I was reading an opinion column in the Washington Post that contained information I thought might be of interest to the group. It concerned a BBC World View poll showing how countries view each other, either positively or negatively and the percentages of each. It was interesting to see not only how countries viewed each other, but also how the view a country has of itself … [Read more...] about Perception vs. Reality?
China
Letter: A Brief Memoriam for the Yellow Flower Hill Uprising
Yellow Flower Hill Uprising could be the most significant event in our time. The following is written by Bai Ding, my high school classmate. I have his permission to publish it here. Bai is the descendant of one of the patriots. I bet this history event is written differently in China, Taiwan and even Hong Kong, so feel free to express your point of view. The two poems in … [Read more...] about Letter: A Brief Memoriam for the Yellow Flower Hill Uprising
China in the Year 2020: Three Political Scenarios
In our Dalai Lama Warns of Looming Violence thread, Wukailong linked to this essay covering three political scenarios that China might face in the year 2020. The author, Cheng Li is Senior Fellow at the John L. Thornton China Center of the Brookings Institution and William R. Kenan Professor of Government at Hamilton College. His summary is as follows: … [Read more...] about China in the Year 2020: Three Political Scenarios
Song of the Grass-Mud Horse
There's a new phenomenon sweeping China. Back in January on a Chinese web page, a new video made its way from there into the hearts of internet users all across the country, spawning a wave of related items such as cartoons, documentaries and grass-mud horse dolls. … [Read more...] about Song of the Grass-Mud Horse
(Letter from Jane) Who owns the Chinese imperial treasures?
When Chiang Kai-Shek retreated with the Nationalists to Taiwan, he brought with him over 600,000 pieces of artefacts removed from Chinese imperial palaces during wartime. These artefacts are now stored at the National Palace Museum in Taipei. Both China and Taiwan have claimed title to these Chinese imperial treasures. … [Read more...] about (Letter from Jane) Who owns the Chinese imperial treasures?