[Juan Liebana-Mena]

Lucy Hornby’s lecture was quite interesting. Her explanation about the types of pollution affecting modern China cities and rural areas was quite eye opening. I particularly enjoyed her deep analysis of the types of pollution, the images of factories and the analysis of soil pollution, a sometimes forgotten issue due to the fact that we can’t actually see soil pollution. I learned a lot more about the environmental dangers China and the U.S face today through her analysis of the war trade and explanation on what we are actually trading (pollution). I also found interesting the way some elite schools and theme parks located in polluted areas market their businesses. I can see a connection between these practices and the practices of many modern global companies putting profit before people and finding the loopholes to make this invisible to the population.

It was a true honor learning about these current environmental issues that we all face globally from someone with the experience and leverage of Lucy Hornby. The data, images and real life explanations about these issues really helped me understand more about issues such as soil pollution, which was somewhat under my radar. It’d be nice hearing about the success of the measures the Chinese government is putting in place in order to deal with these issues in a decade or so from her own words too.

 

[Juan Liebana-Mena]

Hi Laura. I too found Bill's presentation quite eye opening. Just thinking about the incredible transformation that China has undergone in the last 30-40 years is fascinating in itself. But hearing about this transformation through the experiences and eyes of an American who has lived there for almost all this time is something else. I really Bill's presentation and deeper analysis of the social and environmental problems that China faced back in the day in addition to the ones that faces currently. I also enjoyed hearing his words about how these current issues are addressed and how the government's plan is presented in the media. The fact that China intentionally kept the rural areas underdeveloped and how this changed since his death is algo something I learned from this presentation and a quite interesting takeaway. 

[Juan Liebana-Mena]

I really enjoyed Professor Yamashita's lecture and knowledge about Japanese history and culture. I visited Japan a few years ago and was trully fascinated by its beauty and culture. However, I left with many questions and curiosities, and many of these were somehow clarified after Professor Yamashita's lecture. First, I appreciated his clear description of the classical Japan and its formation. It was very interesting hearing him talk about the formation of Japan and its connection to the mainland and the similarities in flora and fauna between Japan the countries like China or Korea. Also, I truly enjoyed his explanation of the many settlers and conquerers who came form the mainland, which serves as evidence that this idea of Japanese purity is simply not sustainable anymore. Also, the deeper analysis of Japanese language and the many other languages that influenced it covered in his Puzzle of Japanese Origins was quite fascinating. I had no idea that Japanese could share any words or morpheme/lexeme with Hungarian, Turkish or even Finnish! Finally, his deconstruction of culture and customs of Japanese culture, some of which the western world has assumed without any deeper analysis, was quite interesting. For example, his explanation about the beginning of a spread consumption of rice in Japan and its lowering percentages nowadays was quite eye opening. 

[Juan Liebana-Mena]

Hi Lin, thanks so much for your reply. Yes, there are many programs and campaings to save animals but Simba's approach is the one I consider more sutainable and cohesive with the lion's environment and the tribes. He's helping and educating the villagers about the importance of coexisting with lions and the importance of these for the environment they share. I agree with you. It's not about treating the lions as a menace and just try to eliminate any that becomes a danger to the livestock you depend on to survibe, but who is going to build those fences? I too think support and exposure of his work to a wider audience is a must. 
 

[Juan Liebana-Mena]

I too find the Chinese propaganda posters quite fascinating. I always loved all the U.S. and popular art used and derived from World War II posters, so it's quite refreshing discovering more posters and art from a different country and perspective. This website is quite useful and has a wide selection of Chinese propaganda posters. The topics range from heroes and villains, to environment, to legal knowledge or Mao Zedong.

http://www.iisg.nl/landsberger/

[Juan Liebana-Mena]

Simba's lecture and work are quite inspiring and motivating. I really enjoyed his devotion and the integrity of his work. It was very nice learning about all these conservation programs we see on TV or documentaries many times but never really know how they work or how the work is continued. I think Simba's model and approach to conservation of wildlife and helping communities help themselves is more honest and attainable than that of the big NGO's. The thing I like the most is how throughout his work he was able to transform the way villagers felt about lions. It took a foreigner coming to Kenya and Tanzania to help locals to understand the importance of their wildlife and the need to co-exist with all its animals. I appreciate Simba's honest devotion to lions and his connection to the Maasai people. His lecture was quite inspiring and I quite see myself using his documentary to help my students realize how far the work of an individual person can go when it comes to address common problems we all face in this global 21st century community.

[Juan Liebana-Mena]

Professor Yang Ye's Lecture was quite enjoyable and piqued my curiosity on topics such as the archeological connection between ancient civilizations from Persia and The Americas that weren't actually in touch with each other. I also like his deeper explanation on the silk road and the immense trade integration it generated. I can see myself using set texts about the silk road the modern global trade routes for my students to analyze and compare-contrast. I think my students would be quite interested in learning about global trade and their origins. The literary part of the lecture was quite enjoyable and showed Professor Ye's love and devotion to poetry. It was quite refreshing hearing new rhythmic, melody and musical patterns. It was quite interesting and refreshing. This is something that already piqued my curiosity in the readings. Espcifically the Four Poems on Wine, as wine was something I wasn't associating to Chinese culture at all. Those poems were very interesting to read and portray a great use of imagery (mooon, flowers, sky, shadows, fountain, mirrors, Yellow River, etc...)

 

[Juan Liebana-Mena]

I  truly enjoyed the visit to the Huntingtown Library's Chinese and Japanese gardens. Our guide was really knowledgeable and really taught me a lot. It also helped me realize how small details such as roofs, tiles, orientation, etc. play a crucial role in these gardens. The Chinese garden was quite impresive. The wall with the Dragon-shape tiles was a quite intersting and welcome entrance. I really liked the lake and how many of the houses were oriented around it. Our guide told us that the lotus flowers found in the lake were intentionally left to dry and were not removed because in Chinese culture that symbolizes the end of a life cycle and must be respected. I also found the interest in rocks and the collection of these gardens fascinating. I've visited gardens with quite unique types of rocks and stones, but the rocks in the Chinese gardens were truly unique. I loved the Japanese houses and the disposition of trees in the Japanese graden simply because it reminded me of a trip to Japan in 2009. I loved learning how Japanese houses are not measured by feet or meters but by tatami mats. Our guide told us how the sturcture of the house is revolves around this unique type of measure and also told us about how Japanese houses try to be as unique as possible. For example, she told us that once there was a house built around a tree. That is, the tree was one of the columns. Many of us wondered why not buying a wooden column just like the other three for consistency, but she said that by building a house with that tree, you achieve a house that no one else will have. I really liked that way of thinking and uniqueness. It was a nice field trip and a place I hope to visit again soon with my school.

[Juan Liebana-Mena]

Something I found quite interesting from this lecture and texts was the role of tenants and how their contracts were drawn during the Zhou Dynasty. As the text states, "When free buying and selling of land became common, tenancy became a recurrent problem." This gives us some insight into the amount of control over tenants and over landlords too since this measure was enforced to make sure landlords themselves didn't gain too much local power. I also found quite interesting how these tenant-servants were "Obligued to perform nonagricultural duties" too such as helping at festivals and weddings and also the fact that these contracts were hereditary. I think it would be interesting to have students look at the two sample contracts and have them compare-contrasts those to some tenancy contracts available today so students can realize the immense difference in terms of tenant obligations. 

[Juan Liebana-Mena]

As a confucian, I'd feel quite emotionally torn after knowing my father broke a law. This action would definitely make be feel quite conflicted between the importance of family and the importance of respecting the order of things. The bias lies in the need to make the right things while still staying faithful to family and the past. As a confucian, I'd always assume the benevolence of human nature and will treat this as an opportunity to perfect this person. I would discuss and teach him about the importance of respecting the order that the past has taught us and see this as an opportunity to improve his personality and values. I'd say to him, "Listen. You're not a bad person. You're good by nature, it's just your circumstances or environment that made you make the wrong choice. However, this is a good lesson to learn and the opportunity to improve as a person." Then I would direct him to study the past and realize the ethical implications that laws have in our society. I'd work hard to him to realize the imporance of reciprocity and understand the negative effects breaking laws would have in a reciprocal society. 

[Juan Liebana-Mena]

I found the contingency between the private markets and the even distribution of wealth described here quite interesting and somehow relatable to how wealth is distributed in some countries where commodities are still a big part of the economy these days. The distrust for the use that monopolies make of common wealth and their questionable interest in the greater good is obvious in the words of the learned men. I also like the way they question the benefits that come from the exploitation of iron, salt, liquor, etc and how their debate between distribution of wealth versus urgency of need. I also like their focus on native honesty versus selfishness. I think even in a global and capitalist market like we are today, it's important that modern societies can make their markets competitive and thrilling but from a honest point of view. I don't think loopholes, lobbies, and unethical stratigies benefit a society in the long run. Finally I also find the rebuttal of not having enough tools available for the mechanization and distribution of food to an underfed society quite interesting. I can really see myself using this debate and their approaches when teaching any debate or argumentative unit. 

[Juan Liebana-Mena]

I also found the way professor Dube used maps very interesting and helpful for my lessons. Instead of just providing students with a standard geographical map, it would be very interesting to provide them with a set of maps of the same region but that will trigger their curiosity and interest. Maybe using a light map as seen from space like the one used to show us the contrast between North Korea and South Korea. That in itself is more powerful and effective to help students understand the differences between both countries than any other map I've seen. Also, we could perhaps use a terrain or vegetation map to help them better understand the challenges a specific region has to address when it comes to the environment, war, infrastructure, etc. I agree with you, I think that by presenting student with sets of maps and "guide them to think and construct their own knowledge" we can see an increase in student curiosity and interest.

[Juan Liebana-Mena]

I found this article quite interesting both as a European and as someone who is curious about how modern Asian and European societies will deal with their low fertility rates. The article places the fertility rate that countries need to have in order to stabilize their society and culture at 2.1%. That means, that for the culture, traditions, customs, etc of a socieity to perpetuate or remain somewhat similar, each woman should have two children. Any fertitility rate lower than that means the culture and customs of the country are more likely to  change or be replaced by those of the new immigrants. I also found quite interesting how the article mentions how the European countries saw an increase in fertility rates after World War 2, which led to the big baby boom of the 1950's and 1960's to exemplify how this could be the case in Asia and how countries such as Japan, South Korea or China can see this problem resolved the same way it was resolved in Europe back in the day. However, it does not mention that the economic boom and industrialization that Europe saw during those decades after the war, due in its most part to the need of reconstructing those countries, doesn't compare to today's Asian socieities. European economies were not as global as Asian economies are these days. Those European countries created many jobs that were needed to rebuild the infrastructure and societies of those destroyed countries. In other words, most of the jobs created during the 1950's or 1960's were due to the increasing domestic consumption and deman. That's why I don't find this parallel to be completely comparable to modern Asian societies simply because a big amount of the jobs and products these countries generate depend on foreign consumption and demand. 

[Juan Liebana-Mena]

Hi everyone! My name is Juan Liebana and I'm really excited about this seminar. I've been teaching for 14 years. I grew up in Spain and lived in England for a while prior to relocating to Los Angeles in 2008. I've been with LAUSD for 10 years and have taught English, ESL and Spanish both at middle and high school level. I'm also an adventurous traveler and have been to over 20 countries and counting. In East Asia, I've only been to Japan though, but I'm planning a trip to China and Korea soon, so I'm looking forward to learning more about the culture and history of these countries. 

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