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Coming Chinese Coup & History
An interesting read, that took a while to read as I researched all the names mentioned. As I was reading the article, I realized how little I know of Chinese history. The past 150 years are full of tragedy.
The Coming Coup in China
Sulmaan Khan
I disagree with the conclusion of the article. It does give a different view of China, that I can see.
Names that were mentioned in the article, that I would go read up on. So many of their fates are just tragic. One family was killed, including children. Another imprisoned for 50 years.
Yuan Shikai
Hong Xiuquan
Zhang Xueliang
Yang Hucheng
Peng Dehuai
Lin Biao
This picture captures the tragedy, Peng Dehuai:
Note, some of the Wikipedia articles may have a political bias.
Labels: Chinese History
Who owns, "Standing Guard for Our Great Motherland"
I was reading about an artist, Shen Jiawei, who originally painted for the Red Guard and the PLA, and painted a famous painting "Standing Guard for Our Great Motherland". He moved to Australia, and has done a portrait of the Pope Francis.
From the Huntington Archives. More information on the poster. Note the word, Private Collection.
Private Collection
Shen Jiawei, like all young people of his age, had been sent from his home, which was in Zhejiang, to the countryside, where he cultivated the frigid soil of a military farm on the Soviet border with Heilongjiang. His heroic character is a border patrol, who stands in the freezing wind to guard his nation against a Soviet attack.
So who owns it? How did somebody purchase it? Mao had over 250,000 posters made of it.
The portrait of Pope Francis from Wikipedia:
Finally found an answer:
http://en.artron.net/auction/showpic.php?picid=art58430047
The paining went for auction in 2009. It had been returned to the artist, and then restored.
Sold for RMB 7,952,000. At the current exchange rate, about $1.2 Million dollars.
Labels: china's future, Chinese History, US Chinese Image
Versailles Treaty & China - Fallout Continues
Excellent must read to understand the origins of modern China. The WWI era and it's impact on China is one I did not know a lot about. Germany had a possession in China, that was taken over by Japan. At the Versailles Treat negotiations, China had an excellent case, unfortunately due to interests on perpetuating the imperial system, France and UK did not want to help China. If the UK and France had helped China, it would have thrown into doubt the morals of keeping their colonial possessions at the time. The US did not want to help, since per the article Japan had put into the treaty, a sentence about all races being equal. And at the time, unfortunately and shamefully, the US had a segregated society. The deal was to get rid of the sentence US President Woodrow Wilson, an idealist that wanted to prevent future wars by forming the League of Nations, backed Japan's interests, over China.
The Fateful Deception Behind a Century-Long Grudge Match - The American Interest Labels: Chinese History
The Battle for the South China Sea
Scary...
Quick Summary: Vietnam and China are very nationalistic, and there is a history of armed conflict. And both sides are spending on their navies.
China is confronting Vietnam in the South China Sea. Vietnam has responded both with riots against Chinese owned factories in Vietnam, as well as confrontation at sea.
Vietnam and China in the last 40 years have had 3 major armed confrontations, the largest in 1979 where over 30,000 died.
1979 - Chinese invasion of Vietnam. Probably around 30,000 dead, with the majority being Chinese. China's army after this went through major changes to improve it's ability for offensive operations and logistics.
1974 - Battle of the Paracel Islands
1978-1979 - Ethnic Chinese boat people, over 250,000 left Vietnam
1979 - Sino-Vietnamese War 30,000 dead
1988 - Johnson South Reef Skirmish 2 Vietnamese ships sunk
2014 - South China Sea Confrontation
Labels: Chinese History, vietnam
China Russia Alliance
Communist China and Russia have a strange history.
The USSR originally supported the KMT, and provided training to them that allowed them to rule China, until the Communist revolution of 1949. Later, the USSR supported the Chinese communist party including the occupation of Manchuria from the Japanese. China's government had border incidents with the USSR during the late 60's after the relationship cooled. Supposedly in 1969, Russia wanted to do a nuclear strike on China, and the US vetoed it. Russia supported India, which also had a border incident with China. And then the fall of the USSR, had a huge psychological impact on Chinese leadership.
So where is Russia and China today? My 2 cents are both are both very self centered, and focused on what is best for their economic and political interests.
The Tiger and the Bear: China-Russia Alliance Shrouded in Mystery - US News & World Report Labels: china, Chinese History, Russia, USSR
1914 vs. 2014
Quite a few articles I have read recently comparing Europe of 1914 to the Pacific of 2014. China is a growing country, and it's being aggressive with neighboring countries on territorial issues. Some have characterized it as bullying. Germany before World War 1 had the world's leading universities, the strongest industries, and strong banks. World War 1 was started by a small incident, that was blown up through secret treaties and alliances. Could such an incident happen between the US and China in the Pacific?
My opinion, and hope is no. China and the US do not want war. It would be a lose lose situation for both sides. But, China's nationalism is rising, and there is a lot of determination within China that China will never again be humiliated, as it was with the Opium Wars, foreign spheres of influence , Japanese invasion of China, and the Boxer Rebellion Reparations to name a few.
2014: Good Year for a Great War? - The National Interest
China's Risky Flirtation With Military Adventurism - WSJ
Behind Japan's new military plans: China, nationalism, or both? - The Christian Science Monitor
Why Is China Feared? Resurgence, Pride and Uncertainty
- Huffington Post
How I Lost the Battle of the South China Sea - War is boring Labels: china's future, Chinese History, US Chinese Image
1418 Admiral Zheng discovered America?
Moocs for Learning Chinese
China's Terracotta Warriors: The First Emperor's Legacy
Anti-Japan protests across China over islands dispute
Is the Great Wall of China Longer Than Previously Thought?
I am surprised that what the Great Wall consists of has not been defined. This makes it open for politicizing on where it ends and such. The North Korean border is one such area. There was an ancient Korean Kingdom in the area, which is why you have ethnic Koreans who live in Northern China, that's boundaries are a political issue.
Is the Great Wall of China Longer Than Previously Thought? - Time Magazine
A new report doubles the estimated length of the Great Wall, but this claim is under dispute
A cute coloring picture:
Labels: Chinese History
Internet Censorship in China
Ming Dynasty Admiral Zheng He Update
Amazing, China did DNA testing on a family in Kenya that per oral history was decended from the crew of Admiral Zheng He and had Chinese features, and the testing validated this. China is sending an archaelogist expedition to see if they can find the remains of some Chinese ships from his fleet that sank there. Admiral Zheng He may have also reached California.
Chinese archaeologists' African quest for sunken ship of Ming admiral - The Guardian
Search for remains of armada which came to grief on a pioneering voyage to Kenya 600 years ago
Older related post:
and a related book I sell (excellent English and Chinese):
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| The Great Voyage of Zheng He, Bilingual Book |
Our Price: $16.95
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Bilingual in English & Traditional Chinese
- Zheng He is the famous Chinese Admiral that lead seven naval expeditions for the Emperor.
- His expeditions stunned the world with its daring exploration, immense wealth, and military might.
Great introduction book for children to learn about Chinese history
Hard Cover  |
Labels: Chinese History
Wen Jiabao family history of persecution
Jewish in China
My family went to the Skirball Cultural Center (1st weekend of the month you could get in free if you were a BofA customer), and in one of the exhibitions they mentioned Jewish in China that were in Kaifeng (decendents of Persian traders). Something I was not aware of.
And the LA Times just had an article
Chinese Jews feel more at home in Israel - LA Times
Descendants of Persian traders in Kaifeng, China, move to Israel with the help of a religious group and finally learn Jewish rules and traditions.
If you live in LA, I highly recommend going to the Skirball Cultural Center no matter you age. The Noah Ark's exhibit, for example, is great for all ages. Another exhibit on Jewish Magician's of the Golden Age is excellent (sad how little Magic has progressed, we saw many of the same tricks and props at a recent magic show.. Labels: china, Chinese History
£53 Million Chinese Vase
A more interesting question is how did the Vase end up in the UK. Perhaps it was sold by the Last Emperor's court after the revolution of 1911? Or perhaps a British serviceman took it home after the Boxer Rebellion?
Labels: Chinese History
Europe’s Plagues Came From China, Study Finds
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