9. From the first day when we watched Misunderstanding China in class I have been droning on about how our ways of thinking about China are very much shaped by our current historical moment and our particular outlooks. Write an essay where you give at least 3 examples from our readings and course materials of precisely this kind of “seeing what we want to see” in (mis) understanding China. NOTE: you can also apply this idea to how specific Chinese in specific historical moments interpret their own culture or history if you like. Version 1: -Chinese in the face of many oppressors and conquerors have always interpreted their own culture and history. Many conquerors of China have also interpreted their own understanding of China. EX 1) European Imperialism -All imperialist believed that they had to bring to the Chinese was infinitely better then what the Chinese had -All were dead bent in shaking China awake from its self-sufficient dream world -Imperialist however were dealing with a culture that gloried in its long history and vaunted traditions and that had absolute certainty of its superiority. EX 2) Japan’s Deasianization -Japan firmly believed that they should be separated from association of China and Korea. -Japan believed that China and Korea were firmly attached to ancient customs and manners and that they would not civilize. - However in the past, Japan was one of many countries who revered China for its advanced and modernized society. EX 3) Chinese immigration to America -During period of mass migration to America, there was massive hostility and racism towards Chinese immigrants by white working class immigrants. -They scapegoated Chinese for being unemployed or having trouble in obtaining a job even though there was a labor shortage -However farmers and capitalists were not only glad to have them but actually imported them to relieve an absolute labor shortage. - Both employer and worker had a different perspective toward the Chinese, both saw what they needed in order to benefit themselves. Version 2: From the first day when we watched Misunderstanding China in class I have been droning on about how our ways of thinking about China are very much shaped by ourcurrent historical moment and our particular outlooks. Write an essay where you give at least 3 examples from our readings and course materials of precisely this kind of “seeing what we want to see” in (mis)understanding China. NOTE: you can also apply this idea to how specific Chinese in specific historical moments interpret their own culture or history if you like. • Misunderstanding China showed how America’s view of China has been based upon stereotypes and ignorance ‐ These stereotypes will not change until America sees China objectively • Some misconceptions and stereotypes about China ‐ Government officials are corrupt “take over the world mentality”, Chinese women are subservient, China is “ancient” or still living in the stone age ‐ Western culture is narrow. Many Americans do not know anything about the outside world, which creates assumptions that everyone else is underdeveloped and not as great as the U.S. ‐ Misrepresentations cause Americans to fail to see realities about China o U.S. is economically and militarily developed. U.S. “fears” China’s dictatorship wants to overtake the U.S. economically and militarily (however if China does become as developed as the U.S. is presently, by the time that happens the U.S. will be even more developed as it is currently) • Schoppa readings- During the imperialism onslaught, merchants, missionary, and military all believed that what they had to bring to the Chinese was better than what the Chinese had ‐ Acting for the capitalist countries of the West, the merchants believed that they could turn China away from self-sufficiency to the system of multistate trade, and the merchants also believed that they could take advantage of the China market ‐ The military believed it could get rid of the Chinese regime and culture, making way for the expansion of “enlightened” Western civilization ‐ The missionary believed it had the Truth to save Chinese from eternal damnation ‐ However, they were all dealing with a culture that prided itself in its history and traditions, and the Chinese elite that believed its culture was superior ‐ Both sides were committed to their civilization goals, and both cultures were two immovable forces o The difference for the two sides in this confrontation was the timing of the Western arrival. The West’s military power came in force at a time when China’s military power was not doing well at all Version 3: "• During "World"War"II,"the"propaganda"po rtra yed"Asian"American"men"espe cially"those"who"we re"Japanese"as"threats" to"white"society"and"especially"to"white"women."Propaganda"posters"showed"the" Japanese"as"military"and"security"threats"to"the"United "States."The"white"woman 's"body" was"used"to"symbolize"the"country."Japanese"me n"were"shown"rapi ng"or"harming"white"women."These"types"of"portrayals"were"seen"throughout"U.S."popular"media" before"and"afte r"WWII.""• Fu" Manchu,"a"fictional"charac ter,"was"created"by"Sax"Rohmer."Fu"Manchu"is"an"intelligent"and"evil"mastermind"who"has"plans"to"domi nate"the"world ."He"was"the"em bod iment"of"Ameri ca's"fears"that"Asia ns"will"take"over"their"country"an d"way"of"life."He"wa s"portrayed"as"the"“evi l”"Asian."The"characters"repre sent"racist" fear s"of"Asians."The"Fu"Manchu"character"reflect ed"what"white"Americans"felt"about"Asia ns."The"image"of"Fu"Manchu"became"the "archetype"of"the"Asian"villain ."It"created" new"ste reotypes"about"Asian"men"such"as"their"exoticism,"cruelty,"and" mystery."Fu"Manchu"became"popular" in"a"tim e"when"whites"feared"that"yel low"hordes"of"Asians"will"take"over"the ir"country."• Chinese"stereotyped"as"having"no"sense"of"personal "space"compared"to"Americans."Chinese"cramped"like"cattle."During"the"California"Gold"Rush,"cattle"like"Chinese"coolies"arrived."They"wer e"a"source"of"cheap"labor,"upsetting"Americans."Leading"to"the"Chines e"Exclusion"Act."The"stereotype"as"Chinese"for"cheap"labor"continues"today" Version 4: "‐ Misunderstanding"China"o Produced"just"before"Nixon’s"visit"to"China"in"1972"o Hollywood"films"depicted"Chinese"people"as"always"the"evil,"greedy,"and"tricky"character"