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Matthew WongWhen I first applied to enroll in this professional development opportunity, I knew that I would be learning more about East Asia, specifically about China. What I did not expect was that I would deepen knowledge and interest in the countries of Korea and Japan. I am grateful for the opportunity to broaden my understanding of modern China, Japan, and Korea. The opportunities to hear from a diversity of experts in their fields, coupled with substance-rich primary and secondary source documents have resulted in newfound knowledge and ideas for my social science courses.
The greatest impact of this seminar on my teaching will likely focus on my Modern US History courses. The lectures and historical materials will directly influence my lesson designing of East Asia before and after World War II. Now in World History, there is a focus on Japan’s Meiji Restoration, or Industrial Revolution. There is a brief focus on the U.S. in the Asia Pacific region during and after World War II. There is a focus on China’s communist revolution and its Cold War events such as the Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution.
I would like to broaden my students understanding of East Asia by incorporating Korea’s role in East Asia. Specifically, what political, economic, and social structures existed prior to Japanese colonialism? How did the end of World War II affect Korea’s developing as two states, both of which remained non-democratic and authoritarian for many years? How has South Korea evolved into the democratic society we know today? Why does China play an outsize role in North Korea, if at all?
Another example I would like to explore is what was life like in Japan during the pre-World War II years? How did the Japanese live during the war, comparing the Japanese experience with the American experience? What was the role of “comfort women” and to what extent can we compare their experiences with other tragedies during World War II? How did Japan “reconstruct” after World War II? Why have relations between Japan and its East Asian neighbors remained “cold?”
Of course, I would like to deepen my students’ knowledge of China today. How has today’s China evolved from its imperial dynasties to a greater China of mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau. To what extent did foreign actors contribute to today’s China? Why did the Nationalists lose the Chinese civil war? As many of my students are ethnically Chinese, I would argue that they will be highly interested in this particular topic.
I am grateful for the opportunity to attend the seminar, and more importantly, interact with experts and colleagues. I feel like I am growing professionally through the deepening of my knowledge of World History, which will have a direct influence on the high school students I work with. The knowledge and materials I have access to will, I believe, enrich my World History curriculum.
Matthew WongI want to express my gratitude to the USC U.S.-China Institute for the opportunity to learn more about East Asia in the modern and contemporary period. While I initially was interested in the Chinese aspect of the lectures, I found the modern history of Korea and Japan also interesting. I now feel like I am better able to provide more historical knowledge about East Asia to my students.
My lesson plan ideas may likely focus on modern China, specifically thinking about China today, its problems and challenges of the 21st century. I am interested in developing a lesson about the failure of the Nationalists to unite the civil war. I think my students will find this topic interesting, and believe it will be part of a post-World War II unit.
Matthew Wong“The key point is that they wanted to overthrow our state and the Party. Failing to understand this means failing to understand the nature of the matter…”
Deng Xiaoping is a historical figure that transformed China from its revolutionary period under Mao’s regime. He is widely praised for opening China to economic development, or in his words, “Socialism with Chinese characteristics.” However, it was during his time (or shadow) that the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre occurred.
When I first studied this incident in college (not high school), I actually thought about the failure of the incident to bring about democracy to the world’ populous nation. I was surprised to learn about the slow decision to put down the protests, and expressed sorrow over its failure. That is perhaps why I believe Taiwan is a better model for democracy for Chinese people.
Matthew WongThe Cultural Revolution is a topic that is taught in Modern World History. For my students, this topic may be more relevant to their lives because of their background. Many of my students are ethnically Chinese, and a large percentage are children of immigrants from mainland China. As a beginning teacher, I often find myself trying to teach as much of the past based on the prior knowledge I had. Having read these articles about the Cultural Revolution, I have found new knowledge that I feel I can share with my class.
It’s interesting to think about China today under Xi Jingping. Xi is certainly more powerful than his predecessor Hu Jintao. In fact, when I studied modern Chinese history in Hong Kong, I wondered how the Communist Party would continue to evolve in the 21st century. I know some scholars believe that China will move into a democratic direction, but I have some doubts because Xi’s cultivation of a personality cult similar to Mao. It is interesting to note that Xi comes from the background having been harmed during the Cultural Revolution, much like another strongman—Deng Xiaoping.
Matthew WongLloyd Eastman’s “Who Lost China? Chiang Kai-shek Testifies” provides historical analysis of how the Nationalists lost to the Communists in the Chinese civil war. I have always been fascinated with the Chinese civil war, and often wondered what China would be like had the Nationalists not lost. From my prior studies, I came to learn that one reason the Nationalists lost was because of corruption. The reason why the Communists won was not because of their superior ideology of politics and society, but rather their ability to connect with the common people, who constituted an overwhelmingly majority of the Chinese people. Eastman’s article points to how Chiang himself understood the problems of the KMT. Chiang states, “But the chief reason, which cannot be denied, arose from the paralysis of the party: the membership, organizational structure and method of leadership all created problems. Thus, the party because a lifeless shell; the government and military also lost their soul; with the result that the troops collapsed and society disintegrated.” Another aspect I found interesting, and something I do not recall learning about, was the blame some Nationalists placed on the US. Eastman writes, “Since the late 1940s, many of the Nationalists' more emotional and politically motivated supporters have claimed that the National Government fell to the Communists primarily as a result of American betrayal and inadequate material support, rather than as a result of internal Chinese factors.” I have to admit that I have a limited understanding of Taiwanese history, despite the fact that I lived there for a good chunk of time. This article I believe prompts me to learn more about modern Chinese history. I also think I could share excerpts of this article with a World History class.
Matthew WongI also found Professor Dube's questions about history - What drives the perception of the past? - an interesting point that I think I will share with my students. It's true that the past can change. In truth, it always has. Historians are always looking back to investigate the past. Through their studies, they may learn something that previously historians had not thought about or discovered. This is what Dube was referring to as new data. History also changes when new questions are raised and new perspectives are shared. This is what university professors do. They look at what is already known, develop new questions, and either confirm or expand on what the "public knowledge" is. For some reason, before Dube raised this point, I did not think about this. As a history teacher, I often wonder how I can address history (and by extension, the history textbook) in the digital age. Many of my students are questioning, and even challenging the text, and sometimes, truthfully I have no good response to them.
Matthew WongI love the inclusion of political cartoons in history because it provides students with a different lens to view what was happening in the world at the time. Thank you for sharing this political cartoons from a foreign perspective. Students, I believe, typically only see US-based cartoons in their study. I think this would be interesting to add to a World History lesson on World War II.
In "Driver and Driven," the cartoon artist depicts Roosevelt as treating the American public poorly. I think the artist is trying to convince his audience that the American government is corrupt and does not really care about its citizens.
Matthew WongI also found this article, "Things about America and Americans" interesting and insightful. Xu is detailed when he explains the value of money, the role of superstitutions, the American household, and the education of children and at the university level. One of the interesting aspects of the article focused on the number 13 and how Americans do not like the number. He states that the number 13 is a bad number, similar to the number 4 in Chinese culture, because of Jesus and the Last Supper. Xu also challenges the notion that only the Chinese are superstitious. When I read this, I thought about how all cultures have certain traditions or even superstitions.
Matthew WongIn “History of the Chinese Revolution,” Sun outlines his vision for a modern China based on democratic ideals. It is my understanding that Sun is considered a founding father by the people of mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Sun’s plan, however, seems to have only become reality in Taiwan. Today’s Taiwanese government has been strongly influenced by Sun’s ideas. I have always wondered why Taiwan had an Examination and Control Yuan, but now I know.
It’s interesting how Sun ties his vision for China with the ideas of the Enlightenment Period. Sun states, “The principles which I have held in promoting the Chinese revolution were in some cases copied from our traditional ideals, in other cases modeled on European theory and experience and in still others formulated according to original and self-developed theories.” This suggests that Sun is truly thinking more deeply about how to bring China into the modern age, past the dynastical changes of years past. It also suggests that the impact of the Enlightenment and the American Revolution continued to influence many parts of the world. For my students, I think sharing this with them will be more meaningful, as many of my students are ethnically Chinese.
Matthew WongChris, I agree with you that I also need to incorporate more graphics into my lessons as they build and expand understanding of history and the social sciences. One aspect of Dube's lectures that I appreciated was how Dube used charts, posed questions about the charts, and led us to think deeper about what we have read and are learning in class. The example of "growth versus development" was a prime example of how we can prompt students to think more deeply about history, and in this case, its impact on China.
Matthew WongAmir, I agree with you about relating Sun Yat-sen's "Fundamentals of National Reconstruction" with the impact of the Enlightenment.
Before I read this document, I had a limited understanding of Sun's vision for a democratic China. For years, I have known that Sun was considered a founding father of modern China. I knew about his overseas experiences and often wondered how China would be different had he continued to lead China rather than step down because of Yuan Shi Kai.
It's interesting to note that Sun references the Enlightenment and western governments as having influenced his own plan for China's future. It is evident that Sun thought meticulously about a modern China that would endure rather than continue the dynastical change China has experienced for centuries. The Enlighenment now has new meaning for me, and something else I can share with students.
Matthew WongCindy, whenever I teach about the Industrial Revolution, I refer my students to what is happening in China today. I want them to see how history repeats itself. Many of students are from mainland China. Interestingly, some left the mainland because of the environmental pollution from China's industries. "We the Workers" provides an Eastern perpsective of collective bargaining. I think my students would find interest in that.
Matthew WongChris, I like how you relate the industrial revolutions that take place in the West with China's industrial revolution today. Just like labor unions rose in the West during the 19th and 20th centuries, so too is labor rising in China today. I think the difference is that China is not a liberal society as was Europe and America.
I found the film we watched interesting as I know very little about the labor movement in China today. I also found it interesting that Han Dongfang argued that the Communist Party would transform itself to a be a social democratic political party in the coming years. I think that is an interesting take, but I am not certain that China will head towards that direction, particulary under the leadership of Xi Jing Ping.
Matthew WongWe must adhere to Sun Yat-sen's Three Principles of the People. A new China can only emerge after we abolish the imperial monarchy and establish a republic. China under a new republican government will include all of China's ethnicities, not only the Han majority. It's time to rise, rid of the monarchy, and build a new China. Only then can truly be the "Middle Kingdom" we have known for 5000 years!
Matthew WongKurashige's Two Faces of Exclusion gives a different perspective of Asian American history, one as he himself acknowledges is not widely known or shared. While reading the excerpt, I appreciated how Kurashige discusses early Asian American history. Some themes included exclusion and citizenship (or lack thereof). I appreciated how Kurashige argues and defines exclusionist and egalitarian, providing Asian American scholars another aspect of history to examine.
This excerpt would be great to use in an ethnic studies course. It is an easy read. Students who have previously studied aspects of Asian American history will understand the people, terms, and events Kurashige refers to in his Preface and Introduction.
