aspects of such a medium can often be as dangerous as the "cause" it attempts to bring light to.  The balance between the two is often where the truth lies and, I feel, in this case Lin makes the case for it.  

[Frederic Vial]

The essay dispels the myth that the role of women in China has been cemented for hundreds of years in various degrees of servitude and subservience - a "long and unchanging slavery."  The writings of Liu Xiang are offered to counter this assertion.  The influence of Confucian and Daoist philosophies are referenced when referencing the role of women specific to virture, beauty, talent required or expected of them.  Essentially, it is made clear that the role of women was not centered and/or focussed upon cooking, cleaning the household, raising children but rather as representing and serving as the moral compass for their children throughout various phases of their adolescence and even adult lives.  This is definitely something I can use and teach in my 7th grade World History class which covers medieval China.  In fact, having students categorize/classify myths vs. realities utilizing a graphic organizer would be an excellent lesson after reading the essay.

[Frederic Vial]

The story surrounds a young girl in secondary school who appears the first day of class late while cursing a slew of vulgarities, drawing immediate attention to herself.  Her teacher quickly has a decision to make: call the girl out in front of the class, ignore the vulgar outburst or diffuse the situation by combining a dual approach.  Choosing the latter, the teacher discovers the girl's mother is deceased and lives with a father who is a "labourer" but later revealed to be the enforcer for a loan shark.  The story is apropos for my teaching grade level.  I teach in the Magnet Program where all of my students are bussed in from various parts of LA - many of which are socially and economically disadvantaged.  

The story reminded me of a 7th grade student of mine who entered my classroom in similar fashion. Despite her unruly behavior for the first 2 months of the school year, her grades, talent and ability were clearly a step above.  I decided to meet her in private.  After telling her that her behavior was unacceptable, I told her I was moving her to Honors.  The look on her face was priceless.  Fastforward to last year, now an 8th grader, the student became one of my Service Workers (TA's).  She became a straight "A" student with aspirations of attending Harvard University and becoming an attorney.  She became an insatiable reader, reading a book per week and sometimes more.  I asked her to mentor a 7th grade student that was exhibiting similar to behaviors she had embodied and, although it did not work out with the same level of success, I noted her willingness to help others in similar circumstances to her own.  Towards the end of last year, the student asked me to write her a letter of recommendation.  She was attempting to be accepted for a scholarship to a private high school.  

It's with great pride to reveal she was accepted at Harvard-Westlake High School on a scholarship.  

This story reminds us as teachers we don't throw away "apples" with worms (the metaphor referenced in the story) but, rather, work to cut the worm out.  

[Frederic Vial]

Thank you for sharing this practice.  It's given me something to incorporate in my own classroom as an event students can look forward to for each civilization we cover.

[Frederic Vial]

I agree with you.  The examination of both sides of a coin prior to reaching an educated decision and/or opinion is what I constantly invoke to my students in their study of past civilizations, while relating them to our present.  It's so important to objectively examine something prior to imposing one's own belief system upon it.  The emotional-trigger environment, purposely orchestrated by our media and political apparatus so as to sell/push product and ideas, is only effective if people engage in intellectual laziness and uninformed practices.

 

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