Block+A+Journal+AY

__**2/19**__ - I was quite surprised at the harshness towards women in the Chosun dynasty. Looking at the current strengthening position of women within Korea, it was hard to imagine their lives. The women in the Chosun dynasty were taken away their freedom, one by one, up to the extent where they were enclosed into the furthest room of a household. There is an expression in Korean that asks, “Is this the Chosun dynasty?”. It works as a response to narrow minded or old opinions about women and their role. So I believe that the oppression against women must have been harsh.
 * 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?**

If Rabbit is too smart for his own good, Owl is the brain, and Piglet and Pooh?** - In the previous chapter, Hoff criticizes Owl who symbolizes the Confucianists. He blames them for acquiring knowledge, for the sake of knowledge and fail to integrate it into useful aspects of life. On the other hand, Piglet and Pooh are unintelligent; in better terms, simple minded as the Taoists. This absent mindedness is not only negative, as the Confucianist-like Owl might view it. By being simple minded, like the uncarved block, Piglet and Pooh are able to realize valuable information through experience, not by direct injection of knoweldge.
 * __2/23__

 The Tao says that the ruler should "rule by inaction" How do you make sense of this? Is it at all possible?** - To "rule by inaction", the ruler does not chastise nor praise, because they believe in the equality of all. The ruler does not act, but gets everything done. However, I think this was quite unreasonable because then the ruler would be just the same as everyone else. It does not literally mean, not acting or moving, but it signifies the lack of personal desire or desire to control his own country. A Taoist ruler must leave his kingdom to be governed by nature. I disagree with the traits that a Taoist would consider important in their rulers because then I believe it loses the whole significance of having a potentate. In my definition, a ruler should be a distinct figure that should be able to lead the country through desires to improve it.
 * __2/26__

Explain right mindfulness and right concentration. Do you see how you could apply this to your daily life? Why or why not?** - Right mindfulness and concentration both require focus and awareness. Right mindfulness is being aware of oneself and being focused on surroundings of that moment. And right concentration is being focused on objects as a part of meditation to develop personally. We are able to apply this concept to our daily lives by meditating. Meditating is a useful technique that many people use to focus and calm themselves down. Through meditation we are able to clear our minds from outer influence and concentrate our mind on one thing.  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 Japanese development was quick and compact. Developments that could have taken an average amount of 400 years, were successfully carried out in Japan within a century. In order for this to happen, the Japanese probably cultivated many hard working workers who handled this amount of work-load. Unlike other countries that took modernization step by step, the Japanese, the Meiji restoration changed Japan from top to bottom, mixing with the Western influences.
 * __3/11__
 * __4/1__ 

__**4/3**__ New York Times asks whether Japan's fast-paced modernization is to be considered wise or not. Unlike other countries who were under the imperial influence, Japan took advantage of the Western culture and created their own culture. However, this change was very abrupt as the people with power were all replaced. Many advantages came with the sudden industrialization, such as technology, warfare, and globalization. However, with these new reformations, there were bound to be people who did not agree with the Westernization, causing conflict within Japan.

__**4/10**__ **What do you find most shocking about what you have read so far? How do make sense of such cruelty?** - Reading the Rape of Nanking, I began to understand why the author would have been so traumatized to commit suicide after writing this book. If this had happened to my own country, I would have been terrified. The most shocking of the Japanese's actions were the soldiers who raped women, whether they were children or senile. It was such a disgusting act that the Japanese carried out, to think that they would earn power by raping innocent women. As I was reading, I learned that these Japanese soldiers, at first feared to kill a human. The book introduces a perspective a Japanese soldier, who at first is horrified by his actions, but later on, he too becomes a killing machine who finds joy in shedding blood. I believe that such cruelty comes from the Lucifer Effect. The Lucifer effect is where one is almost brainwashed, in a sense, to commit cruelties that he/she would not normally do. But when there is pressure on him, the solider will carry out these cruel actions.

**__4/30__ Do countries have an obligation to compensate each other for injustices done in time of war?** - Ideally speaking, countries do have an obligation to compensation for injustices done in time of war. These war crimes usually deal with the lives of countless innocent civilians for a country, and to dismiss these injustices would be an excuse to the deceased. However it is true that sometimes, such as the German Holocaust, these war crimes are the wrong doings of a small group or an individual, yet the whole country is forced to pay the price. However, this cost is equal to the horrifying injustices, therefore a country must be obliged to compensate their wrong doings.

__**5/7**__ - The US had to consider the disapproval of the Chinese once they marched into the Yalu river. Yet the US did not think that China would intervene with the war within Korea.
 * What did the US have to consider in regards to China and the Yalu River.**

- China planned to intervene in the Korean War, when the North troops were having difficulty, so when the UN troops crossed the 38th parallel, they entered the war. The Chinese insisted that their troops were "voluntary" because they were thankful to Korea that had helped them in their liberation and the anti-Japanese war.
 * According to the reading, what was the reason China entered the war.**

- The Chinese intervention forced the UN troops back down beneath the 38th parallel. The weakened Red army gained help from the Chinese with supply of arms and air support and attacked the ROK with new strength.
 * What effect did it have on the US, ROK, and UN troops?**

Explain the meaning of "Shattered Faith" how does it relate to the story? ** - In this section of the book, Hongyong finds out that her son is not with his friends, but has been separated. She is not aware whether he is dead, alive, or suffering. Having lost all hope, she abandons her daily routines, her care for her family, and sulks within the refugee. "Shattered Faith" is exactly what happens in the chapter, as Hongyong condemns God, asking him, "why" such things have happened to her and her family. Hongyong's faith that had kept her safe within her imprisonment, is shattered by the loss of her child, Yongwoon.
 * __5/8__

__**6/2**__ 7b Changes during the summer of 1966 - written by an anonymous correspondent who was writing for the Far Eastern Economic Review - wrote to describe the first few weeks of the CR in Shanghai and how it changes - first, the revolution starts indoors (enterprises, schools...) made up of mostly workers and students. - August 10- August 21, the revolution was brought outdoors, processions. (holding the national flag, portraits of Mao). Mostly students and workers. - Put up red posters on buildings of people who were anti revolutionists - These posters threatened the anti-revolutionists by sealing their doors, until the demands of the Red-guards were complied with. - Supporters of red guards, anti revisionists, red-flag, anti imperialists became popular - Propaganda had a big influence - As time passed, people became more and more active and violent - it tells the readers of the CR's development and the popular leaders of the CR

7c Sixteen Points - The central committee of the party in the people's daily wrote this article in 1966 - how resistance comes from people taking the Capitalists road and old habits - people should be aware of calling themselves counter-revolutionary, one should be careful of them - there should be no measures against students (valuing youth) - value of education for the CR and how they should learn about army and military and criticize the middle class - middle class are the ones who supported the old beliefs the old ways - effect of the document is the fact that people should be aware of the counter-revolutionaries - the document is important because it warns people of the counter-revolutionaries, and we can see how people were influenced by these kinds of documents

7d Reactions to Mao - two letters written in 1966 about reactions to Mao - first letter is written by a Chinese middle school teacher, Bei Guancheng, second written by 19 yr old student - first letter is about how he is a strong supporter of Mao, and his luckiness of meeting Mao - the letter expresses extreme happiness and encourages other comrades to join in the happiness - he has a conflict with a Red Guard leader at his school, and he was labeled as a counter-revolutionary - afterwards, he was beaten up and treated poorly, therefore he committed suicide - this first letter tells us about how, even supporters of Mao, once you are stamped as a counter-revolutionary, nothing would matter - second letter talks about a brave student, Wan Rongfen. - he directly writes to Mao Zedong, and he questions Mao - pleads Mao to stop what he is doing to the country and questions the validity of the CR - sentenced to life in prison for publicly opposing Mao, but is released after the CR - this document shows the readers about how the ant-revolutionists were treated - the readers who are reading this documents, would become a little more skeptical of the CR and Mao Zedong

7e Red Guards Smash the Four Olds - a paragraph from an article written by Red Guards at Beijing No. 26 Middle School. Date is not said. - talks of the great proletariat CR - washing away the old ideology, custom, habits, culture - chairman Mao's thoughts will bring out a new China in the world - gives 6 excerpts of 100 ways to describe old China - every house and community must have a portrait of Mao and his quotes - everyone must have a copy of the little red book, carrying it and studying it all the time - children must sing the revolutionary songs, unable to sing traditional folks - the effect on the readers is that they might come to fear the strictness and force of the CR and Mao's rule - how people thought of how people would think Mao could change China

Questions on Reflections on the Cultural Revolution pages 82-84 - It was written by the CCR (Chinese Communist Party) Central Committee on June 27, 1981.
 * 6/5**
 * 1) When was this document written and by whom?**

- The important leaders if the revolution, including Mao, Lin Biao, Jiang Quing were to be blamed for the excesses of the revolution.
 * 2) According to the document, who was largely to blame for the excesses and mistakes of the Cultural Revolution?**

- The CCP believes that Mao made an error to place Lin Biao and Jiang Quing in a high position. Mao's revolution was not fit for the current state of China, because China at that time, was already a well-off communist country, the majority of the population being proletariats.
 * 3) What errors does the CCP believe Mao was responsible for?**

- In this document, the writers criticize Lin Biao and Jiang Quing more than Mao. Mao is rather protected from responsibility of the errors of the revolution. Even until today, Mao is still respected within China.
 * 4) Who seems most responsible according to the document? How does this play into the memory of Mao as a leader and his Cult of Personality?**

- 1) The Cultural Revolution did not have a set definition of the rights and wrongs, therefore the leaders of the revolution were able to persecute anyone they did not like. Some of the things that were denounced as being revisionists were actually Marxist principles that Mao had set himself. 2) The next consequence was a various division of the party. LIn Biao was at once a hero and next, an enemy. It became hard to distinguish the enemies from the allies. 3) The Cultural revolution attacked parties at various levels, almost paralyzing them. The movement had disfunctioned the parties of China. 4) The Cultural revolution did not change anything or create any social progress in any sense. The people's army, political power, and society remained unchanged in nature.
 * 5) What does the CCP believe the consequences of the Cultural Revolution are? (4 of them) each person in your group read one, and explain it to others**

- The CCP mentions of Chinese achievements during and after the Cultural Revolution. I believe it is kind of a nationalistic pride, "Once again history has proved that our people are a great people and that our arty and the socialist system have enormous vitality". He mentions how the Chinese stayed loyal to the nation and the party even after being persecuted throughout the revolution.
 * 6) Why do you think the document mentions achievements made by China during the Cultural Revolution?**

- The tone at the beginning starts out negative as it criticizes the faults of the revolution. At the end, it ends with an awkward brightness, as it talks about the "great"ness of China. I believe it ends this way, because the writers are the CCP, or the Chinese Communist Party. They must end the document with a positive side of the Communist Party.
 * 7) Describe the tone at the end of the document. Why do you think it ends this way?**