Block+B+Journal+Elaine+Lee

__**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?

This reading really clarified on how and why Korean society became so patilineage compared to other countries. It was interesting in a way how Confucianism, not only affected the nation by setting standards of education and politeness, but also brought sexism in the country. I don't think the writing was exaggerated at all. It cleary makes sense, and explains how the government system affected the women in Korea.**

__**2/23**__
 * If Rabbit is too smart for his own good, Owl is the Brain, and Piglet...Pooh...?

Piglet represents an almost-Taoist. He follows around Pooh and agrees with whatever he says but never speaks Taoist thoughts first. Pooh represents a Taoist, because he is simpleminded, spontaneous, and most of all happy. Pooh goes with the flow of nature. He also represents the Uncarved Block Hoff mentions.

__2/26__ The Tao says that the ruler should "rule by inaction" How do you make sense of this? Is it at all possible?**


 * What Tao means by that rulers should "rule by inaction" is that rulers shouldn't force anything; they do not have to act or work too hard. Rulers should simply do what they are capable by understanding their inner nature. It is possible; however, it might not be the best way to govern. If a ruler "rules by inaction" it might come off of laziness, which would cause the people to replace the ruler. In addition, not many rulers make the right decisions naturally, which could cause huge chaos.

__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 means to have awareness of one self and what is going around at certain moments. Right concentration means focus on one object or concept and meditate. Applying this to your daily life would help you in social situations regarding relationships with friends and other people. Right mindfulness will make sure you won't do anything silly to cause misunderstandings, etc. By being aware of what you do, you will filter the acts that might come off bad. Right concentration will help you focus on one thing which will prevent paranoia. Being absorbed in nowness will prevent yourself from having other thoughts.

__4/2/09__**  **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.**


 * This shows how much Japan has developed. The British Professor is saying that he felt 400 years old by the end of the century because he has seen the improvement that can only be seen if you lived 400 years. This shows how rapidly and how much the Japanese developed. Also because by the end of the century Japan developed so much that he felt old.**

4/3 and 4/6 Block C Japan had to westernize or be destroyed. A and B respond to creating a new system on page 67. Block A and B **The Question is not unfrequently asked..., is not Japan going ahead too fast? In some respects we fear she is." What is the context of this quote, and do you agree with this quote?

Japan did develop very rapidly; however** **this showed the world how Japanese were powerful and intelligent.** **This quote is saying that Japan developed so fast it has a potential of hitting a downfall soon because fast growth could possibly mean instability. However, I disagree with this quote. Japan developing rapidly intimidated the world and showed the rest of the countries how innovated and talented Japanese are. Thus the act of developing Japan not only brought materialistic benefit to the country, but also pride and nationalism.**

**4/10, 4/13 What do you find most shocking about what you have read so far? How do make sense of such cruelty?

So far, I've found two things very shocking. One, the raping incidents. The fact that these supposedly honorable soldiers mistreat women from other countries** was more than disturbing. The fact that they think virgin's pubic hair is some sort of charm that casts magic on them and protect them from injury is not rediculous but very disturbing. The fact that the soldiers think that raping a virgin would make them stronger is absolutely disgusting and nonsensical. Another shocking event was how these savage soldiers were trained to kill people, literally. Ever since they were young they had to learn how to handle guns and most importantly how to handle murdering.

4/28  Do you think it was safer to be a communist or anti-communist during the Korean War? B and C only
I'd rather be an anti-communist because according to statistics there were more deahts for North Koreans.

During any time of war, I think it is countries' obligation to compensate each other for injustices done in time of war. The key term is injustice. If two countries are in war, it doesn't mean that after the war they have to pay for each others damage control; that just ruins the entire point of the war. Compensation is obliged only when injustice acts during war occur. For example, the holocaust wasn't simply just a war; there were many injustice committed. Another event would be the Rape of Nanking. During the war, shooting other soldiers is an obligation and in war it wouldnt be considered as injustice; however raping would be injustice because it is totally unnecessary.
 * 4/30 Do countries have an obligation to compensate each other for injustices done in time of war?**

1) What did the U.S. have to consider in regards to China and the Yalu River? They assumed China wouldn't intervene with the war because they wouldn't tolerate a march to the Yalu. 2) According to the reading, what was the reason China entered the war? The rollback strategy itself led to the Chinese intervention. The reason China entered the war was because first China wanted to spread communism as well and they were afraid that the UN and US forces would kill DPRK and Koreans, who helped the Chinese out during Chinese Revolution and the anti-Japanese resistance; it was there moral obligation. 3) What effect did Chinese interventions have on the US, ROK, and UN troops? Chinese basically helped out DPRK and crushed the US and UN troops. By striking the UN force they gave disadvantages for ROK>
 * __Chinese Entry into the War (5/7/09)__**

__**Explain what the main ideas of the last few paragraphs are, evaluate Biao's reasons for the revolution. Does his argument sense? Is it reasonable?**__

The main ideas presented by Biao in the last few paragraphs express Biao's support and encouragement toward the youth and how they are quite receptive to the new, proletarian world outlook. Biao also mentions about how there will be counterrevolutionaries and during the revolution, revolutionaries will meet situations similar to the Liu-Deng line, where a group of counterrevolutionaries and people who want to be restored to rule go against the revolution. Biao states as long as the revolutionaries strive to grasp Mao Thought, and have faith in the masses, they will be to remove the errors from them. He also suggests to attack first, before the counterrevolutionaries do first.

Basically, the reason for the revolution was so that the social consciousness catches up with the economical changes or retrogress. He states that if the social consciousness doesn't come to order, the nation can't advance further.

To me, this argument wasn't very reasonable. Although I agree that in order for a society to develop it must go through struggle and changes, I think the violent revolution was unnecessary. In my opinion, the revolutionaries were unreasonably barbaric (in the sense that they beat up the upper class).

NOTES ON THE CULTURAL REVOLUTION -When: during 1966. Who: don't know -Variety of people participated in acquiring the thoughts of Mao. i.e. students -Criticized anti-communist and Chinese capitalists. -Propaganda was used to portray these ideas. i.e. The Red Guards posted up red posters all over. -Significance: how a variety of people were able to unify and express their view towards propaganda. -Cult of personality. People were brainwashed by propaganda. -Emphasized nationalistic ideas. -The Red Army dominated over China -restaurants and street names were changed to be more nationalistic -Huge defaming posters, dizabous were posted on windows.
 * "Changes during the summer 1966"**

-Written by the CHinese government -1966 -Purpose was to launch intellectual and imperialistic purges. -Manipulated all parts of society: education, literature, and art -Criticized the capitalistic and old force of habits in society. -Used posters and debates to acknowledge political awareness. -States that the city and the countryside should work together. -Mao will was to bring the workers peasants soldiers intellectuals all together under the name of the Cultural Revolution -Propaganda was used. -It shows Chinese government is controlling every aspect of the society. Education media with cult of personality
 * "Sixteen Points"**

"First letter" -Written in 1966 by a 26 year old Chinese teacher -It's about his first time seeing Mao. -Very excited. -He was saying how the experience was so great and how he wanted to start a new and he said the day he saw Mao would be his birthday. - THis is important because this shows people's devotion towards Mao -He was mislabeled as a counter-revolutionary because he got into an argument with a Red Guard, so he got beaten up. THen he commits suicide because it was a disgraced. -Some Red Guards want power and some want revenge. "Second Letter" -Written by a 19 year old student in 1966 -Sending a letter to Mao to tell Mao Mao's fault. -This shows that not all people were devoted to Mao. -He was sent to prison for publicly opposing Mao
 * "Reaction on Mao"**

-Written by a daughter of Black Gang, any kind of enemy of the revolution. -This was during the chaotic stage of the revolution; August. -Talks about burning books -True side of the Red Guards -They took people and lashed them with belts -Took all the books in the library and burnt them if they didn't have Mao's face on it -Some died and many were tortured. -Significant because there was a loss of several important ancient documents -It shows that the Red Guards aren't the way they are portrayed in the posters. Reveals the truth. -It caused a major sterile over the city. -She wanted to be a Red Guard but she was a daughter of a black gang so she couldnt become one. This shows heredity mattered.
 * "Burning Books"**

There were images where the Red Guards captured the anti-revolutionists and publicly humiliated them. Some held up dazibou to also humiliate them. Anti-revolutionists were beaten and taken away for torture. Red Guards also step on people to make the people stepped on feel ashamed. The Red Guards also try to destroy the old religion, Buddhism, to get rid of the old ideologies. They also burnt Confucius statues. The counter revolutionists wore dunt hats(?) as well.
 * Responding to Images**

1) The document was written by a CCP member, 5 years after the Cultural Revolution ended. 2) According to the document, Lin Biao, Jiang Qing, and the others who were placed in important positions by Mao were to blame for the excesses and mistakes of the Cultural Revolution. It states that they had an entirely different nature from Mao. It states they committed many crimes behind Mao's back and took advantage of him, which caused the erroneous appraisal of the prevailing class relations and political situation. 3) CCP believes that Mao was responsible for promoting Lin Biao and the Four Gang into imoportant positions. ALso, he is responsible for neither conforming Marxism-Leninism nor to the Chinese reality, which caused erroneous appraisal of prevailing class relations. 4) Lin Biao, Jiang Qing, and the other members of the Four Gang seems most responsible according to the document, more than Mao. This reflects on Mao as a leader and his Cult of Personality. Since people were brainwashed by his Cult of Personality, the people automatically believe, more than Mao, that the people who betrayed Mao, the Four Gang, were most responsible. 5) The second paragraph basically explains how the boundary between the people and the enemy vague. A lot of people were considered to be class enemies. The capitalists led acdres of the Party and government organizations in all the aspects, who formed the core force of the socialist cause. The bourgeois headquarters no longer existed. In this paragraph, it also says that Liu Shaoqi was nothing but a frame-up by Lin Biao, Jiang Qing, and the others. It constantly mentions the ambiguitiy between right and wrong. This caused intellectuals to struggle. The first paragraph basically explains that the cultural revolution was the struggle against the capitalist and it wasnt the definition. It noticed that the cultural revolution proved many false principles of the peoples republic of China. Basically, caused confusion between whats right and wrong. Chinese communist party believed that the consequences of the Cultural Revolution was that the Party organization was attacked and that everythign was chaotic. The Cadres recieved a lot of criticism. The basic masses of the party were rejected. The fourh paragraph says that the Cultural Revolution was basically not a revolution because theres no ecnomical and political basis. In a socialist society there shouldnt be a class anyways so basically they werent a communist society. 6) They mention achievments made by China during the Cultural Revolution to advocate nationalism. 7) The tone of the author has a nationalistic tone, and this was due to the necessity of the restoration of nationalism. The consequences of the Cultural Revolution made him believe they needed to boost their nationalism.