Block+C+Journal+Agatha+Wuh

__**2/19**__
 * Please take a couple of minutes to respond to the reading. What stood out for you? What do you think of it, is it exaggerated?**

I'm not sure if all the facts are correct. I've never heard of women not being able to go outside during the day. From what I see in Korean dramas set in Joseon Period, there were women outside during the daytime. But I guess this all depends on further research. It's interesting what she said in page seven about how there are no Confucian laws and therefore no laws against women. Confucianism is more of a personal ideology and not a building block of a government system. Because Koreans tried to make Confucianism fit into their government, that is why there were so many problems. Because Confucianism itself was based on patrilineage, it makes sense that women would gradually lose their rights.

If Rabbit is too smart for his own good, Owl is the Brain, and Piglet...Pooh...?**
 * __2/23__

Piglet and Pooh are very similar in a way that they both are very simple-minded. In an instance where they were trying to figure out how to spell Tuesday, both Piglet and Pooh didn't really care how to spell Tuesday. They didn't spend unnecessary time trying to figure out how to spell; they just loved Today. I think they differ in the aspect that Piglet tends to worry more than Pooh does.

 __**2/27**__
 * The Tao says that the ruler should "rule by inaction" How do you make sense of this? Is it at all possible?**

To do nothing literally would, of course, fail. Therefore, Taoism is not to be taken literally. In a practical sense, "rule by inaction" means ruling with the least interference possible with no egotistical motive. If they interfere too much with the people's lives such as to oppress them, the people will feel that they have nothing to lose. Then there will follow rebellion and possibly an overthrow of the king. Another point is that the ruler should keep the people ignorant because knowledge would lead to suffering.

__**3/11 **__
 * Explain right mindfulness and right concentration. Do you see how you could apply this to your daily life? Why or why not?**

Right mindfulness is being mindful of even the tiniest details of our actions and thoughts. Right concentration is being concentrated on things as they are. This can only come from strict discipline of meditation. I think I can agree with both right mindfulness and right concentration. If I were careful in all that I did and said, I can stop myself before doing or saying something rash and possibly hurting others. When I look at a situation critically, I would make a better choice versus if I looked at it on the surface. Often times, I am so distracted by many things that I lose focus of what is most important. When I am focused, I can also have right mindfulness.

__**4/1**__
 * In describing Japanese development, a British Professor in 1873 declared that he felt 400 years old by the end of the century. Explain the historical context behind this quote.**

The quote is very unclear, so I have two interpretations of this quote. One is that the British Professor felt that the Japanese were so far behind in technology compared to the British that he was appalled. This would have been the right interpretation if the quote was said in 1873. However, if you consider this quote in the 1900's. There is a totally different interpretation. It could be that he felt the Japanese improved in technology so quickly ahead of him that it made him feel 400 years behind. By the beginning of the century, Japan was so industrialized and westernized that they were able to defeat Russia with their advanced military. This impressed the West so much that they allied with Japan.

Japan had to westernize or be destroyed.**
 * __4/6__

I think Japan was very smart in seeing ahead of time and seeing other Asian countries around them. Japan took caution from Philippines and China and seeing what happened to them and what they did to combat western forces, Japan took the other way out. Unlike any other Asian countries, Japan westernized in order to fight off western countries trying to take over. This motive, however, was changed when Japan became westernized enough. Even a British professor agreed to Japan's fast growth in industry and modernization. Japan's motive then changed into winning the respect of western countries. They had become just like any other western country out for taking over countries.

**__4/13 __ What do you find most shocking about what you have read so far? How do make sense of such cruelty?** All the descriptive details of mass murder and rape were just appalling, and the whole book just made me question humanity. I also thought about Korean prejudice against Japanese and whether it is justifiable and whether Japanese people by race were different from other people. I wondered why Japanese people are so prone to suicides even to this day. I think their culture is mostly responsible for it, and even to this day their culture is still practiced. I think there needs to be a cultural revolution in Japan. The Japanese soldiers couldn't have killed that many people in their right mind. Through military education and upbringing, they were brainwashed into killing machines. I'm relieved to find that some veterans repent of the things they have done.

__**4/28**__ **Do you think it was safer to be a communist or anti-communist during the Korean War? B and C only**

Regardless of your political stance, you lived in constant danger during the Korean War. Because there were so many people turning in their neighbors, even if you were apathetic about politics, you could be killed because of what others falsely accused you of. If you happened to have a lot of people against you, they could lie that you were a communist or a non-communist and possibly get you killed. I think in my opinion that it would have been most safe if you lived in a very remote place far off in the mountains. Most of the fighting took place where it was not mountainous or where there were a lot of people. If you avoided living in these places, you would have less chance of coming across a major fighting.


 **__4/30 __ Do countries have an obligation to compensate each other for injustices done in time of war?** There were many war crimes done in history that were often overlooked. However, some such as the Rape of Nanking received world notice since it was so bad. I don't think it's fair that only some cases should be called for punishment while others are just avoided. For example, the incident at Nogun-ri proves that there were many war crimes against civilians during the Korean War. Although the U.S. president apologized later, the incident proves that there are many war crimes during any war. In my opinion, if only some war crimes are going to be put to trial, then such practice should be abolished since it is unfair that some cases should be overlooked. It is also debatable when to consider something injust during war.

Explain the meaning of "Shattered Faith" and how does it relate to the story? **
 * __5/8__

Throughout her flight to the South, Lee was relying on God to deliver her from troubles. Even in prison, she prayed to God for strength, but when she receives news that her son Yongwoon has been lost, she begins to question God. " 'Why him, God? Why Yongwoon? I hold You responsible for all this...I loathe You!' " (253). After trusting in Him throughout hardships in the past, she feels that God let her down. She points at God as the one who is responsible for the loss of her son. Her loss of son leads to her loss of faith, and that is what means by "shattered faith."

__**5/26**__
 * Image #1**

I see a young Mao portrayed very glorious especially because of the background. He has a rather fierce look on his face and shows his resolution in something with his clenched fist. Also, he looks rather skinny because the painter probably wanted him to look better on the painting than in real life. There are mountains and forests and the sky in the background. He is on the same level as the clouds, which shows him as a high figure. He is holding a red scroll, which is probably symbolizing the "Little Red Book."

Group Notes for Cultural Revolution Documents**
 * __5/29__

different reactions to Mao

Chinese middle school teacher: met Mao very happy and enthusiastic about the fact that he met Mao visited Beijing the red guards accused him of being a counterrevolutionary accused enemies as counterrevolutionaries if they didn't like that person he was beaten by students reported that he committed suicide probably got killed

19 year old student: total opposite withdraw from the communist youth league sentenced to life in prison but was released 1979 after the cultural revolution

maybe the CCP arrested the teacher because he was old and most likely to be for the four olds. on the other hand the CCP likes youth.

summer 1966

July spread Mao's thinking 1st stage-(inside) denouncing anti party and their thinking 2nd stage-(outside) started taking actions 3rd stage-propaganda, national flags, paintings "long live chairman Mao"

started wearing arm bands and badges college students wearing arm bands became red guards started changing names of stores and enterprises put up posters criticizing the name of the store, demanding to change the name against imperialism, colonialism, and feudalism some popular names—red flag, east is red, worker, peasant, soldiers

happy to receive 16 points of resolution 4 main ideas

1. thoughts of revolution before anything else; people willing to fight were considered above the masses 2. equality among the masses; minority matters 3. education to all *very important* education reform, learned about farming and military affairs; both men and women received education 4. cadres-counterrevolutionary people; stripped of money and shipped into the countryside; had to farm and do labor

Mao Zedong's thought is a guide for action in the cultural revolution

Images from the Cultural Revolution**
 * __6/2__

The first picture shows a statue of Buddha being pulled down by a mass of people, and there are also graffiti on the face of the Buddha statue. The statues are put together and burned. In another picture, there is a line of nuns and an angry mob. The nuns are publicly put to shame. These instances show that religion and people whop practiced any religion were discouraged. Religion is considered one of the Four Olds because it is an old belief of the past.

Another set of pictures show people walking with their heads bowed and hanging //dazibao// on their necks. People are wearing dunce caps and put to public shame. As a class, we hypothesized that some of them are capitalists such as factory owners and landowners. Some are teachers, professors, or people who are following the wrong government officials (such as the revisionists). They might not even have done anything wrong yet they still are persecuted.

Reflections on the Cultural Revolution**
 * __6/4__

1. The document was written by the CCP Central Committee on Jun 27, 1981. 2. Lin Biao and Jiang Qing were the ones the CCP blamed for the mistakes of the Cultural Revolution. 3. Mao is blamed for initiating and leading the Cultural Revolution, which led to severe losses of CCP. He also appointed Lin Biao and Jiang Qing, who supposedly betrayed the communist cause. His ideology of the Cultural Revolution was faulty because he said that it was a class struggle when there are no classes in a communist state. 4. The blame is laid hugely on Lin Biao and Jiang Qing because the party tried to free Mao from blame. This is part of Mao's Cult of Personality to keep his name clear of blame. The party made scapegoats out of Lin Biao and Jiang Qing. 5. The first point says that the ideas of the Cultural Revolution went against not capitalist ideas but the original communist ideas that helped set up the CCP. 6. The document mentions small achievements made during the Cultural Revolution to lessen the severity of the losses during the time. Even to the end the document doesn't forget to glorify the nation. 7. The tone is very positive, and the writer points out that China as a whole was able to overcome the losses of the Cultural Revolution. The document ends in a very nationalistic tone, which is very much encouraged in a communist state.