[Todd Rutley]

The idea for this note came from Jennifer Jung-Kim Video #2: Korea from 1392-1800, where she discusses hereditary social classes. This caught my attention because the lowest class in both Korea & Japan is relegated to the same dirty jobs that the other classes do not want. Furthermore, this discrimination is semi-permanent because the class status is hereditary. 

This note explores the concept of the “untouchable classes” in Korea (the Baekjeong) and Japan (the Burakumin).

...continues in attached PDF 

Attachments:

You must be logged in to view attached files.

[Todd Rutley]

I say no. Here is why I say this.

I see the Marco Polo adventure story as an early example travel writing – a genre that appeals to the desire of people to know more about the broader world without actually leaving home.

Marco Polo is like a modern travel writer who describes the foreign place as fantastic, beyond imagination and far different than our lived experience.   

I see the same style in Jules Verne.  Spoiler alert: He did not really Journey to the Center of the Earth (1864), or travel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas (1870), or travel Around the World in Eighty Days (1872).

I see it in the same genre as Gulliver’s Travels. It was an adventure tale. Referring to a new foreign place in travel is a good way to introduce new ideas, different social practices, types of societies and social orders.

While we are on the topic, James Clavell did not live in Tokugawa era Japan when writing Shogun.

Adventure travel writing is imaginative and encourages new and different thinking.  That is why it is so popular today and why Marco Polo had a large effect on history regardless of the veracity of his tales.

Columbia University describes his importance  as follows:  “Before Marco Polo returned and set down his memoirs, most Europeans were ignorant of the great civilizations to their east… It was through the eyes of Marco Polo that many Europeans first learned about those civilizations to the east, and his book was popular in his own time and for centuries thereafter. Other explorers in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, the "Age of Exploration," all confessed that they were inspired by the great world Polo had described. Two hundred years after Marco Polo, another Italian seaman, Christopher Columbus, carried a well-worn copy of Polo's travels when he set out west for a new route to the fabled Indies.”

Think about the last sentence and ask yourself the question Professor Dube raised: Does it really matter if Marco Polo visited ancient China?

References

https://www.cntraveler.com/stories/2008-10-14/the-69-greatest-fiction-travel-books-of-all-time

https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/fantasy-travel

50+ Must-Read Portal Fantasy Books

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marco_Polo

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulliver%27s_Travels

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jules_Verne

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sh%C5%8Dgun_(novel)

http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/mongols/pop/menu/class_marco.htm

[Todd Rutley]

What priorities and values are evident in the proclamations of the Hongwu Emperor? What philosophical ideas do they draw upon?

This note will refer to the founder of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang, by his posthumous “temple name” Ming Taizu.  

Priorities and Values

Ming Taizu’s priority was to promote good behavior and to punish bad behavior. In his life experience, government corruption was the biggest evil that oppressed the poor peasant class from which he arose and targeting government corruption at all levels was therefore the biggest priority of his reign. 

Promoting good behavior, and severely punishing bad behavior, would protect society from internal sources of disorder. It would also result in a rigid authoritarian society. Maintaining a very large army would also protect society from external sources of disorder.

Philosophical Ideas (reference: Ebrey, East Asia, 2006)

Ming Taizu’s philosophy appears to be “legalist”, the philosophy that people are selfish so they must be ruled by clear laws & fear of punishment. This is shown by the passage “With the exception of the righteous person, the true gentleman, and the sage, no one is able to avoid the temptation of money” and the passage “I capture and imprison the corrupt…I punish them with the death penalty or have them flogged with bamboo sticks in order to make manifest the consequences of good and evil action”.

Ming Taizu’s philosophy was also influenced by the Red Turban rebels who held Manichean ideas on the competition between good and evil. Because of the inherent evil in most men, driven by selfishness, the battle of good vs. evil is ongoing.

Afterthoughts

Reading about Ming Taizu’s philosophy reminded me of the quote from Apocalypse Now when General Corman said “In this war, things get confused out there—power, ideals, the old morality, and practical military necessity . . . because there’s a conflict in every human heart between the rational and the irrational, between good and evil. And good does not always triumph.” So, I wonder if Gorman was a Manichean. I think so…but after taking this class for 2 months I am starting to see Chinese philosophy everywhere in everything! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjB8z0Bvi14

Another aside. Patricia Ebrey said “Taizu had deeply ambivalent feelings about men of education and sometimes brutally humiliated them in open court. His behavior was so erratic that most likely he suffered from some form of mental illness” (Ebrey, East Asia, 2006, p. 271). What recent US President does this description resemble?

Wikipedia: Manichaeism was a major religion founded in the 3rd century AD by the Parthian prophet Mani, in the Sasanian Empire. Manichaeism taught an elaborate dualistic cosmology describing the struggle between a good, spiritual world of light, and an evil, material world of darkness.  

Questions: 

Was the name of Dynasty - the Ming - influenced by Manichean dualist philosophy? 

[Todd Rutley]

Professor Pitelka described the Sea of Japan as being like "the Mediterranean of East Asia".  The jpg files attached below rotate the Sea of Japan and East Asia map so you can see this idea better. The second JPG map is based on historian Amino Yoshihiko's view, as quoted in Mark Ravina's "To Stand With the Nations of the World".   

Viewing the Japanese archipelago in these ways suggests a close physical connection to the East Asian continent.  In contrast, the traditional way of depicting Japan both physically and historically has been to see Japan as apart from Asia...not an integral part of Asia.  Lots of politics behind this today as the Japan nationalists want to dispute importance of the historical connection with Asia.    

Wikipedia says about the Sea of Japan:

"Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific Ocean. This isolation also affects faunal diversity and salinity, both of which are lower than in the open ocean. The sea has no large islands, bays or capes. Its water balance is mostly determined by the inflow and outflow through the straits connecting it to the neighboring seas and the Pacific Ocean. Few rivers discharge into the sea and their total contribution to the water exchange is within 1%. The seawater has an elevated concentration of dissolved oxygen that results in high biological productivity. Therefore, fishing is the dominant economic activity in the region."

Also attached is the Kyoto city plan shown in the video.  Kyoto was modeled after Chang'an (Perpetual Peace) that was repeatedly used by Chinese rulers. Beijing followed the same plan.

 

Attachments:

You must be logged in to view attached files.

[Todd Rutley]

This note reviews the causes and consequences of isolationism in Korea.

Introduction/Context

Korea is located in the center of East Asia (see map attached) between China and Japan. This peninsula nation’s location explains why Korea has experienced many invasions by land and sea in the last 2000 years. 

The Korean isolation policy was adopted in 1865 in response to perceived foreign threats. The Korean policy was adopted about 108 years after the Qing Dynasty adopted the “Canton System” in 1757 designed to limit foreign barbarian contacts with the Middle Kingdom. The Korean policy was adopted 230 years after a similar policy was adopted in Japan by Tokugawa Iemitsu (1635).

The fact that the three major powers in Asia all adopted a policy of isolation raises questions about the similarities between the causes and the effects of this policy.

For example, was the common threat that of Western influence or was it other influences? Were the foreign threats cultural, religious, or military? All of the above? Were other powers seeking “tributary style” symbolic relationships, formal military alliances, religious influence, more merchandise trade, or territorial annexation?

...continued in PDF

Attachments:

You must be logged in to view attached files.

[Todd Rutley]

This note was inspired by Professor Morgan Pitelka’s video #2 on the Tokugawa Shogunate, especially the discussion of trade restrictions and Dejima Island in Nagasaki. This discussion made me see the similarities with the Qing Dynasty experience practicing a policy of isolation.

This note compares the causes and consequences of isolationism in each country.

Introduction/Context

European explorers began to enter SE Asia by ship after the 1500s, likely looking for the sources of riches that had travelled on the Silk Roads to Europe.  In 1521, Spain claimed The Philippines.  In 1557, Portugal obtained a lease on Macau that later became a territory (1887) before Macau was returned to China in1999.

The 17^th – 19^th centuries found both Japan and China in conservative eras that favored stability over innovation, and isolation rather than exploration and expansion. Both Asian countries thought that Western cultural influences were dangerous, especially religious influences.  As a result of their concerns, both Japan (in 1635) and China (in 1757) attempted to limited Western access to their respective countries. While both countries sought to block Western influence, the results and reactions were different.  

The Tokugawa Shogunate Opposition to Foreign Influences

Tokugawa Ieyasu founded the Shogunate that bore his name.  He remained as shogun only 2-3 years before abdicating and putting his son in power.  The Tokugawa Shogunate ruled from 1603–1867.

The early Tokugawa leaders were aware of an increasing foreign influence as Asian neighbors and Western countries were interested in trading with Japan.  The Spanish and Portuguese traders had been active in the prior century and in the 17^th century there was increased interest by missionaries seeking to save souls and convert the heathen. These actions raised concerns about foreign influences and the risk of social disorder.

In 1635, Tokugawa Iemitsu, the grandson of the founder, issued an edict that effectively closed Japan to foreigners with few exceptions.  Contact with Europeans after 1635 was limited to the Dutch who were permitted to trade at the port of Dejima inside the Nagasaki harbor.  The period of isolation lasted about 220 years until 1854.    

Japan’s isolationism was forcibly ended by the American Navy under Commodore Matthew C. Perry. Perry used the threat of military attack to force Japan to sign the Treaty of Kanagawa (March 31, 1854) and open up to the West. This was the same “gunboat diplomacy” used by the US and other Western powers in China during the Opium Wars.

Japan’s opening up after the 1854 Treaty of Kanagawa led quickly to the 1868 Meiji restoration and Japan’s adoption of Western style imperialism.  This period from 1868-1945 saw Japan adopt the methods of Western military aggression and apply these to its neighbors in Korea, Formosa, Manchuria and China.

In summary, Japan under Tokugawa rule succeeded in blocking the West’s influence for over 200 years. After being forced to open, it rapidly began to emulate the practices that made the West wealthy and powerful. This intentional and deliberate modernization process allowed Japan to quickly catch up to the West in scientific, industrial and military techniques. 

The Qing Dynasty Opposition to Foreign Influences

Qing Dynasty China (1644-1911) was politically isolationist. It did not want its society corrupted by foreign influences. To limit foreign influences, and to keep those influences far from the Beijing capital, the Qing Dynasty implemented the “Canton System” (1757–1842) that allowed international trade to take place only through the Canton port under Chinese regulation.

China’s isolationism lasted about 85 years before it was ended by the first Opium War (1839-42).  China’s isolation was ended by the British Navy which attacked China starting in 1839.  To conclude the first Opium war China was forced to sign the Treaty of Nanjing (August 29, 1842) and open up to the West. This was the first of many unequal treaties signed between the Qing Dynasty and the West.

China tried to block the West in 1839 and this led to Britain starting the Opium Wars. This resulted in China being forced to open up to many Western powers. It was not until after 1945 that foreign force was removed from Chinese soil.

In China, the opening up after the 1842 Treaty of Nanjing lead to increased foreign influence and continued Chinese weakness.  Although there were many reactions to foreign influence over the next 70 years (Taiping, self-strengthening, Boxer rebellion, May 4th movement), it was not until 1949 that China was able to stand up and reject Western imperialism. 

Post-1949, China reentered a period of self-imposed isolation and severely limited international contact.  This period did not end until the post-Mao reform period of the late 1970s.

Conclusions

Both Japan and China tried to limit Western cultural influences which they believed posed risks to the stability of their societies. They were both right! Opening up to Western imperialists led to considerable upheaval in both countries.   

Both Japan and China tried to limit international trade to one physical location to limit the presence and influence of foreigners. China chose Canton on the south coast, far away from the northern capitol in Beijing. Tokugawa Japan chose Dejima Island in the Nagasaki harbor on the west coast of Kyushu, far away from the important cities of Kyoto and Edo (Tokyo) located on the main island of Honshu.

All attempts at self-isolation failed.  What lessons can we draw from this?

Attachments:

You must be logged in to view attached files.

[Todd Rutley]

In case anyone wants to learn more about his interests and publications: 

https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/entity/author/B001HP6MNQ?_encoding=UTF8&node=283155&offset=0&pageSize=12&searchAlias=stripbooks&sort=author-sidecar-rank&page=1&langFilter=default#formatSelectorHeader

Select Publications

• Spectacular Accumulation: Material Culture, Tokugawa Ieyasu, and Samurai Sociability. Honolulu, HI: University of Hawai’i Press, 2016. Winner, 2016 Book Prize, Southeastern Conference of the Association of Asian Studies.
• Kyoto Visual Culture in the Early Edo and Meiji Periods: The Arts of Reinvention. Co-edited with Alice Tseng. New York: Routledge, 2016.
• What’s the Use of Art? Asian Visual and Material Culture in Context. Co-edited with Jan Mrazek. Honolulu, HI: University of Hawai’i Press, 2007.
• Handmade Culture: Raku Potters, Patrons, and Tea Practitioners in Japan. Honolulu, HI: University of Hawai’i Press, 2005.
• Japanese Tea Culture: Art, History, and Practice. Editor. London and New York: Routledge, 2003; paperback edition, 2007.

Courses Taught 

• ASIA 63: First-Year Seminar: Japanese Tea Culture
• JAPN 231: Ancient and Medieval Japanese History and Culture
• JAPN 246: Early Modern Japanese History and Culture
• JAPN 363: Samurai, Monks, and Pirates: History and Historiography of Japan’s Long Sixteenth Century
• JAPN 451: Swords, Tea Bowls, and Woodblock Prints: Exploring Japanese Material Culture
• HIST 890: Material Culture and Material histories

https://history.unc.edu/faculty-members/morgan-pitelka/

This is his Amazon bio.  About Morgan Pitelka.  I am a historian of premodern Japan. I teach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  My research focuses on the history and material culture of the long sixteenth century (or what is often called the shift from medieval to early modern) in Japan. I am particularly interested in the history of the samurai, the history of tea culture, the history of ceramics, and the methodology of material culture studies.

 

Attachments:

You must be logged in to view attached files.

[Todd Rutley]

My last note said that ethnic minorities were being repressed for the following reasons.

1. Fear of Rising Ethnic Population Share
2. Fear of Ethnic Separatism
3. Fear of USSR Style Breakup 
4. Fear of Losing National Prestige (Face)
5. Loss of International Win-Win Narrative
6. Belief in Han Nationalism and Han Supremacy

 

This note provides a positive interpretation of the minority situation to understand both sides of the controversy.

Introduction/Context

The PRC/CCP now recognizes that China’s Autonomous Region System for “managing ethnic populations”, based on the USSR model, led to many problems in the USSR and the PRC.  These problems contributed to the USSR’s 1991 collapse.

To avoid the problems inherent in the USSR model, China is acting to improve the situation in the Autonomous Regions by increasing their integration with the rest of China in terms of education, language, employment, transportation connections and economic development.

How China Is Helping, Not Hurting, Ethnic Minorities

The 1950s era Autonomous Region policy (ARP) treated ethnic people differently than Han Chinese.  The ARP can be viewed as a type of ethnic segregation. This policy reinforced differences rather than emphasizing common interests.  As a result, it reduced national harmony.

Since 2012, Xi Jinping has been leading China towards the Chinese Dream (中国梦). The Chinese Dream includes developing a global Community with shared future for all mankind (人类命运共同体).  This future includes all the people in China and abroad that share the Chinese goal of mankind’s progress.

As a result of great progress in the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics under the leadership of Xi Jinping (中国特色社会主义), the ethnic policy has been reconsidered and new actions are being taken to overcome the past problems with new solutions.

Five examples of this progress are noted below.

1. The PRC central government is eliminating the use of ethnic languages in autonomous region education.  This policy is to ensure that all Chinese citizens can read the same texts and communicate in the same language.  This change will facilitate the integration of the minority people into the cultural and economic mainstream.  This will increase employment opportunities and incomes of the minority peoples.
2. The PRC has created centers in Xinjiang to promote the education and employment of Uyghur peoples. This effort will provide improved education and more job opportunities, especially because the economic belt of the BRI passes through this region.  So it is totally “win-win” for the Uyghur people and for Han Chinese.
3. The PRC has increased counter-terrorism operations in Xinjiang since the terrorist events of 2009. This is true. Reducing terrorism will improve the lives of all Chinese citizens. Increased PLA military presence is for the benefit of all law-abiding people.
4. The PRC-led BRI initiative (一带一路) is creating new jobs in Xinjiang and this is boosting the local economy for the benefit of all.
5. The PRC has funded new rail lines that connect the Autonomous regions of Xinjiang and Tibet with the rest of China. This will increase tourism in the regions and allow travel outside these areas.

Conclusions

There are at least 2 sides to every story. Both the US media and the Chinese media reflect national and cultural biases.  Therefore, it is necessary for informed people to recognize and understand other perspectives.

Americans are only about 4% of the world’s population and I hope that future generations will better understand the other 96%.  That is the challenge we face as teachers. 

I wish you all inspiration in dealing with these challenges.  Let’s all work together for a better future for China-US relations. As Xi Jinping says, let’s work towards a global Community with shared future for all mankind (人类命运共同体).

References

https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/01/28/china-signals-roll-back-minority-languages

https://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/language-07282017143037.html

https://www.hrw.org/report/2020/03/04/chinas-bilingual-education-policy-tibet/tibetan-medium-schooling-under-threat

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autonomous_regions_of_China

https://www.readingthechinadream.com/

 

[Todd Rutley]

The videos are online for Sessions 3&4 - April 10

https://china.usc.edu/video-panel-discussion-chinas-belt-and-road-initiative-action

https://www.youtube.com/c/USChinaInstitute/videos

[Todd Rutley]

The attached PDF has a detailed explanation.  It is based on research I did for my adult education class.  

1. Fear of Rising Ethnic Population Share
2. Fear of Ethnic Separatism
3. Fear of USSR Style Breakup 
4. Fear of Losing National Prestige (Face)
5. Loss of International Win-Win Narrative
6. Belief in Han Nationalism and Han Supremacy

Attachments:

You must be logged in to view attached files.

[Todd Rutley]

Why Is China Successful in High Speed Rail?

Political Reasons

1. China’s one-party political system promotes long-term planning
2. China seeks to be a global leader in rail technology. See “Made in China 2025” plan  
3. China’s top politicians are typically engineers, not lawyers
4. Politicians are rewarded for faster GDP growth, a top CCP priority
5. CCP understands that HSR is a “public good” (like education) that has benefits for users and non-users (less traffic, less urban space devoted to cars, cleaner air, better economy) 
6. The CCP understands how HSR helps economic development by promoting personal mobility and connectivity
7. China has always relied on trains for most inter-city travel because personal cars were rare, air travel was very limited, and buses were slow & uncomfortable. So the conventional rail network was always preserved (US shut most passenger rail in decades after WWII)
8. The HSR network is an example to China’s people and the world that the “China Model” of political governance and economic development can be superior to the US model     

The last attached PDF (at bottom) has far more information and references 

Attachments:

You must be logged in to view attached files.

[Todd Rutley]

Draft 1: April 8, 2021.

The Soft Side of the Belt and Road Initiative: How China’s Soft Power Political Infrastructure Reinforces the Hard Side of the BRI

Chinese President Xi Jinping gave a 2014 speech titled “Connectivity Spearheads Development and Partnership Enables Cooperation” (APEC 11/2014).  In this speech he set out the broad scope of the BRI.  Xi Jinping said: 

“The connectivity we talk about today is not merely about building roads and bridges or making linear connection of different places on surface. More importantly, it should be a three-way combination of infrastructure, institutions and people-to-people exchanges and a five-way progress in policy communication, infrastructure connectivity, trade link, capital flow, and understanding among peoples. It is a wide-ranging, multi-dimensional, vibrant and open connectivity network that pools talent and resources from all stakeholders.”

This note is an exploration of these ideas.  In particular, it attempts to define key components of the BRI strategy that go beyond physical infrastructure to include two other forms of infrastructure connectivity – soft infrastructure and political infrastructure.

Introduction

The Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) was launched in 2013 by PRC President Xi Jinping.  The BRI is best known for building physical or “hard infrastructure” like railways and ports that promote the trade of manufactured goods. 

The BRI’s hard infrastructure is what gets most attention and is certainly the most photographed, but equally or more important are the “soft infrastructure” and “political infrastructure” initiatives that build links between people and between countries. Those are the ideas that this note will explore.... (continues in attached PDF)

 

Attachments:

You must be logged in to view attached files.

[Todd Rutley]

The Belt & Road Initiative was launched in 2013 by PRC President Xi Jinping.  The BRI focuses on building infrastructure to promote trade and economic development.  While the BRI is often described as a bold new initiative, it can also be seen as a bold but old initiative inspired by the Tributary System of political and economic relations that was fully developed in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the last Han Chinese dynasty before the Manchu invasion and Qing Dynasty.  That is the opinion I will seek to support in this note.

Why write this note?  I am trying to understand ideas from Chinese history that may explain current thinking and also the likely future actions of the PRC.

Treaty vs. Tribute: the Western vs. Eastern Approach

In international trade relations, the modern West typically relies on legal trade treaties prepared much like domestic contracts.  These treaties define the rights and responsibilities of the legally equal parties as well as penalties and remedies that may be utilized in the event of disagreements.

In addition to diplomacy, the West has also utilized military violence to promote trade.  For example, Western powers typically used “gunboat diplomacy” to force the opening of foreign markets in East Asia.  This is the approach that all the Western powers used against the Qing Dynasty during the 1839-1949 Century of Humiliation.  Using force and threats, the West imposed 21 unequal treaties on China between 1842 and 1933.  The same gunboat diplomacy approach was applied in Japan in 1853-54 by US Navy Commodore Matthew C. Perry.

In contrast to the West, East Asia has utilized the peaceful and diplomatic “Tribute System” as an organizing principle for managing international diplomatic and economic relationships.  The Tribute System, as it was named by John King Fairbanks, can be interpreted as an international projection of the Confucian state philosophy in that it was hierarchical and unequal, promoting harmony rather than conflict.

10 Similarities Between the Tribute System and BRI

1. China was the sponsor of the Tribute System and its political center.  China is the sponsor of the BRI and its center.
2. The Tribute System was based on voluntary international diplomacy.  The BRI is also based on voluntary diplomacy: participation is not compelled.
3. The Tribute System was focused on China’s neighboring countries by sea and land.  The BRI is also focused on areas close to China but it extends to Africa and Europe.
4. The Tribute System involved foreign representatives visiting China to pay tribute in recognition of China’s leadership.  The BRI hosts organizing forums every 2-3 years for member countries in Beijing, where Xi Jinping leads ceremonies.
5. The Ming Dynasty received tributes from 98 entities (see John K. Fairbank below).   The first BRI forum in Beijing in 2017 received representatives from over 130 countries. This indicates that both systems were large in scale and inclusiveness.
6. The attraction of the Tribute System for non-Chinese was gaining trade access to the large Chinese market.  The attraction of the BRI for foreigners is getting access to the large Chinese market for exports as well as benefitting from Chinese development assistance.
7. The Tribute System successfully and peacefully promoted diplomatic and economic relations amongst a large number of countries. Same for the BRI.
8. The US was not part of the Tribute System which predates the USA.  China invited the United States to join the BRI in 2017, but the USA has not joined.
9. The Tribute System strengthened China and was opposed by the West during the Century of Humiliation, causing China to lose influence over many tributary states.  Similarly, the BRI has strengthened China and is opposed by the West, especially by the current global hegemon.
10. Until the Century of Humiliation, the Tribute System prevailed over a relatively peaceful period of international relations centered in China that can be called Pax Sinica 1.0.  The BRI has now created Pax Sinica 2.0 that is building a new community of common destiny for all mankind (人类命运共同体).

Conclusions

There appear to be many similarities between the historical Tribute System and the current BRI.  If these are substantive and meaningful similarities, the BRI may herald the return to a Sino-centric world order under China’s leadership. 

Would a Sino-centric world order threaten the West and increase international warfare?  This fear has been raised by many American Neocons, hegemonists, and various China bashers.  As Harvard's Graham Allison asks, are “China and America Destined for War”, propelled deterministically by the Thucydides's Trap? 

The historical experience indicates that the Tribute System in East Asia was relatively peaceful, and that the system promoted stability rather than the contrary.  As USC Professor David Kang noted in East Asia Before The West, the period from 1368 to 1841 saw only 2 wars between the 4 major Asian states of China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam.  This conclusion suggests that the BRI holds the promise of stabilizing international relations through the promotion of trade and economic development.  

 References

East Asia Before the West: Five Centuries of Trade and Tribute. David C. Kang. 2010.

Has the West Lost It? A Provocation. Kishore Mahbubani, 2018

The Structure and Transformation of the Ming Tribute Trade System. Gakusho Nakajima

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-10-4053-5_7

Explaining the Tribute System: Power, Confucianism, and War in Medieval East Asia

Yuan-kang Wang. Journal of East Asian Studies 13 (2013), 207–232

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-06/02/c_138111345.htm

https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2017-04/26/content_29086142.htm

http://www.beltandroadforum.org/english/

https://www.cfr.org/blog/countries-chinas-belt-and-road-initiative-whos-and-whos-out

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tributary_states_of_China

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unequal_treaty

https://isdp.eu/publication/belt-road-initiative/

https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/tribute-system

https://www.belfercenter.org/thucydides-trap/overview-thucydides-trap

https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2015/09/united-states-china-war-thucydides-trap/406756/

Footnotes

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is the English translation used since 2015 for the “One Belt One Road” initiative or OBOR announced by Xi Jinping in 2013 (“Yi Dai Yi Lu”, 一带一路).  The “Belt” refers to land connections while the “Road” refers to maritime connections.  

Wikipedia notes that: “The term "tribute system", strictly speaking, is a Western invention. There was no equivalent term in the Chinese lexicon to describe what would be considered the "tribute system" today, nor was it envisioned as an institution or system. John King Fairbank and Teng Ssu-yu created the "tribute system" theory in a series of articles in the early 1940s to describe "a set of ideas and practices developed and perpetuated by the rulers of China over many centuries." The Fairbank model presents the tribute system as an extension of the hierarchic and nonegalitarian Confucian social order. The more Confucian the actors, the more likely they were to participate in the tributary system.”

[Todd Rutley]

The Belt & Road Initiative was launched in 2013 by PRC President Xi Jinping.  The BRI focuses on building infrastructure to promote trade and economic development.  While the BRI is often described as a bold new initiative, it can also be seen as a bold but old initiative inspired by China’s first emperor.  That is the opinion I will seek to support in this note.

Why write this note? Until taking this class I had never studied ancient China – it seemed too distant to be of relevance to my interest in Chinese politics and economics today -- and so I was unable to see the recurring ideas and themes in Chinese history.  Now I am starting to see how modern Chinese leaders draw lessons from their history and it is an idea I want to explore.     

Philosophical Links from Qin Legalism to Xi Jinping Neo-Legalism

Shi Huangdi was motivated by Legalist philosophy focused on creating and using power in statecraft (Legalism is a like modern Realism in international relations.)  The Legalist philosophy has been interpreted by Orville Schell as promoting “a wealthy state and a strong army” (富国强兵).   This Qin dynasty legalist idea is shortened to “wealth and power” (富强), the title of Schell’s 2013 book.

China’s first emperor wisely understood that the state must promote wealth and economic development in order to become strong militarily.  This idea motivated the emperor’s many actions noted below.  The pursuit of “wealth & power” also motivates the actions of Xi Jinping today. 

So, what is the point of this comparison?  The lesson is that learning about ancient Chinese philosophy is a key starting point to understanding China today.

9 Similarities between Shi Huangdi Actions and the BRI Today

Shi Huangdi sought to unify the land by strengthening the economy and building a strong military. He did this through several actions that have parallels today. 

1. Shi Huangdi promoted legalism and suppressed dissenting philosophical opinions.  Xi Jinping is also suppressing competing ideas and philosophies.  The censuring of Bo Xilai and Jack Ma are examples.
2. Shi Huangdi started construction of the Great Wall to defend against northern barbarians who were the greatest threat.  Xi Jinping has overseen the expansion of China’s military forces in the South & East China seas to defend against western barbarians who are the biggest threat today.  
3. Shi Huangdi created a massive army to defend the northern and western areas from barbarians.  Xi Jinping is modernizing the PLA with advanced technology and he advocates a military power that is “second to none” globally.
4. Shi Huangdi standardized the writing system throughout the empire to promote centralized legalistic governance.  As a legalist, like Xi Jinping today, Shi Huangdi believed in establishing clear laws that must be followed by all subjects. Tough rule was required to rebuild the country and prevent threats to national unity. Can you see the similarities today in Hong Kong and Xinjiang under Xi’s leadership?
5. Shi Huangdi standardized currency to promote trade. The modern BRI is also promoting currency standardization using the Chinese Yuan in place of the US dollar which has been the primary currency for international trade since 1945.
6. Shi Huangdi built China’s first highway system which can be seen as a precursor to both the Silk Road and the BRI. Xi has overseen the ongoing massive expansion of the internal railways network.
7. Shi Huangdi built China’s first canal system which promoted trade and water sharing. The Ling Canal can be seen as a precursor to both the development of canal transportation in China and the 21^st Century Maritime Silk Road and the BRI. China Daily notes: “the Ling Canal was completed in 214 BC.... It connects the Xiang River and the Li River, thus linking the water system of the Yangtze River and that of the Pearl River. The Great Wall in North China and the Ling Canal in South China are both wonders of the world.”  Today, China is promoting many more South–North water transfer projects.
8. Shi Huangdi built northern defenses. Today, China is building “The Great Wall at Sea” according to Bernard Cole of the National War College.  The “Great Wall at Sea” is designed to deter the US from threatening China by sea.  China’s strategy is defensive and inspired by history.  As the Global Times noted in 2019, ““Between 1840 and 1949, China suffered more than 470 invasions by foreign powers from the sea. With the Type 055 destroyer… fewer foreign hostile forces will have the ability to repeat such attacks.” The “Great Wall at Sea” is shown by the PLA “island chain” strategy in the South & East China seas.  While the northern Great Wall was fixed, the island chain strategy is dynamic and seeks to expand the PLA maritime security buffer eastward to the mid-Pacific ocean by 2049.  The PLA Admiral that promoted this idea has been officially recognized by Xi Jinping (Liu Huaqing, 刘华清).
9. Shi Huangdi’s dream was the reunification and strengthening of China.  For Xi Jinping, “The Chinese Dream is the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.” The Chinese Dream Xi is pursuing will restore the glory China had before the Century of National Humiliation.

Conclusions

While China’s first dynasty collapsed after only 15 years, the influences of legalist philosophy that guided Shi Huangdi over 2000 years ago can be seen motivating and guiding the Belt and Road Initiative in 2021.  Stay tuned, perhaps Xi Jinping will bring back the “mandate of heaven” next. 

References

Wealth and Power: China's Long March to the Twenty-first Century (Schell & Delury 2013)

https://www.shine.cn/feature/art-culture/1902159623/

http://sites.asiasociety.org/chinawealthpower/a-wealthy-state-and-a-strong-army/

https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/regional/2014-10/10/content_18717614.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lingqu

https://www.usni.org/press/books/great-wall-sea-second-edition

https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1153087.shtml

https://www.theepochtimes.com/xi-jinping-sends-political-signal-in-commemoration-of-deceased-senior-naval-commander-liu-huaqing_2168914.html

Attachments:

You must be logged in to view attached files.

[Todd Rutley]

Censorship from Qin Dynasty to USA in 2021

This note is a short reflection on censorship inspired by the March 24 lecture which noted Qin Shi Huang’s repression of Confucianist thinking.  

In particular, I want to compare China’s censorship to the current US situation.  This comparison should raise questions about the legitimacy and effects of limits to free expression today… in both China and the USA.

Examples of Censorship in China

Qin dynasty.  As discussed in the 03/24 lecture, the first emperor Qin Shi Huang burned Confucianist books and many Confucian scholars were killed.  He was a Legalist, so this action exemplified his opposition to intellectual tolerance and political pluralism.

CCP Era.  Mao was inspired by Qin Shi Huang’s example and boasted of burning even more books and punishing more intellectuals.  Censorship is shown in the 1957-1959 Anti-Rightist campaign; the 1966 Destruction of Four Olds campaign; the 1966-1976 Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, and the 1983-1984 Anti-Spiritual Pollution Campaign.

Examples of Censorship in USA

1. Movie banning. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_banned_in_the_United_States
2. President Obama used the Espionage Act to prosecute 8 reporters (see references)
3. Chelsea Manning was tried in a military court martial and sentenced to 35 years in military prison for sharing information about the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
4. Edward Snowden is being prosecuted for leaking information on the NSA’s PRISM surveillance program which unconstitutionally targets US citizens.
5. Julian Assange is being pursued for publishing leaked information on wikileaks.org
6. Social media speech banning.  Many social media companies have banned individuals or groups (Twitter, Facebook & YouTube).  For example, people have been banned for statements regarding the origins of Covid-19.    
7. Amazon has removed books by racists David Duke and George Lincoln Rockwell.  However, Amazon also sponsored and profited from the fictional Nazi-themed series The Man in the High Castle.  
8. Amazon is still selling many racist books including Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf;  The Secret Story of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion; and, Sex Slaves of the Dragon Tong: a Yellow Peril Trilogy.
9. Amazon, Apple and Google all banned the Parler web service used by conservatives

How to Talk to Students about Censorship? 

This depends on how and what you teach.  

What do you think will work in your classes?  

References

https://freedom.press/news/obama-used-espionage-act-put-record-number-reporters-sources-jail-and-trump-could-be-even-worse/https://wikileaks.org/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube_suspensions

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twitter_suspensions

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_in_the_United_States

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_in_China

https://www.aclu.org/other/online-censorship-states

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deplatforming

https://www.npr.org/2021/01/25/960466075/is-deplatforming-enough-to-fight-disinformation-and-extremism

https://freedomhouse.org/report/china-media-bulletin/2020/2021-censorship-predictions-facial-recognition-pushback-hong-kong

Federal Register Vol. 85, No. 106 Tuesday, June 2, 2020 Title 3.  The President Executive Order 13925 of May 28, 2020 Preventing Online Censorship

https://littlethings.com/lifestyle/surprising-film-tv-censorship/2826056-3

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_banned_in_the_United_States

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/09/29/fire-report-students-are-censoring-their-opinions

*************************************

[Author]

Posts