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Lin KuangI totally agree with you. Dr. Shaede seems more American stlye, she is quite open.obviousely engaging her audience with her body language and her emthusiasm about the topic she was taking about. She incooporated large amont of graphs and made her presentation very easy and interesting. She raised questions and allowed her aufience to interact with her and carry the conversations on very smoothly. The economic impact Japan used to have in America is great, Toyota, Honda, Kodak , Sony, etc. used to create lots of jobs for Americans,. Actually, the Koreans learnd and modified a little bit of the logo ( Honda - Hyundai), which is very identical. "Old Japan" used to be one of the "Four Little Dragons" in Asia leading the power of the economy. When I stopped to connect my next plane to Shanghai in 2014, the Tokyo AIrport was so empty, but extremely clean and environmental, excellent service. My students are every interested in Japan, the animated cartoon figures are very attractive for them, the food, and the culture, which will be embedded in my future lessons.
Lin KuangWhen we look at the Pearl Harbor and Tokyo Air Raid , Hiroshima, Nagasaki, we understood one thing. " Never crack your eggs on hard rocks", or the consequences will be severe. Afrer the WWII, Japan dramatically changed from a millitaristic to an extreme pacifist demoncracy. They surrendered to the world power unconditionally. Since ever, the enemies became allies. US is obligated to defend Japan, not Japan defending US. US allow to use bases in Japan an dalso for the " maintainance of international peace and security in the far east. We knew US army soldiers constantly have conflict with local residents even though their primary jobs are to defend them, but as time goes on, there're more issues. I really enjoy Professor Kubo's sharp views on all hot topics and his sincerity towards them.
Lin KuangProfessor Kubo abviouslyis very knowlegable with veriety of rsearches and studies represented Japanese government. It was very impressed the way he talked about the relationship between USA and Japan during the wartime and postwar relationship development economically and diplomatically. I noticed towards the end of his lecture he mentined the disputeed Senkaku isuse. He title his slide " Chinese Vessels enter Japan's Senkaku ..." with bar charts indicated the activities Chinese vesseals conducted in Japanese Senkaku daily. I quite disagee with him at this point becasue Senkaku Diaoyudao was Chinese territory since Ming dynasty. In Qing Dynasty, Diaoyudao was part of Taiwang. When Janpnese invaded weaked China and seized Taiwang as war spoils. In my perspective, it's quite usual that Chinese vessels are doing their routine-activities in their own territory not " Enter" in Senkaku many times /day.
Lin KuangWe respected Deng Xiaoping as the the world recognition of his economic reform " Open Policy" led Chinese from a developing country leaped to a developed country just behind USA. I was growing and experiencing the changes. When I was still in College, he just circled a couple costal cities in Southern China, Zhuhai, Shenzhen... and let these cities develop first with all proorities and opportunities. Then, people wiht capabilities and talents from variety of feilds threw away their "iron bowls' and went to these special districts for better opportunities, and they did succeed with easy accesses and procedures. Shenzhen was a just fishing villege in 1978, now it has been developed as a most important econimic and touring city standing side by side cross a border from Hong Kong. Shenzhen is an icon of Chinese Socilistic Indicidulism with great sucess. Deng Xiaoping's huge statue in Shenzhen is getting bigger and bigger in people's hearts. We know his famous saying " No matter what color the cat is, as soon as he can catch mice, then, he must be a good cat."
Lin KuangDr.Dupe brought up a very precious photo of President Fort visited China in 1975 and met with Deng Xiaoping with George H. W. Bush and his wife's presence on his national farewell day. By the way, my friends in China posted more interesting pintures about this couple earlier in Beijing on a bike with Barbara in front of the Tian Anmen Square on Wechat indicating that they stayed in Beijing for a while learning Chinese, riding bikes, eating Doufu, and Beijing Roasted Crispy ducks... They walked on the streets hands in hands exactly like common couples. Chinese respect them as their best friends at these days.
Lin KuangA Graphic Novel Library in classroom is a great idea for our modern technology driven generation. We have to find ways to take away their phones and electronic devices, so they can actually sit down and read books. I have a student who is now a senior, he is extremely talented. When I had him for 10th grade, he was drwsing Japanese cartoon characters every day, and his art work is very creative and impressive. I talked to him all the time to take come art courses to develop his skill. Unfortunately, he was destructed by iphone and ipad and started playing video games leaving his drawing behind. We didn't see him with a schedtch book all the time, but a phone in his hands. If our graphic Novel Library can replace all electronic devices, we build those library in our classrooms.
Lin KuangHi Ingrid and Kim,
Thank you both for the promotion picture and the youtube video posted previously, my students in East Asia Origins club and I enjoyed the movie. High school students really like the cartoon characters, and they strated to draw all the cartoon characters in their schetch book. They even suggest we take a trip to Little Tokyo to explore more of the Japanese culture, which is on our agenda because we will join with our Animation Club to toure Little Tokyo as we planned when we come back from our Winter Break.
Lin KuangI would like my 10th grade studnets to research on " Pearl Harbor' right after they finish reading " Tora, Tora, Tora" by Mizuki to open a Unit of " Self-Strength" to the lessons we should learn from the Dec. 7th, 1941 Peral Harbor acctack, which caused our heavy loss of 18 ships sunk or damaged ( 8 battleships, 3 cruisers, and 3 destroyers); 188-292 aircraft damaged or destroyed; 2402 killed in action; 1282 were wounded in action. Professor Miyake introduced a lot of literature books reflecting Japanese culture and tradition, which is the greatest way for us to study and understand
Lin KuangThe lessons we learned from the Dec.,7th, 1941 was seriouly painful in US history, but Dr. Yamashita demonstrated his great knowledge and research based the Japanese perspectives on this event with his deep annalysis on decisions making to attack Pearl Harbor, which is very convincing and suprising. Tora, Tora, Tora, the japanese code for " a conlete surprise achieved " . Historically, the neighbours' problems encouragesd Japan's decision CHina, USSR, and USA.WHen we looked close to the constitutional dimension, deplomatic dimention, foreigh policy decision making, and Geo-political demention, we get deep thoughts of the attack. They had priviliged military budget, the right of the supreme command, and the special position of the milittory men in cabinets. In 1920s, Decline of the Washington Conference system; 1924-1941, demise of lineral leeft&party rule advent of " direct action"; Japan's changing relationship with China, U.S.S.R. & U.S.; Japanese decision to attack Allied installations in Asia & Pacific. These steps illustrated the decision making process, which created chaos to U.S. goverment and woke up a sleeping giant to destory Japan and stopped the WWII eventually.
Lin KuangThe Korean flag has three parts, the white regtangular background, a red and blue " Ying & Yang" (Taeguek) symbolizing balance, and four blactrigrams at each corner. When I became an interpretor, my first group of foreigners were from south Korea. They were three engineers and one interpretor of their own who can speak Chinese very fluently. They demonstrated very impressive etiquette , and they always bow and very respectful. They are extremyly patriotic and they shared the facts with me, Koreans never use products not made in Korea, the cars, food and others. They traveled with all suitcases full of products from Korea, ciguarrets, instense noodles, closing, and etc. I am seriously thinking their patriotism is the key that Handai and Samsong would develop so quickly and occupy the world markets.
Lin KuangLin KuangIt's painful to look back to this period of China with a powerless Manchurian Government that allow the EIght countires to devide our terrritory under series of unfair treaties and gave away our rights and nation pride.The foreigner intruders had their rights to enjoy the extra-terrotoriality in China's teritory and harmed Chinese with their opium products to boost their economy.Even though, China was undegoing all those abusing, insulting, and huminating during the hard time, Chinese patriots were everywhere to awaken other Chinese to fight against intruders. Chinese martial master " He Yuan Jia" " Chen Zheng" " IP Man" and others foight their own ways to defend out country. Chinese lerned very serious lessons from the Dark Age that we have to be powerful in economy or we will be bullied by other powerful counties. How could China, a country with more 3,000 years history and civilization impress the world with uncivilization? Is that becasue China never opened its door to the outside world? It's definitely becasue the powerless Qing Government. China led by Sun Yat-sen, later by Mao finally fought their ways to establaish the republic of China in 1949.
Lin Kuang" The Flowers of Fire" is such an interesting story. Dr.Yi is a typical Korean successful businessman who tried to manage and control their children's marriage. He definitely does not want his daughter to marriage a foreigner with big nose no matter how, they just wanted their daughter to find some Korean husband an dlived closer to them. When my husband was hired as a Guest Professor in ShenZhen University in 2002, one of the foreign language professors was from Canada, Byran, who fell in love with one of his students who was from South Korea, then the conflict started from the day they told her parents in Korea. Her parents immediately ordered the girl to go back to Korea, or they would stop paying her tuition. Bryan took all responsibilities and supported his fiance. She finished her study in Shenzhen University and went back to Korea, then Bryant had to quit his position in ShenZhen University and went to South Korea as an English teacher there in order to convince her parents to approve their marriage. Meanwhile, they have had their first son, and her parents-in-law finally changed their mind. The couple finally got married in 2012 and lived Canada with three children. When I read this part of the story, I can't stop thinking of the love story of our friends. The older generations of Korean lived very traditional ways in Korea. " Are there any borders in love" is such a good question for Dr.Yi and other Krean parents. The dividing line between North and South Korean deparated many families for years, and it also prevented Koreans from united as one. Absolutely, there's no borders between Koreans and lovers.
Lin KuangThe data Dr.Dube collected actually reflects the reality of the population changing issues in China. The Elderly people's pupolution are much larger than the younger ones. The pupolation of females are much less than males in huge numbers, which craeted many related issues to challenge China's social welfare and benefits. Actually, it seems they are doing pretty well to respect elder people who retired. Actually, females can retire at the age of 55 and males at the age of 60. Theire benefits and medical bills are taken care by the government. Majority of them are enjoying their retire life with respect from the society. They organized variety of activities for elderly people. For the retired tecahers, they will never worry about their housing, medical bills , and other issues becasue the schools represting by the Government they worked for their entire lives will be responsible for them. They gather them together during the national holidays for voriety of activities and receive presents and additional bonus during the holidays such as, 9/10 teachers' day, 10/1 national holiday, Mid-autumn day, and Srping Festival. You name it. The entire society respect all elders. I have many teachers friends there talking about their glorious retiement and relaxing lives they have in China, but here the elder teachers are still teaching in the classroom worrying about their retirement and medical inssurance...
Lin KuangI really enjoyed the "Encounter"to save Qing Qmpaire debate held among our cohort members among Strengthners ( Li HongChang), Reformers( Kang Youwei), and Rebellers.(qiu Jing), which is a highly resommended activitity for our schudents to practice in the classroom to help them put themselves in the historical places and experience what peple encountered and tried to find solutions through researching and debating for their critical thinking and creativity. I actullay have already shared the detailed lesson plans to our US history teachers on our campus. Representing Strengtherners, we argued that taking our nation to the madernization by sending people to USA or others countries to learn from foreigners how to use modern technologies to make our nation strong was the only way to save our nation from being conlonized and divided. Of course, the reformers think reforming the government and low enforcement system can actually save the nation from be divided by foreign intraders. The rebellers actually took actions and fought against the Qing Dynasty and overthrew the governemnt to build repblic nation for its people. Qiu Jing actually sacrifized her life for her belief. That's why she was honored as an national heroine in China as an example for follow recorded in Chinese history.
Card #1: Mao is here with us heartedly. We were born into the end of cultural revolution. All the songs and music were written to celebrate the coummunists and Mao for he was viewed as a savior to guide China and its people from darkness to the light. THey compared Mao as the sunshine from people's heart. We sang the songs ,but we had no idea what they meant. Interestingly to recall, when Mao passed away, every city had a Funeral Room for peole to pay respect to him. I remebered I followed my mom and dad to the City Hall where the funeral Room was set up in our city, People were in line cring loud in tears including my mom and dad excapt me and other children of my age. Later, when I went back home, my mom punished me to kneel down in front of a picture of Mao in my house becasue my mom thought I didn't respect that man without crying in the funeral room. I remembered that was the only time my mom was really angry with me. Card # 2 Our generation studied the hero of collectivism as our model. Qui Shaoyun actually became a very strong imge in our memories becasue his heroic action in the battle field. While they were hidden in the bushes waiting for an attack, but he caught on fire. He had to remain still not to be discovered by their enenmies about their hiding places. He was burned to death in order to protect others. Of course, he was honored as a hero after the victory. We read his story again and again, and we were requested to follow him if we encounter the same or similar situation.