About Me

You sound a loud voice. We all know that our country have many problems, but no voice.

There are some things that simply need a voice that is not waiving a charity collection envelope at you while it is speaking

chunlin [mrlcl@msn.com]

chunlin

I've found that China has many voices and many things to say, both about the world and about China but it does not have an environment where people can say all that they want to all of the time.

On the other hand, if to many people speak at once much will become lost in the din and only the angriest or the loudest people will be heard.

I only have a very quiet voice, but I say some interesting things if you look deep enough to see.

Visit me @ http://angrychineseblogger.blog-city.co.uk

Real content is rare on the web. Your passion for change in China is well written. Keep it up. Erik

Erik

Hi,
Your August 3rd entry titled:"A visitor made this comment" is a CLASSIC.
I am so sick of hearing PRC citizens scream this sentence at me whenever I dare to make a comment about their country. It seems that even a sholared foreigner's modest understanding of 3000 thousand years of Chinese history will never equal that of a PRC-born citizen, just because we we were not BORN in the PRC. They are JUMPY about this. I should make a blog secifically for all the e-mails they send me asking me not to talk about China because I was not born here.
You can take a look at my blog where I review PRC chinese-content medias. It is called Yellowfrog.

Charles [charlesdesmeules@hotmail.com]

Well, here is my rant?
There are millions of foreign immigrants who live in the States for more than 10, 20, 30, 40 years. Nobody gives a rat what they have to think about US. Why Chinese people are so absorbed in foreigners learning about Chinese culture. What's the deal. You dont see Chinese get invited to the TV show to showcase how well or poor they can speak English. Until we learn how to be orignal, confident about our culture, we cant really say we are the dragon to rise.

An angry Chinese

fred

After check out your blog , i hope you wouldn't mind if I added you to my blog so I can flip back and forth to read your blog... finally some one I can relate too...thanks to your blog...

charlebrown

I am in the same situation as you. I am still living and working in China. It has been the best time in my life, but, just like you, I seem driven to speak up about this place.

It has it's many faults, and just as many great things about it.

As I tell my students, there is no good or bad, just different. China sure is different.

I am, however, an American. I do understand your feelings, and to a great extent, I agree with it. But let me tell you, it's not intentional on the part of most Americans... it is out of blindness.

And, that is exactly the reason every country has it's faults.

China has a completely different culture, you know this firsthand. I just dislike people trying to apply western logic to a place where it would be just as insane to apply their logic to the west. (Yes, I am guilty of this, but then again, I live in this place... haha)

Great blog.

Kyle 凯尔

Dear Fred,

I'd like to point out quickly that although there are a whole bunch of white Americans that don't 'give a rat' about what other peoples, namely those who are immigrants or liberals, think, these same immigrants are at a very minimum listened to when they gain citizenship and vote. Also I might point out that America has an on-going free media debate about race and immigration issues, which I would attribute to the decreasingly xenophobic attitudes in the States - over the years interracial marriage, gay and lesbian issues and equality have gained general acceptance among even the middle-american-white-christian-mostly-conservative people, according to a NY times poll of people nationwide I'm not here to apologise for America, although I am the first to admit that it is very flawed, but let's please try to at least be fairminded.

On the topic of a sense of Han self-worth, I totally agree with you. The foreigner-worship in China is weird and ugly.

Peace out,

Laowai number 19790204

great man!

just smartest and bravest man can find the truth even who living in china for long time.

I'm a chinese,just have poor english,can not understand everything very clear on your blog,but i like your style,i like your angry,most chinese people already forgot what is "angry" by the heavy bonds and delicacyly brainwash.

thank you for your angry!

i disagree that "It has it's many faults,And, that is exactly the reason every country has it's faults" for lots of reasons, don't talk it here, just want say at least that's can not mean the faults should be excuse and can still continuance.

and i agree"The foreigner-worship in China is weird and ugly",if someone think it's good and enjoy it,that's double ugly!

Hu-胡

dogthat [dogthat@hotmail.com]

it is definitely the japanese who need to be made aware of their own past

me

Like I said, Japan already knows, and as I also said, this isn’t a Japan blog. It is for China stories only. You can't post unrelated articles to my biography page. Join an appropriate web forum. There are many like minded people out there that you can talk to about this, but you can't use my China website as if it were a Japan forum.

You also should not become confused between what you read in tabliods, and reality.

You have decried me as ‘a Japanese’, and you have said that Japan doesn’t know. Yet it is clear that I know.

This defeats your own argument. If I am a Japanese, shouldn’t I be ignorant?

Either I must not be a Japanese, or Japanese must know, yes?

I find this blog hilarious and educational. I'm an Chinese American (from mainland China)who has lived in the states for almost 20 years and gone to China for short visits regularly, and till this date I'm still wondering if there's any Chinese culture left among the vast money hungry population? For those of you who love the Chinese culture, would you go to Taiwan, Japan, Korea or mainland China to study or observe Chinese culture?

ching [qqsc567@yahoo.com]

Not meaning to be insulting, but Mao drained the Chinese out of much of China.

There is still a lot of old China left in the countryside, but not in the cities. What I did see in the cities was preserved for tourists, and what I saw in the countryside was Chinese, but it wasn’t the same kind of Chinese that you see in documentaries. It was more a hanging onto tradition because if not knowing any other way of life, rather than an active pursuit of it.

I found Hong Kong during spring festival to be a bit closer to what I had imagined that China would be like.

If you want to see a ‘picture book’ China, that hasn’t been laid on exclusively for the tourists, I would advice going somewhere populated by pre Cultural Revolution Chinese ex pats. Go to China town in New York or London. Chinese communities in Japan are also good. Chinese Taiwan is also high on my list. Semi rural areas populated by minority communities that are trying to maintain their way of life are also a good place to seen ‘real’ (picture book) Chinese culture.

My most ‘Chinese’ experiences were had in farming villages or in mountain communities where poverty had kept influences from the west out and both stubbornness and strong traditions kept Mao’s influence to little more than lip service.

I get the feeling that many people in China lost the essence of being Chinese during the Cultural Revolution, and that they often loose a bit more of this essence by aping western ideas.

ACB

My sentiment is, if you don't like it for being American, who the heck is making you buy it? Just don't buy it! But that said, I so often see so many things, so many beautiful things tossed and thrown out just because they are old and I hate this so much. I saw it a lot when I lived in Singapore, where beautiful old houses got the wrecking ball to make way for soulless skyscrapers and I see it in Europe, where Europeans themselves refuse to put representational things on their money, only ugly modern abstractions that don't denote place or time, and have empty churches that now serve as tourist attractions, not ancient places of worship, as well as a 70,000-word constitution that contains not one word about God. Why do people throw away the things that defined them and made them great? I cannot comprehend this, I really really can't. I felt wrenched when so much heritage was destroyed to make that giant dam in China. Why much so much that is good and treasured be thrown away?

A.M. Mora y Leon [ammorayleon@gmail.com]

Hmm, I see from this that you are probably a practicing or conforming Christian, probably Catholic or Evangelical, and probably a republican voter. Not that there is anything wrong with these things, only that they tend to dominate your thinking.

I lived in Europe for several years and I found it to be a very moral and faithful place, but that people either kept their beliefs aside from their political views or that they obeyed most of the moral tenements of faith (usually Catholic) without them naming them as such.

The reason that Europe’s constitution does not mention a belief in religion, only the right to believe, is that the minute that you bring faith in, you bring the question ‘which faith?’ and what role faith should play in lawmaking, and when all European governments are secular organizations that represent many different faiths, having faith in a constitution suddenly seems a very bad idea.

Some EU states have state churches, some are predominantly protestant, some are Catholic, some members are also orthodox, and some countries are fiercely secular. The minute that you bring faith into a constitution, you have a knife with two blades. It empowers one side and disenfranchises another.

Europe has a deep seated fear that if religion and politics become intertwined what is legal becomes what is moral, and what is moral to a secular man might not be moral to a Catholic man, and what is moral to a Catholic man is not necessarily moral to a Muslin man.

The right to believe and to practice without being discriminated against because of faith is enshrined in human rights legislation, why do you need to mention faith in a constitution? If you were a non religious leader, would you sign a document recognizing the existence of a power that you don’t believe exists?

If you remember your history, the US constitution is secular as well.

ACB

Angry Chinese blogger,

I applaud you sincere opinions and the news you provide about the PRC. I, myself, have lived and worked in mainland China for about two years. I hope you continue to encourage candid debate about the Chinese government, the Chinese people, etc.

That being said, I feel I cannot but address the remarks in your bio regarding the United States. I am a US national. As you were not explict about your nationality, I do not know to which greivances you are refering when you speak of your country being "subverted" by "American ideals" or the morals in your home nation "slide to the level of America." So, I cannot speak to those remarks specifically.

Still, this sort of non-descript rhetoric is not constructive and, personally, insulting. It damages your credibility as a disinterested voice in media. As a recent visitor to you China blog, I sincerely implore you to, as Laowai number 19790204 said, "try to be fairminded" and, moreover, be clearer when making swiping generalizations about nations and peoples, no matter where or who.

I do wish you well in this and look forward to reading your commentary. Thanks for this space.

Tallduck

PS. Also, did you mean to imply that there is an "American" ethnicity? This is unclear to me.

PSS. Voluntary feedback: Haven't scanned your sight thoroughly, but thoughts on Chinese notions of race and ethnicity would be interesting. For instance, a friend said to me that Japanese "xingge" (nature, disposition) renders them less inclined than Germans to deal with their violent past. I get the sense that this is a common assumption here in China.

tallduck

Tallduck

This is my biography page, and is one of the few parts of this site that actually has anything about me on it, so I thought that I should explain a few things about myself, and one of the things that I feel very strongly about is that cultures should be preserved rather than melded wit another (I’m all for multi racial societies, just as long as you can see where one culture starts and another ends), and that one people should not ape another.

I have this thing against cultural assimilation, particularly when one culture goes around and proclaims “I am great, you should be more like me” or if it tries to persuade other people to be more like it. This might be offensive to you, but I see this attitude in a very large slice of your country, particularly since the start of the war on terror and particularly from people associate freedom with US style democracy (I was born into a democracy, and I am very attached to the concept, but we have a different style from you).

Sadly I feel that America has influenced my country in many bad ways, that we have taken on too many bad habits from America, that we are associating something with being desirable or undesirable because it is or isn’t ‘American’ rather than because it is or isn’t actually desirable

I don’t like being preached to by Americans who bring violent movies about sex and drugs to my country and then call us immoral and debased because we are not a right wing Christian country, or who proclaim that they are free and we aren’t because they have the freedom to do undesirable things like own guns while at the same time trying to take away personal freedoms like the right to have an abortion.

I came from a traditional background and was raised with a distinct set of morals and the belief that just because one thing is right for one person or country, it doesn’t mean that it is right for another, which is the exact opposite of what America appears to be saying these days

I have seen my fellows aping America because they think that it is ‘cool’ and I have seen them discarding our own culture in favor of something that is foreign and goes against not only our best interests, but also against our value system.

This might be an over generalization, but I feel that my culture has been overly influenced by an undesirable culture that is constantly telling us that we must change to suit their view of the world, yet is unwilling to accept that maybe their view of the world is subjective.

An ethnic American is an American with a named ethnicity.

I am not a White-America
I am not a Japanese-America
I am not a Chinese-America

I’m not certain entirely certain why, but Japan seems to come up every few minutes on this site, but Japan has come to terms history and is dealing with it, only in a Japanese way that might not seem obvious or appropriate to others (this goes back to what I was saying about not having a one size fits all attitude).

Japan’s disposition is to be utterly ashamed of its past, and if you know anything about Japanese culture you will know that when something is shameful it mustn’t be spoken about because airing shame is considered bad (the discussion of shame brings conflict and destroys order, and in Japan harmony and order are very important). Japan is dealing with its past by reflecting on it with dignity. Germany on the other hand is apologizing as much for its own benefit as for other people. Its apologies are almost worthless now because they are just saying the same thing over and over rather than reflecting on what the apologies actually mean to them and to other people.

When you look at it in terms of what has been said, Germany comes out on top, but when you look at things in terms of progress, there are still Nazi in Germany (more now than 10 years ago I fear) and they are still committing hate crimes. But, Japan the kind of self glorifying superiority complex that was behind war crimes is utterly dead and the movement that spurred Imperial Japan onwards has been cast aside.

PS

Laowai number 19790204 was answering a post by a user named Fred.

Don’t let my rhetoric put you off. I’m a very open minded person, but I will defend my beliefs and opinions as if I weren’t.

Angry Chinese Blogger,

One idea that particularly struck me in your response was that "cultures should be preserved rather than melded with another." Here, I think, is one place we disagree. "Culture," I believe, is not static. Although it may have many unique forms, its edges are often indeterminate. The exchange of technologies and concepts among disparate peoples inevitably (and it is just that, inevitable) alters how each, particularly the receiver, sees the world and themselves. This attitude, I would say, while quite common among them, is certainly not unique to Americans. Cultural and national identity is indeed an ongoing debate for people, like me, with this view.

As I hope your blog and others like it will encourage, this is a debate that is only recently resuming publicly (with severe restrictions) here in China. What does it mean to be Chinese? Many things, and many things to come; but the Communist Party ought not to have a monopoly on setting the parameters of this discussion, nor disallow others from participating in it.

Regarding your concern that I might be offended by your "thing against cultural assimilation" or perceived US arrogance. No, this honestly does not offend me. As I said in the opening paragraph, I simply dissagree with the former sentiment. As for the latter, I do make an effort to be sensitive to how others see the US. I'm empathetic to the sense that Americans, especially politicians, come off as presumptuous.

Still, to be fair, this is true of commentators of the US the world over. It just affects more people when the US chooses to act. To bring it back to China, CCTV9, the English language TV channel, and the media here in general, give heavy (I think, gratuitous) coverage to US issues and American tabloid stories. US pop culture is global and it is profitable. But sanctioned US-obsessed media also functions to deflect rigorous evaluation of the Chinese government here. The broader discussion itself is fastened around two choices: "Americanize or remain Chinese [or insert your nation here]." But government suppression of expression here hampers a comprehensive domestic response to this issue, which (I don't know firsthand but) appears to be going on in much of the world -you seem to have alluded to this in your comments about your country (which you have not revealed). Chinese are largely not allowed to organize freely and formulate independent solutions to problems in China; the Party certainly rejects outright foreigners who try do so.

Conservatives and nationalists use criticisms of US policy and culture (of which there are indeed many valid ones) as political ammunition to say, "They [the US] wants us to be like them, but, if we do, we'd cease being Chinese [or whoever]." This is an oversimplification. It is politically useful only in this dumbed-down form. It serves to associate the arguably good suggestions of, say, media or judicial reform with the distasteful things of "American" or "western" society, which, I think, many times is conflated with what is actually democratic, industrial civilization in general (ie, racial suppremecists and high violent crime). [Example: "Free up the Chinese media?" "Isn't it obvious from the racist, greedy US media that everyone is biased."] My mom used to call this mentality "Throwing out the baby with the bathwater." She's such a traditionalist.

But, I think, this is backfiring because, as user ACB put it, "Mao drained the Chinese out of much of China." But I don't think this is merely because the radicals razed too many pretty traditional buildings in the 1960s or that sections of Beijing, for example, are tourists traps. The "essence of being Chinese" is gone from the mainland because the Maoists for decades dictated what being Chinese was supposed to mean. They monopolized the discussion, what little of one there was, and systematically eliminated alternative voices. The Party continues this practise today, though to a less extreme degree. Amidst this void of home-grown voices of dissent, young Chinese, in my opinion, reject state-sponsored wishwash for novel, politically irrelevent foreign culture. So, the Party is actually accelerating the displacement of genuine Chinese culture by foreign pop debris, which is largely only the most generic kind and out of context to many Chinese. This, tragically, is all in the name of preserving "Chineseness," whatever that is -oh, and retaining political power.

To conclude, I want to address your idea that "just because one thing is right for one person or country, it doesn’t mean that it is right for another." This is tricky. I'm certainly not going to argue that everybody and nation should resign to a social and moral code dictated by any single organization or country, as critics of the US are worried Bush and the right-wing are trying to do now. These debates indeed continue to rage inside of free societies, including the US. But I would say that public debate is necessary to reach concensus among peoples and nations regarding social order and moral expectations. The UN was conceived as an institution (where no effective existed) to define acceptable behavior among states and, thereby, minimize international conflict. Hence, the recent debate about reforming it and expanding its role in reaching agreements, particularly after the failure to do so regarding Iraq. Another example is the current evolution of the European Union. It is for this reason, I think accepted behavior, across the world, has already begun, and will continue to be, standardized. The UN charter is such a document. If a truely interconnected global community is to evolve, unacceptable practices need to discontinue and some new ones be adopted. How this will happen, I can't predict. But it'll be difficult.

Tallduck

fred is right, i am aware of what he is fuming at. u have got reasons for ur innocence. but, what is the fact, u,the westerners, r enjoying thoes privileges right here right now, are u.

woodentown

Like most ancient cultures, including China, the traditions remain in the hearts and minds of the elders, however, the easy flow of transcultural information leaves are younger generations closing their minds to the traditions, and seeking the illusory glamor of American science and technology.
Fortunately, Oriental scholars have for the past 50 years labored frantically to translate the ancient teachings into English.
To quote Lu K'uan Yu: "so that Buddhism can be preserved at least in the West, should it be fated to disappear in the East as it seems to be."

unfortunately, while Budhist teachings do exist in English, and are actually translated very well, almost all traces of Budhism that I have seen in the west (I lived there for a substantial number of years) appear to have been taken in by people as a curiosity rather than a life path.

Budhism in the west tends to be seen as a toy philisophy used by new age people who are disolusioned with western greed and coruption, but who are not committed to following the true path of Budhism.

From what I have seen (at least among whites or those with no personal ties to an Asia heritage), people in the west tend to like the philosophy side of buddhism and the pacafist aspects as well, some are vegitarians, but often for western reasons, and almost non actually believe in the spiritual side.

Its sort of like wearing a skull cap and reciting a few interesting scriptures, and saying that it makes you Jewish.

ACB

ACB,

Greetings from your home country! Tokyo is marvellous - the cleanest and most civilised city I've ever been by far. Am going to see fuji no hana somewhere tomorrow - not sure where.

Just wanted to ask more about what you are saying about buddhism in the west - i'm a bit biased as my aunt is as practicing as a layperson can be - but where are you seeing the scores of practising buddists in Asia? Japan is - as far as I've read in my sociology books - a society that may have assimilated some of the aspects, while wholly disregarding others, and only the monks really get it - although my girlfriend has a cynical attitude about even that given her experience with a drunk monk at a wedding. And china - people are buddhist mostly just for good fortune, not really assimilating anything there either.

The west is still taking on a lot from buddhism. I'm not sure how far it will go, and we've definitely done it from a philosophical point of view as you point out, but as Buddha says, a thousand different people, a thousand different paths. I hope dharma and buddha do grow more in the US, but as you've pointed out in you blog on numerous occasions, we may not be able to hold this phenomenon up to scrutiny with a wholly asian set of criteria. it's going to have to adjust, and we to it. Buddhism has certainly changed a great deal since it crossed over tibet, into china and over to Japan. there's no reason it won't do the same on the streets of NY city and San francisco!

Cheers

Laowai 19790204 [wtl21@cam.ac.uk]

Actually, she says it was a funeral.

Laowai 19790204 [wtl21@cam.ac.uk]

While there are some strong Buddhists in the west, most of the Buddhism that I saw in the years that I lived there seemed to be an extremely watered down ‘new age’ form of Buddhism that mixed generic eastern wisdom and meditation in with pretty trinket

I’m not trying to be insulting, or to say that Buddhism shouldn’t spread, but what I’ve seen doesn’t even rate as being proper Buddhism, it mostly seems to be disenchanted or bored westerners (mostly white women nearing 30) who are looking for something to solve the problems that they perceive that they have, and are attracted to Buddhism’s exotic image. They like the idea of harmony and peace, but they don’t believe in reincarnation, and still hold largely Christian views about everything from the fate of the spirit after death to what is considered appropriate behavior. Many of these people don’t even seem to know the basic Buddhist texts and scriptures, or that there are many different types of Buddhism.

They also seem to like to decorate their houses with crystals, incense, and little Buddha statuses, which most ‘true’ Buddhists simple don’t do (Most Buddhists have a personal shrine with a statue and incense, but they don’t decorate their houses with miniature plaster Buddha and they certainly don’t hang crystals everywhere).

To put this into a context that you might be more familiar with, it would be like announcing that putting up a Christmas tree and loosely following the Covenant made you a Christian. Worse still, it would be like knowing the nativity as told in a school play, but not the rest of the Evangelion, or even that there was a rest.

Your books on Japanese sociology are spot on; if you want to see a firm adherence to Buddhism, or indeed any religion, don’t go to Japan.

Japan has two dominant views on religion, one is that just so long as you live a good life and obey good moral tenements, then nobody in whatever comes next is going to blame you for not doing the rest because you’ve lived a good life and haven’t hurt anybody, and the other is that just so long as one thing doesn’t disagree with another, then they can both co-exist. Many people also think that drinking and eating meat can co-exist with Buddhism.

This is probably why Islam and Judaism are almost non existent in Japan. Both require absolute commitment, where as Buddhism is more about living a moral life, Shinto isn’t actually a religion at all (as seen by the west) because it is about natural spirits and energies rather than testaments and creation stories, and Christianity can exist (at least this is the way that some people see it) in a loose form that follows Christian teachings and beliefs but doesn’t involve all that many rules and rituals.

Japan is also a good example of what can happen when people blur the boundaries a bit.

In Japan you will see people who say that they are Christians, yet have a shrine in their Shinto shrine homes dedicated to a local spirit. In Europe a Christian might consider this to be unthinkable, but to a Japanese, because Christian texts don’t really mention spirits (as a Japanese would think of spirits), let alone tell them not to make offerings to them, then there is no real problem for them to do both, and even if there was a conflict of interests, not making an offering might just be worse than making an offering if the spirit was inclined to be angrier about it.

What has happened in Japan is that both Shinto and Buddhism have become so integrated into the national culture that people do things because they are Japanese and not because they are actively members of that religion. I’m sure that you follow many of the Christian teachings about tolerance, kindness, and morality because they have become so much a part of your culture that you don’t even think about them as originating from religion any more. It is the same with Japan.

Japanese are also more inclined to say that they are one thing because their grandparents were, than most other people are, and to see a mild adherence to a religion as being just as valid as a strong adherence.

Just quick question or two to you before I finish.

I haven’t written my nationality on my bio page, I try to keep Sino-Japanese stories to a minimum unless they’re topical, and I try to be fairly balanced when talking about Japan, Right; so how is it everybody seems to write me down as being a Japanese in about ten seconds?

If you think that Tokyo is clean and civilized, I would suggest that (or rather suggest that you don’t) visit some of the down town areas in Shinjuku after office hours, and certainly DON’T take your girlfriend. When tired Japanese businessmen let of steam it is a rather uncivilised sight.

How were the Cherry Blossoms in Tokyo this year? I wasn't there to see them. I have some pictures that I took in my local park, but I have yet to post them in an online library.

Seitaro-san

You can't print that kind of thing here. This is liabel. I also suspect that you are Chinese, not Japanese. You write in English like a Chinese.

I have never worked for Toshiba, I don't even own any substantial Toshiba products, but I run a China only blog cattering for serious news.

你不是日本人，是巴
你是谁，真的？

ACB,

Yeah, my visit to Japan has been dominated by my gf parents and a trip to Hakone for some Onsen and Hiking, so it`s likely to be skewed towards the beautiful and pleasant. I missed sakura also by about 2 weeks - it was early this year I think, but I went to see wysteria at the turtle shrine (forgot the name) near... kanda? and rhododendron in Nezu Jinja. gorgeous.

I must say that I love the fact that people queue up for the trains here. And very very little trash on the trails of Hakone, despite a gazillion people being there (albeit not hiking) during golden week with us.

Laowai 19790204

I'm from Taiwan, and I don't get how teachers can be driven away by chinese students. Don't they want to learn?

Mignon [euphrosynemazemind@gmail.com]

China is a very very different place form Taiwan.

Many students do want to learn, but they often don't see the point of learning in any other way that doing reading comprehensions and memorising vocabulary.

Chinese students regularly sleep in class, carry out loud conversations, and do many things that annoy the poor white guy or girl at the front who wants everybody to pay attention. They also do the same during business meetings and conferenses. MAny just seem to exist in their own little world apart from what they should be paying attention to.

The attitude of other Chinese people is also rather grating. People can be so incredibly intransigent, and make irrational desisions seemingly at random without bothering to consult foreigners or even acknowlegding that they should be consulted.

China can be a very frustrating place to live. Comunisim did something nasty to China

ACB

I can understand how upset foreign teachers must be, though I must say that not only foreign teachers but teachers in other subjects in China must also be under this strain. Westerners are used to the respect that every individual deserves, it is ingrained in their culture - to chinese people of today it is only rules, unfashionable because it is tradition. It is very irking to me to know that our congressmen answer their cellphones in the middle of meetings. In Taiwan there are our high schools are divided so in better schools the students pay attention and are respectful (thus earning better grades and have potential of being more successful) while in not so good schools it is chaos, as you have stated above. Do schools in china not have this leverage? I would also like to know if they teach old chinese morale lessons in Chinese class there? And how do they teach history?

Mignon Chang [euphrosynemazemind@gmail.com]

Chinese school are SO graded, but unfortunately they are graded on students ability to memorize the thing that they are being graded on rather than to actually DO anything.

Schools are numbered, with 1 being the best in the city, and thus receiving the best equipment and being able to attract the best teachers, students who get into a low numbered school often have to work extremely hard to get into a better school, and are often held back by the quality of their school, making escaping from a low ranked school quite difficult.

I have known many foreign teachers in China (my job brought me into contact with quite a few over the years), and they all have the same complaints about the Chinese system, particularly that Chinese methods of teaching are outdated rote systems based on memorization, and that Chinese students simply don’t want to participate in the two way engagements required to improve their language skills, especially if such engagements are not pre scripted.

The only apparent difference between the good and bad students in this case is that the bad ones are noisy and the good ones are quiet, especially when a teacher wants them to speak.

I think that Chinese teachers don’t get nearly as frustrated because they don’t expect any more from their students. Being attentive is not a mainland Chinese characteristic.

I don’t actually know much about the broader Chinese education system because I don’t work in it, but from what I do know, people are taught things but not why they are relevant, so if they do teach Chinese moral lessons, then they probably teach them as dry phrases without explaining why they still hold importance today.

As for history, I know about how China teaches history. I despise it.

In China, history is what the government says is history, anything that the government doesn’t like it doesn’t teach (like what happened in Beijing in 1989 or what was accepted in 1972).

Chinese history is very selective, very nationalistic, and it is highly political.

For example, students in China are taught some very inaccurate things about Taiwan, Japan, and Colonial Britain (especially post war Japan, much of which is wrong, misleading or is highly edited). Everything is taken from the Chinese perspective, and no attempts are made to explain the reasons why something happened. Try to explain why something happened is seen as trying to excuse it in China.

The Chinese school system introduces nothing new, and it actively discourages children from showing any initiative or from discussing anything in any meaningful way.

It is like a highly concentrated version of the Japanese state system from the 1950s, but without the Juku system to add depth and variety.

Wow, I didn't realize that. Of course I knew that China teaches history selectively (there is no arguing with some exchange students from China), but I didn't realize how our education system bothers foreign teachers. Our goverment is now teaching teachers in Taiwan to encourage class discussion and interaction as a healthy part of learning, and a lot of students enjoy the opportunity to talk to foreign teachers. Of course, as far as I have observed, I am the most active in asking questions (albeit rather weird ones), it is because I have been in school in the states when I was very young. Not all teachers encourage interaction, though. My chinese teacher wants us all to write notes quietly, memorize meanings, and not speak when not spoken to. Interacting is a great way to exchange informationa and make a class more enjoyable for both teachers and students.

Mignon Chang [euphrosynemazemind@gmail.com]

Hi I still do not know your real name.. I guess that s the way you should be to hide from the authorities. I am from India.. and I read about your blog in a article on how behind the veil of development and progress , Chinese authorities are trying to curb journalism.
It was not very surprising for me , since I have heard about these things in China for a long time. It does happen in India, to an extent as well . It just seemed quite short sighted on the authorities part. Ultimately trying to suppress a people s movement is going to be like a ticking time bomb. Gonna explode sometime

Let me tell you that your Blog has reached a national magazine in India.. So you are definitely getting more eyes and ears watching , listening and comprehending you.

The fact that the auths have still not blacked out this site is in itself a great achievement. I shall still come back to this site to see what the real 'China' is..

Would appreciate if you dont just focus on the bad things. I am sure there are some good happenings there as well.

Nitin Kailaje [zoso_sth@yahoo.com]

I'm surrpised to hear that you read about this site in India, I had no idea that it was getting much coverage outside the China scene.

Any Chance of knowing which magazine?

ACB

I know that I tend to cover only negative stories, but they are not always negative about China, I often defend China against the US and those who believe that it is a military threat to America, I also try to cover Sino-Japanese reconciliation, but there isn't much of that right now. If you read my 'Down the rabbit hole' section I've tried to explain China using humor, OK so some of it is negative, but a lot of it is making fun of foreigners perceptions.

ACB

Do you mean Christianity doesn't belong in Asia or "right-wing" Christianity doesn't belong here? I don't get that. I am not at all arguing with you. If the people who are Christians in Asia have "conservative" beliefs in what the Bible is teaching isn't that their business. Just like leftists ideology. I think Marxism didn't belong here but it came. China, N Korea, Vietnam, Pol Pot-Cambodia.
Or do mean US importing "right-wing" Christianity? I never thought that a belief is to limited to certain continents.
How do you think the US should limit itself in exporting its image to other countries? Isn't it unavoidable?

I like your blog. I check it everyday:)

bert again

Bert

To clear up the confuseion, or possibly confuse things even more, I mean that the particular brand of right wing Chrisitanity that is being promoted in the US right now has no place in Asia.

I have a pronounced dislike for those who try to force the most conservative aspects of Chrisitanity (or any other political, social, oral or religous group) onto anybody else, and I have a great distain for those who try to push religious values on others while saying that the values are moral and social values rather than those derived from faith.

Overall, Christian values are good, they promote forgiveness, acceptance of the differences between people, and of course the covernant most of which is applicable, and highly relevant to, secular life in every culture and comunity. I support these values whole heartedly, but I don't support somebody in the midwest saying that abstinance is the only way to protect against STDs in Asia, or that something is immoral simply because Chrisitianity says that it is immoral. I also don't like the connection between morality, democracy and Christianity that is implied by some of the more vocal right wing Christians

The forcing of any value system on another society is wrong, and so is the condemnation of that society for being as being wrong, merely because it is different from your own.

Live and let live.

ACB

Hello,

My name is Julien. I am building a new website for expatriates, and will be the webmaster of www.expat-blog.com. In the last three years I have spent a lot of time travelling and living away from my home country, hence me setting up www.expat-blog.com.

I had the idea to create a blog so I could share my experiences of living abroad and keep in touch with my family and friends. While reading other expatriate blogs the idea came to me to create a classified expat blog directory. This would include a free blog hosting platform with interesting features such as picture albums designed specifically for expatriates. I do not believe this would be in competition with existing blog platforms such as blogger.

The website is still in working progress. The present situation is as follows:
> The expatriate blog directory, including a classification per country and language - I am working on this at the present time
> The free Blog platform – this section will be completed by the middle of June.
> An Expat resource directory - this will include all expatriate suggestions.
> A forum designed to encourage interactivity and questions/answers from expatriate to expatriate

This is the global presentation of the website. Do you think my project is a good idea?

Would you like to add your blog in the expatriate blog directory?

I look forward to hearing from you

Julien

Julien [julien@expat-blog.com]

Good Idea, but it might be hard to pull off given the competition. Living in China already tried to build comunity but it tanked when interest faded, and you might have trouble paying for the bandwidth, but otherwise, feel free to try, nothing ventured nothing gain. You might be the next big thing.

I'd be happy to contribute if I can find the time.

Is the "we observe the world" for real? I hate, hate, hate most of the crap that is written on this site and I get sick of the stupid a**holes who then write to the "journalist in training" and comment on how proud they are of their "reports". I just read some of their latest entries. These people are just so incredibly one sided I can't believe it. Is for real? I never see any true self reflection of themselves or of China. Just judgement towards the US and Japan. This new generation in China is going to be a big pain in the a**!
I am sorry ACB for using your sight to say this but it is useless on WOW.

Bert

bert

China has no idea what self refelection and self critique are, if they did then they wouldn't keep banging on at Japan to 'reflect on history' and they would understand why they shouldn't just pirate everything that the west produces so mercilessly.

I don't personally spend much time reading that site so I can't really comment on it, but it sounds liek it has been 'infiltrated' by milk-sops.

ACB

What exactly is a "milk-sop"?

bert

milk-sops = wuss

ACB

angrychineseblogger,

nice blog. well done. just wanted to say something re: some of the visitors' comments. what is it with some people and their desire to "observe" chinese people and/or culture? not only that, but they want the "real" deal. today's china apparently isn't "authentic" enough for their liking that they have to create a list of places where you can go and observe "real" chinese people and/or culture, in their natural habitat, as it were. please, people, enough w/ this ridiculous notion of "observing" the chinese already. what're they? some exotic species that needs to be taxonomised and studied??? and then there's the obssession with "authenticity" as if chinese culture (assuming there is a singular culture in china) had remained unchanged for hundreds of years and was only recently lost to communism. if that's what you people think, well then you clearly don't know anything about history (and i'm talking about history in general here, not just chinese history).

I think that people really mean that they want to see 'traditional China' like they see on the TV in living form.

Communism brought China to its nknees in terms of culture and a lot was lost in a very short period of time and what is left isn't alway very photogenic.

What happened? No entries for awhile. Are you ok? You didn't get "punished" for your latest story did you?

• Bert

Life V Work V Blog = life wins, for a short time at least.

Then again, my sudden departure from blogging did come suspisiously after the US release of starwars and before the release of batman begins. Could I secretly be in Hong Kong so that I can buy a pirate of both of these films in my own language?

Okay, It's talking back time. Do Americans have a speaking voice against all the racism and social injustice. It seems NO ONE even want to talk about the LA race riots. You can fool those ignorant Chinese who do not know what the US is all about. For those who knows everything in side the Dark Empire of the US, we just laughs. Because why bother the criticise others while you are simply doing the same ??!!

"we just laugh"

This says a lot more about you than it does about them.

As an American I get tired of others who belittle us without reason. You criticize countries that mimic "American attitudes" (whatever that is) just to be cool but your anti-American comments seem to be right out of the same genre - an autoresponse just to be cool. I love the UK but your standards are not "set to a higher moral standard than our own"

Jay

Believe it or not, people actually have a good reason not to want US culture overrunning their own. You might not see it, but many of us non Americans see our cultures as being very different from yours and we see our own ways as suiting us better than yours do. Some of us also see whee the US has set its moral standards (eg its tollerance, and even promotion, of sex drugs guns and violence in computer games and the media) as being very worrying indeed. Particularly as our youths are echoing them.

I hope that your UK comment wasn't directed at me through. I have been there and I have spent time there, but I'd rather not have people thinking that I was from there. TheUK is too American for my taste.

ACB,

I am not guess at your allusive race, but your age and timeline. You mentioned you are a generation Xer, which I am as well. I am 32, so you would have to be around my age. You said you have in China for a "long time". Did you grow up there?

Alicia

I noble guess, but I'm generation X in spirit. Things went differetly in my country and generation X happened at a different time here. So I'm off mid 30s by a good few years.

I wasn't born in mainland China, but my family was there during the days of the Chinese Emporers, so China is in my families blood so to speak. I'm still a foreigner though.

How was batman?

Don't know, haven't seen it.

I've been reading several China-related blogs and I came across your blog today. I read ACB's comments that were made a while back and it just reminded me of this conversation I had with a friend about the rapid modernization of China.

I quote from ACB- "I get the feeling that many people in China lost the essence of being Chinese during the Cultural Revolution, and that they often loose a bit more of this essence by aping western ideas."

Does that mean that China has become less Chinese throughout its 5000+ years of history starting with the "city-states" leading to Qin's (as well as China's) first emperor who slaughtered thousands in order to unify to build his empire, burned books that didn't sit well with him, built the "Great Wall" thus killing more men, many of whose bodies never properly buried/mourned/recognized?

If Mao drained the Chinese out of my relatives, has Shi Huang Di drained the Han-ness out of the Han people then?

An old country, old culture such as China has as much rights and as many reasons to evolve and rebuild itself as a newer country such as the United States does. I mean, how do you define what's China, what's Chinese and what's not? More importantly, WHY do you have to define it? Why does an authentic Chinese experience have to involve poverty? Just because the majority of the Chinese population is less well off than you, doesn't mean that the 1 or 2% of the rich Chinese entrepreneurs are not Chinese enough. Why can't you recognize that China, this elephant, is as diverse as any given society/nation/culture??? Why is the modern China not China enough??

You wouldn't say America is less American because of all the immigrants and non-Christians, non-WASPS populating the nation, would you? (Actually you would if you were a white supremacist). I live in San Diego, CA, and parts of the county is changing rapidly between highway construction, road paving, house building, business expansion, etc. No one out here is saying that San Diego is becoming less San Diego than 50 years ago. Why? Just because it's a US city, it is expected to undergo changes whereas god forbid the dam to be constructed in good old China to rid of floods, to better utilize and conserve an energy source!

I understand the need for critical examinations of historical events, economic decisions, cultural domination, etc. to make sense of this modernization, and to question the validity of global Westernization, but to say that there is a certain way to be Chinese, that there is an "essence" of being Chinese - that's a double standard.

I actually meant that the big CR killed off a lot of traditions and a lot of regional diversity and replaced it with a kind of semi unified drudgery. It also altered the national outlook quite drastically.

The Chinese that I met in China often seem far less 'Chinese' than the children of the people who escaped from the CR. Go to any China town in Japan or the US, or to Hong Kong and Chinese Taiwan, and they will seem far more 'Chinese' even through they are n the developped world surrounded by western things.

An example of this is with superstitions. Superstitioon is one of the many things that the CR aimed to kill.

Many New York Chinese are far more superstitious than Beijing Chinese, and often appear more inclined to believe in fortune telling and traditional spirits than their native born 'cousins'. It is one of the things that makes the Chinese 'Chinese'.

I have seen the traditional values ebbing away in my own country in favor of genric western themese brough in from places like the US, and the slow death of our traditional ettique and way of thinking. I don't like it.

Imagine that I went to the US and got rid of sports because I said that they were a distraction from something else. You aren't loosing anything key to your life, but could you imagine life in the US without football and baseball as cultural symbols?. America would be a far less vibrant place and it would be far less American.

Whatever the impact brought on to China and its people by the Cultural Revolution does not equate to Chinese people not being "real" Chinese. Yes it chopped away the things that were characteristics of the Chinese culture - were - but you cope with it any way you can - letting go of old beliefs, old thinking, old ways, for survival - doesn't and shouldn't make you any less Chinese.

I see a problem with identifying Chinese by only certain characteristics. Superstition does not constitute Chinese-ness. My immediate family has never been superstitious - and not as a result of the Cultural Revolution. In fact I've lived in Taiwan and we were surrounded by all types of people with different kinds of beliefs, education backgrounds. this is just one example of how you're type-casting what's Chinese and what's not.

I understand what you're trying to say with the Western influences in China, that many people look up to western ideals, almost blindly accepting everything in the West as better. But it does not mean that China is less China, or that the people are less Chinese. Or that a Chinese Christian is less Chinese than a "traditional, superstitious" Chinese. Do you think a Buddist Chinese is more Chinese? Or is he/she more Indian? Do you see my point?

And I also know a lot of americans who just don't care about the football season. I'm one of them. I don't think that makes us less American. It's just a preference.

I was just being generic when I used superstition and football, its quite hard to explain what I mean without sounding insulting.

I wasn't trying to say that people in China weren't "Real Chinese", as if there is such a thing as being "fake Chinese", more that CR Chinese just aren't as 'picture book' Chinese as non CR Chinese and that many of them they don't show as many of the traditional traits that make them distinct from other Asian as their non CR cousins do.

Post CR China isn't as diverse or as culturally colorful as Hong Kong and Chinese Taiwan are, its a far less spirited society that it used to be.

As football wasn't a good example, imagine that all of the black people and all of the white people in America suddenly turned grey overnight and anything that was considered black culture or white culture was binned in favor of something generic. Add to that that you could no longer discuss history, but instead only listen to a few bits of scripted history that the government had dumbed down, and you have the CR.

"From this you can probably put together that I’m not American, ethnically or nationally."

I myself was born in the USA and have lived there all my life, but you and I see eye-to-eye more than I do with most of my fellow Americans.

Of particular interest to me are your comments about the America's (or the West's) growing influence over Chinese society and culture, something I often refer to as cultural imperialism. As an example, I might not like it if American culture began getting heavily influenced and compromised by a massive influx of traditional Indian culture, for whatever reason, and I really have no desire to impose the tastes of American Pop Culture upon the citizens of New Delhi. What really bothers me, though, is that much of the world, including China, Japan, Southeast Asia, many of the Hispanic countries, and even a few Muslim/Arab ones, are being fed what is essentially cultural trash, courtesy of the Hollyork government-media complex. I, and a number of other Americans, don't like the relentless imposition of the values of, among other things, Red-Light Districts and Brooklyn slums upon nearly everyone in the US, and so I can only imagine what the cultural conservatives in other nations must feel when they see their society and culture get invaded and rapidly modified by "American Values."

And that's about all I've got to say for now. Good day.

In my country we have a weird paradox. US big business exports 'trash culture', as you so nicely put it, to us, then the Christian right critisizes us for elements that we originally got from America.

Then the US government provokes our neighbors and groups like the hard line Islamic clerics, and say that it has to keep troops and spies in our country to protect us from these people.

This is not addressed to one certain person. I am just using the term "US cultural imperialism" that does not mean I am attacking the previous poster who was using this term.

• Yeah China (and its people) can change there is no problem in that. But I am sick of people who think because they are Chinese that that simply makes them traditional and the protectors of good and right asian values. And there are too many people who are like this. Just like Americans who think that they are the protectors of world freedom. I think the people people who can honestly teach others about China are not the people who were born in China. People are people, they are selfish. It doesn't take US "cultural imperialism" for people to take drugs, commit murder and have sex outside of marriage. When any of my students suggest that the US is the reason why they "sin" I ask them about the term "number two wife" in Chinese. This was around way before US influence. But yet many people (who don't self-relect i.e. most Chinese) will blame the US on the openness of the youth in China and the divorce rate. How about parents take an interest in the child not just the childs placement in school so that the can make as much money as humanly possible in the future? Or the parent be a good example for behavior? These are the same problems in China as in the US. But Chinese feel that they are above this problem. As we all know Chinese love their children more than American parents do (Heavy sarcasm!) These problems come from the love of money or just having the money. The more money we get the more "freedom" it gives us. So don't blame the movies and food and fashion from America. Blame China for making cheap goods that the rest of the world wants and making money from it:p I am not saying that success and money are wrong but they do bring new problems and responsibilites. Half the people who complain about the US influences are probably wearing Nikes or ADIDAS anyway. Stop blaming others and take freakin responsibility. You can't change the world but you can change the community you work and live in. If we all try that then maybe things will become better but if we just simply blame the big picture we just complain and nothing gets done. Maybe I am rambling and not making myself clear,sorry 'bout that. I find it interesting that Chinese (that I know) think that the US is so open but when they then go to Europe their ideas change, especially when they go to Spain, (haha sorry Nicolas). China and Chinese change, that is true and fine, but they aren't willing to take the responsibility for the bad change, just blame it on the US cultural imperialism. Go to the US and see that not everyone lives only in New York City or L.A. and has a "sex in the city" lifestyle. China is just like the rest of our societies, they are materialistic.

This is not addressed to one certain person. I am just using the term "US cultural imperialism" that does not mean I am attacking the previous poster who was using this term.

• Yeah China (and its people) can change there is no problem in that. But I am sick of people who think because they are Chinese that that simply makes them traditional and the protectors of good and right asian values. And there are too many people who are like this. Just like Americans who think that they are the protectors of world freedom. I think the people people who can honestly teach others about China are not the people who were born in China. People are people, they are selfish. It doesn't take US "cultural imperialism" for people to take drugs, commit murder and have sex outside of marriage. When any of my students suggest that the US is the reason why they "sin" I ask them about the term "number two wife" in Chinese. This was around way before US influence. But yet many people (who don't self-relect i.e. most Chinese) will blame the US on the openness of the youth in China and the divorce rate. How about parents take an interest in the child not just the childs placement in school so that the can make as much money as humanly possible in the future? Or the parent be a good example for behavior? These are the same problems in China as in the US. But Chinese feel that they are above this problem. As we all know Chinese love their children more than American parents do (Heavy sarcasm!) These problems come from the love of money or just having the money. The more money we get the more "freedom" it gives us. So don't blame the movies and food and fashion from America. Blame China for making cheap goods that the rest of the world wants and making money from it:p I am not saying that success and money are wrong but they do bring new problems and responsibilites. Half the people who complain about the US influences are probably wearing Nikes or ADIDAS anyway. Stop blaming others and take freakin responsibility. You can't change the world but you can change the community you work and live in. If we all try that then maybe things will become better but if we just simply blame the big picture we just complain and nothing gets done. Maybe I am rambling and not making myself clear,sorry 'bout that. I find it interesting that Chinese (that I know) think that the US is so open but when they then go to Europe their ideas change, especially when they go to Spain, (haha sorry Nicolas). China and Chinese change, that is true and fine, but they aren't willing to take the responsibility for the bad change, just blame it on the US cultural imperialism. Go to the US and see that not everyone lives only in New York City or L.A. and has a "sex in the city" lifestyle. China is just like the rest of our societies, they are materialistic.

oh! double post. Sorry!!!

I THINK your site has been blocked by the Chinese authorities, damn!! On the other hand, it's the best form of flattery. My blog hasn't caught anyone's attention.

Hi, ACB, just want to inform you that I have to use proxies to view your blog. I think the content is great, I feel most things in China the same way as you do, and I am a native Chinese living in Guangzhou. Cyberspace is very restricted over here, not to mention the inexisting freedom of speech.

Best wishes & Keep up the good work!

I agree with Jimmy and I wish him a future of more and more freedom. The content of this blog tries to go beyond the superficial. Seems to me that learning the difference between the systems of logic of East vs West, is the key to grasping the real meaning of each. Nowadays despite the gulf between systems of logic, folks apply their own as if it's universal. As for the US, to pretend that it's not all built on a Judeo-Christian foundation is to delude oneself. Then what's native to China's (including its appendages), thought? Perhaps only Daoism and ancestor or spirit worship. What's native to Korea's thought? Perhaps only shamanism. What's native to Japan's thought? Perhaps only animism, or pantheism. What about Vietnam....ditto China, plus the spirits that inhabit bodies of water.

Dear Angry Chinese,

• Your site came in 19th this month on our Far Eastern Blog ranking system. To see the rankings go to the stated URL.

• Keep up the hard work and someone is paying

• attention.

PS- For our blog visitors would you please fill out our political questionnaire, if it is safe to do so? We will send it to you if you contact us.

Aku rasa, ACB ni adalah orang Tanah Melayu. Betul tak?

For anybody who doesn't speak Malay. No, I'm not Malasian.

Disgusted:

Your comment has no relevence to my CHINA site. Answer it on GI Korea, NOT here. Tis is not the appropriate forum.

From your comment, you appear to have no idea what I was trying to say. I was emphasising the difference between two cultures that were in the same boat but for diffrent reasons.

Good bye.

Disgusted

MY blog, my rules, you can't spread racist hate on this site, you can't send personal insults, you can't use curse words, and you can't post irelevent non China comments.

Answer my post on GI Korea, not here. This isn't the right forum.

You obviously don't know Japan or Korea very well. Korea has a much more fiery temprement, people speak their mind more and they complain when they are disatisfied. In Japan people don't speak their mind and they don't complain so much when they are disatisfied, they just sit and take it. Japan has been taking bull from the US for 60 years, would you have Korea do the same?

Most Koreans would string you up by your feet if you try for one second to tell them that they should be more like Japanese.

You show the typical blindness of somebody raised among whites.

Take your white talk somewhere else.

You make me laugh..

'Most Koreans would string you up by your feet if you try for one second to tell them that they should be more like Japanese'

What the hell are you talking about?? I would NEVER say those kina <censored by admin> comments <censored by admin>

Your just SORRY because YOU KNOW you <censored by admin> up when you went around the internet sites spreading nasty things about Koreans. You are the one who compared Korean to Japan, NOT ME YOU <censored by admin> I live in <censored by admin> area where there are a few hundred Korean church goers <censored by admin> "It must be something in the Korean mentality.".. Then you proceed to compare Korean to Japan again by expressing that 'Korea NEEDS protection by the US military while Japan does NOT need the protection'.

And you try to tell me you are not insulting Koreans? I don't know if you are a Japanese or Chnese.. but I know I was quiet disappointed and disturbed that there are cancel cells like you going around the internet spreading nasty things about Korean people. Obviously you could not leave my comment on your blog because <censored by admin>

Don't worry.. I will proceed to let Korean community in <censored by admin> aware of you, comments you made on GI Korea, <censored by admin>

This is not the right place for this kind of debate. This is not s US-Korea forum. There are hundreds of more appropriate places, I suggest that you go an find one. I am not going to debate this with you when you only have half of the facts. You don't appear to have been to Korea, go there, you will see for yourself that Koreans have a hot headed passion and a unbroken spirit of defiance that Japan does not. I will not have ignorant whites slandering Korea and telling it to surrender to the US on my site.

The truth is that Japan and Korea are two very different countries, and it is not racist to say this.

Japan was occupied by the US, but it is in Japan's nature to accept this quietly. Korea was the subject of a US military intervention during the Korean war, but it is in the Korean people's nature to speak out when they are unhappy.

How on earth is it a bad thing to say that it is in the nature of a Korean to act DIFFERENTLY to a Japanese.

You may tell all the Koreans that you like, they will agree with me, they are NOT like Japanese. They will be very angry if you tell them to give in to US occupation or to accept dominance form the US like Japan did.

I have censored your comment, I do not permit curse words or personal insults on my site. I have also removed your location because there are people there who don't want to be dragged into this argument.

I am a BSc IR student studying at the LSE. I am a Buddhist. I ... don't know what to say... after reading all these, I feel really nervous(don't know why). I was an extremist before but during the process of intellectual building, I learned on thing,not just theoretically, but spiritually, "don't judge arbitrarily" .

I left China when I was 15. I used to dislike China so much because of my PERSONAL experiences there.... after several years, after all these years' walking path..... I turned my bitterness into understanding and faith. It's just too naive to use your personal case to represent the whole.

A country also has its own personality and at the moment, China is in the progress of healing psychologically. Like a person who suffered so much, he/she needs time to walk out of the confusion and build up its confidence.

I am not as knowledgeable person, only a student, not for a certain period of time, but for my whole life. So I don't want to make an one-sided judgement before I go and do some research myself.

Chinese people are more and more polite. Please don't judge like an Chinese Expert when you, for example, only travelled there, or stayed at a certain spot for a limited period of time, or a fixed environment (company, certain group of people etc.)

Emotionally, I do not really like Japanese people, but I would never encourage my English friends to behave the same because rationally, I know "every country has to learn to surpass their history, but one should know it takes time and is needed effort". I have a friend from Japan who did the same degree and currently works in the Government. I would not tell people that " Japan is .........." because I am a scholar in IR... NO, I never live in that country so how could I make a conclusion !

Every country has rude uncivilised people. Every country has discrimination including England, but luckily all the people I have met so far are very gentle, polite, sincere, loving and caring. I think it has sth to do with their education background which give them an ablity to see things through behind their cover.

I won't say China is a perfect country. But it's just strange to use the imperfectness to critisize the government. Should I use your imperfectness to critisize your parents?

All of us, no one exclude, have to share the responsibilities, the happiness, the confusion etc. our motherland and other countries brought to us... we are sharing the same earth!!!!!

China is a country making progress, so that implies everything is working....no matter it is a black cat or white cat, it is a good cat if it could catch mice. So, here we go....

We will have next generation and we want to creat a better environment for them. It is not acheived by destroying everyting, refusing everything, but accept what happend so far, learn humbly, find a solution for a particular problem.

Honestly, so far, the professors and doctors in my International Relations department (www.lse.ac.uk) are the only group I met so far who judge China decently and reasonably. (most of the professors who were once invited by the communist government to teach officers in the ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In our lectures, they said to all of the IR students: China IS a very different communist country......

For Chinese people, please, have confidence and faith...our country really suffered a lot to make today's acheivment... people say: communists are evil.... I am a buddhist but I still go to the church sometimes... any contradiction? No.... we are looking for the same thing...

Same here... don't stop trusting people, you have been cheated by them... don't judge the spirit of a communist system because certain countries adopted the model and became really agressive....

the more I go back home, the more confidence, joy and hope inside me are building up.... more charity organisations are established, more animal adoptions are standing out, more gentle ladies and men walking on the street (gentle: in terms of Confucianism: neither more nor less than)..... more luxurious Chinese traditional buildings are slowly replacing these western styled restaurants or holiday inns....

After materially people achieved certain level, they will enter into the next stage...China is more open than before... I really like this group of leaders... they truly hold the quality of Chinese Gentlmen: humble but not airs and graces (overdo), gentle but not petty....

For those who critisize China, as a Chinese I appreciate all of you because every country needs supervisors include China. Enlightened criticism.

For those... shall I say: Naive criticism... You really have to go and do more research, or more books? It would not only help you to develop your knowledge, but also help your interpersonal skills in your private life ( you will find out you are more popular than before).

I love Chinese, I love British.

(By the way, sth extra, for those rational people, you really need to pay attention about the Muslim immigrants in Europe, I feel (have to use this word because I only judge the situation based upon BBC news and a friend's french boyfriend) Europearn people especially peopel in France....atomosphere has discrimination towards people from Africa and middle east. By the way, they really like Chinese people!

(to these friends who are worried about China being westernized....please come and visit HangZhou (a city near Shanghai)... you will get your own answer!

With Metta and wish you all happy

I'm new to this site and really like what I've read so far. However, I have to fundamentally disagree with the "apeing" of cultures argument in your introduction. It is by no means the West, or more specifically America's, fault that people in other countries accept a western culture. They have free wills of their own, and decide what they like and don't like. Maybe they actually prefer, "Sex and The City" over local programming. American culture wouldn't export abroad if there wasn't a demand for it. It takes two to tango.

Yes it does, but the negative aspects of consumerist driven culture have spread, like a cancer. China has now won the west at it's own game. The old is kept in with the new. For one thing I love the image of the bund in Shanghai, very spaceage. I have just been to HK, not china, but there are relics of old buildings in HK alongside vestidges to capitalism. At no point did I think people around me were adopting bad cheap practices from the west. Everyone stopped in the mall for 2-3 mintutes before closing and then walked out. Adoption of the technology but not the values I feel is the answer. After all you cannot deny people of their progress. I'm one Britian who refuses to feel the empire and the slave trade made britian great. This is in large part an adoption of Buddhism and my belief i am in a succession of lives. Contrary to the book shelf buddhism by 30's women, as one poster described.

Will sweety, HK was British for almost 150 years. It's very different from the mainland.

Glad China is getting increasing attention. Being positive or negative, all are welcome. However, one point to note. For those westerners or overseas Chinese, please calm down when mainlanders want to shut your mouth. The rule of thumb is try to be understanding and think in our shoes. Some Chinese studied in Europe once was confronted by his classmates and lecturer, he asked,"Are your parents perfect?" "No.""No. OK. China is my mother. She's not perfect. But I love her."

Dao Jun,

Nobody questions your love of homeland. However, I wonder about your logic of surrendering the very freedoms that make you human to the State, in the name of patriotism.

Wouldn't it be more patriotic to be able to celebrate your country's freedom without worrying about the watchful eye of your government minder? Or to participate in the political process, to have a say in your country's future; to supplant the stodgy Party elite with the true voice of the people?

Hello Angry Chinese Blogger,

Just to inform you that you are on my list to celebrate Blog Day:

http://yawandmog.wordpress.com/2006/08/31/international-blog-day-2006/

DHH of "Yaw and Mog"

http://yawandmog.wordpress.com/2006/08/31/international-blog-day-2006/

(previous url has a space in the word "international" which doesn't link)

Hello People,

Throught the internet,i had found this link and i hope its nice.I enjoyed the conttents and i would like to come in contact with people in chine too. Micheal appealuganda@yahoo.com.au

Hi “Angry Chinese Blogger”, I've been looking for an e-mail address on your site but... I have to use the "comment" area, and I apologize for it!

I'm working on a new project -and a blog- called the ViewPoint, whose aim is to provide a different view of what happens in the world, paying attention to what the bloggers say (as you do in your blog). I want to create a "network" of blogs and web-sites, to provide a direct access to facts and news, not only in "dramatic" situation (e.g. “Bangkok Pundit” covering the military coup) but also to report the ordinary life (e.g. " My Sarisari store") or to highlight news that are often hidden (e.g. the reportage of MSF or of RSF).

This project is still at the beginning, and I really think a link back from your blog would be valuable!

Please give a look at "the-Viewpoint" site (http://www.the-viewpoint.blogspot.com) and, if you like the idea, link the site.

Please, let me know what do you think about this idea; your site has already been linked.

Thanks a lot! Ciao Giovanni B.

I have just now discovered your blog and I enjoy reading your comments about China. I would like you to visit the new site at http://www.chinaontv.com and comment on what you think about this site about China. Thanks! - LD

Hello, Mr. Angryman,

I found out your blog yesterday, and sice then I just can't stop reading. Such a clever stuff, congratulations! :)

I'm from Brazil, and I don't speak English so fluently. Besides, I study Mandarin for a while, and at the very beginning I took classes with Taiwanese teachers living in South America. I found it useful, but a bit funny: my teachers just didn't know a thing about grammar, structure, didn't know how to discuss their own language. Only memorization needed, in a strange way, not too brilliant.

They are, despite that fact, intelligent people, interested in life and stuff. But can't learn or teach nothing without repeat, repaet, and repeat. Their history achievements are kinda poor.

So, viewing few people, far away from real Asia, just roaming around some South American cities, I think Taiwan's education system is not so different from what is said China mainland right above.

But, you know, I'm not sure. I think next year I can finally know Asia by myself.

Thanks!

What makes you so sure I'm a Mr?

Quaquaquaquaquaquaquaquaquaquaqua...

So sorry, I'm really not sure. :)

Nice blog.

Qua again. Sorry, i'm in the mood to just read right now.

Hey there,

Fellow Gen X'er here. Like your blog and love your attitude. Keep up the good work. These are some other blogs about China that I read from time to time that were not on your blog roll. Might be worth checking out. Danwei, China Law Blog, ImageThief (very funny) and Jottings From the Granite Studio. Just a thought. Keep writing!

To all the entries before my own, and espcially to the host:

• This is the most honest and informative site I have found. I am a 50 plus year old Native American( read, as "red savage" ) who is new to the whole internet thing. I have been wandering aboutin cyberspace only a short while, yet already weary of finding meaningful content. I am glad I chanced on this place.

• While I am only an old manwho has seen to much change too fast, I try to adapt. That has been the saving grace of my people in the face of two centuries of aggressive assimilation.Just as your nation has many ills that you dispise, so ours as well. The art of making the world a better place for our children is the art of teaching them the value and meaning that we have in our past, yet giving them the confidence to accept all the changes that the future will surely bring.It is human nature for the old to insist that the past was a better place, just as it is for the young to leap recklessly into the future. This is how life has always been.

• I grew up on a resevation, and poverty was rampent, scooling was lax and expectations were low. I unfortunately reflect those things now, though I strive to improve, even at this late stage.As each of you speak for your own views, I am delighted to realize how far the world has come in my lifetime. Such exchanges would have never taken place in my youth. With each exchange all of us grow, even if we don't see it at the moment.

• No voice speaks for the whole of any one nation, dispite what some may say. Nor is any nation or people the sum of those who speak the loudest. As you go about your life it seems wise to not class people into groups, for then you will only hear the melody and never know the song. Not all of those who dwell on these shores are represented by the loudtalkers in D.C.

• The policies of a nation are like clothes that one wears for a while and then discards as the become tattered, and opinions of the leaders are only the winds of a single point in time. Your nation and mine will change, if we like it or not.It is much like traveling down a mighty river, all you can do is steer and keep a sharp eye out for whirlpools.( And when we share our limited knowledge with other passengers on this river of life, we not only warn them of the dangers that we already see, but we encourage them to finish the journey with dignity.

• May this spot remain for a very long time.

• John Standing Bear

Dont worry when you say you're from China, I don't confuse that to mean Hong Kong or Taiwan because they are not and never will be "China".

There are definately some problems with transparency of chinese politician and the media. In this sense, I support you to speak out. However, I found a basic and unforgivable mistake in your blog, just in the front page------- do you know how'China's map like? Why the Tibet has a differnt colour from the mainland? I would like to ask, is this mistake from your so-called innocence or your honesty?

You will note that I still included Tibet.

First of all, I must ask, why are you so secretive/inexplicit about your ethnic origin/nationality?

"To keep things simple, I'm was not born on the Mainland, or to two Chinese parents, so my views are quite different from most Mainlanders, and from most 'overseas Chinese'."

So you weren't born in Mainland China, or to two Chinese parents - meaning you're of mixed ethnicity? And by "overseas Chinese" do you mean Chinese expatriates/immigrants, or ethnic Chinese born abroad? Or does the quotation mean that there is no difference from the point of view of the Chinese government?

My guess is that you are Singaporean or Taiwanese, but that is just my guess.

I learned a long time ago that when discussing controversial issues you tend to pick up ad hominime attacks from people who try to discredit you because they can't discretit your argument. When discussing China, these attacks generally tend to focus on where you come from or what you're background is. For example "You're only saying that because you're Chinese/not Chinese" or, more often, "What would you know you're Chinese so everything you see is censored/you're not Chinese so everything you see is bias against China. My statement on my background was written to imply that I had a knowledge of China that could only be gained from the inside but was not clouded by China's sheltered nature (read: censorship) and its entrenched views (Read: We have 5000 years of history, so we know best), but also that I was well verse in the West and with the view of China from the outside.

Overseas Chinese can be interprited or used in different ways. Generally, I use it to mean ethnic Chinese who were born overseas or who lived overseas from early on, rather than people who moved to overseas while they were adults and who have only lived there for a decade or so. Personally, I also include Hong Kong and Taiwan in this too. I guess that you could count older generations who fled the revolution as Overseas Chinese, though many are just "live overseas" and are pure Chinese at heart.

I believe that the Chinese government more or less counts anybody who was born in China, Honk Kong, Taiwan, Tibet and East Turkistan, but who predominantly lives overseas (regardless of how long they have been there), and their children as being overseas Chinese. If you study overseas as a student and then return, you're not overseas Chinese, just a sea turtle.

Unfortunately you are dealing with the wrong type of crowd if they discredit an argument based on the person; arguments can only be discredited by counter arguments and this is the foundation of reason.

Likewise, you did not answer any of questions - telling me that you hide behind a veil of secrecy in order to make your arguments more legitimate is fraud. How can you call your blog "Angry Chinese Blogger" if you are not Chinese? It would be a non-issue if you called it "Blogging Angrily about China", but for someone to claim an identity yet hide behind an aura of secrecy is illegitimate and you lose all sense of trust for your assertions, no matter how well they hold. It is like someone who is not a waiter to write about waiting experiences; you cannot pull your narratives from out of the sky. Unfortunately the public can never know if the writer is ever a waiter (barring actual contact) - so those stories are the foundations of a blog's trust.

So why should any reader trust your blog, if you cannot defend your own reputation and hide behind a veil of anonymity? The quality of your commentary may be great but it defends nothing. Ad hominem attacks are bad, yes, but is trusting words from the internet. You have no legitimacy if you cannot even tell us your ethnicity because you fear some Chinese-monger will make some racist remarks. And it is quite deserved if you are calling it "Angry Chinese Blogger" if you are not in fact, born in China, or to Chinese parents. Jus soli or jus sanguinis, make your pick.

If you named your blog "Angry Singaporean Blogger" then sure - but you hold neither Chinese citizenship or ethnicity to be hiding behind the legitimacy of actual Chinese (as defined by Chinese and international law). Having knowledge from the inside means nothing. That is like a Westerner teaching English in Japan and making a blog called "Angry Japanese Blogger". Deceptive, false, and detrimental to any reputation a blog strives for.

So will you tell us your ethnicity yet?

"Unfortunately you are dealing with the wrong type of crowd if they discredit an argument based on the person; arguments can only be discredited by counter arguments and this is the foundation of reason."

I agree, unfortunately, this doesn't stop loudmouths from critisizing any person whose argument they can't match.

"you did not answer any of questions"

I gave you a pretty solid reason why I wouldn't answer your question. I'm sticking with it.

"telling me that you hide behind a veil of secrecy in order to make your arguments more legitimate is fraud."

In order to be a fraud I'd have to make a false claim. Please explain where I have done such a thing? As far as I'm concerned, anonymity makes it harder for people to ad hom, they have to face my arguments, not me, or look ridiculous.

"How can you call your blog "Angry Chinese Blogger" if you are not Chinese?"

I said that I lack a "pair" of ethnically Chinese Mainland citizens as parents. There's a difference. What about being culturally Chinese? or being Chinese by nationality as well. Being Chinese is as much about your way of mind and your heritage as anything else. What about being Tibetan?

"Unfortunately the public can never know if the writer is ever a waiter (barring actual contact)"

Except, that the content is the important part.

"So why should any reader trust your blog, if you cannot defend your own reputation and hide behind a veil of anonymity?"

Anonymity means that readers are not clouded by preconceived notions about who I am based on what they think that they know about me. Would you trust me to write objectively on Chinese society if I were to say, for example, that I was some rich overseas Chinese living in Vancouver, who'd only ever visited China on vacation? or to be able to provide an world centric perspective if I said that I'd lived in rural China all of my life? I think not. Would you trust a world that I said about Sino-Taiwanese affairs if I said that I was Mainland, or that I was Taiwanese? both positions leave room for personal bias.

"Ad hominem attacks are bad, yes, but is trusting words from the internet."

It's your choice. You don't have to trust me, you don't have to believe me, you simply have to read what I say and then decide for yourself whether you agree.

"You have no legitimacy if you cannot even tell us your ethnicity because you fear some Chinese-monger will make some racist remarks."

See above.

"And it is quite deserved if you are calling it "Angry Chinese Blogger" if you are not in fact, born in China, or to Chinese parents."

I could quite easily be Taiwanese, or Hong Kong Chinese, or Hainanren. I could also comment thus 中国人 or 中国的? Anywhichway, my point is thus, it doesn't matter who I am, only what I say.

So will you tell us your ethnicity yet?

It's pretty heavily implied throughout my blog. Or do you mean nationality?

Everyone has the right to talk about an issue no matter what it is and always different people have different opinion about it.I'm Chinese(purely) and a patriot . I am not angry with the angrychineseblogger though some of what he said in his articles are incorrect. I'm living in a small city of China . Like angrychineseblogger , I also dissatisfy with some unpleasent things taking place around me such as corruption,wider income gap,social injustice . It's normal that everybody wants to show his bright side and will feel unpleasent when others pointing out his dark side(esp in China ,this is a longtime tradition) .But Chinese people shouldn't ignore those problems that indeed exist and be angry with any criticisms.I think part of angrychineseblogger's writings are quite meaningful and useful for our country.There is large room for our country to improve . However, I cannot agree with you on some points.I'm 25 and I guess you are of my same generation .I travel a lot in my spare time and have accumulated some social experience but I didn't see even hear some of your discreptions of Chinese facts from my friends and relatives .If you come to China with eyes to finding faults with ,I guess you may find everything you want but I doubt their objectivity.

Excellent blog, I am reading it with much interest. I am happy someone is still alive out there. Keep going. And if you are interested, also give a look to my blog: http://educateprotest.blogspot.com/ To me it is one giant issue for humanity not to allow dictatures to go too far agains poor and innocent people. Otherwise we will believe in ourselves even less of what we are doing just now.

hmm i am an american born and raised uhg!! as much as i have hated it and dislike much of americans and its way of life. the facts are is that there is really no such nationality as " american " its just a name that is labeled for politics out side the states i live in chian i have been here allmost 2 years and there is far more freedom in china than that of the united states. allso might i add is that the " so called american attitude is so twisted" the fact is that most newer neo americanized have doubled so if you put every other person and their own country into one country does this become the american attitude? hmmm. american attitude is every nations attitude!............. all mixed in one ( remember that america is one big hotpot! )

sure there is some corruption possibly in china hell many chinese are richer than many americans /foreigners but if you actually ever lived or been around the most darkest societys which lie in america you would soon find out that china is far more better and more peacefull and tollerable esp. towards people then chinese government helps the very poor and country peoples education they help the poor and elderly for their hospital and give them homes american doesnt do this and when they do you need to be a long waiting and every year you must sign you'r name to be back on the list and the government insurance of anykind is next to nothing so remember esp chinese citizens you have it better than you think you have a wide culture of those who can help support each other

america is one on one ! every man for him/her self

and most chinese parents buy their childrens homes no matter how much they make. in foreign lands parents hardly ever do this and besides that i seen more bmw's in china than in america a guy in hefei owns 7 ferraries man! and so on

so let me know?> what new out there in china allways hoping to hear from you guys and will be willing to learning

wow! last night hmm so damn late and tired i was not sure how ever as i noticed here and can not edit for some odd reason? or enother! well i have done a weird typoe as if it was chinglish hmm this may have been cause of me staying in china for a while so long ago it seems that bad habits are hard to not follow?! lol well luckily whether it be chinglish or engching as long as people can get the hint quite so often foreigners do mess up on its own natural language of course its only becuase of survival so i have known and know some foreigners who have stayed here much longer and they have admitted that they have either had a short term forgotness or have totally ignored the signs

so tell me how many out there have or can admit to the double crossing language barrier?

麦天明,

I ordinarily don't comment on English usage of netizens, but your English belies your claim to be an ABC. It's not Chinglish, but there are little errors in usage here and there, not to mention endless run-on sentences, that indicate you were not fully educated in US schools. If you were, you ought to file a lawsuit against your high school for graduating you with a diploma.

ABC,

I would like to send you an email, but I couldn't find your email address. You have mine through my comment. Would you mind contacting me? We used to spar over at TPD.

Er, I think that you have misunderstood. I'm not ABC (American-Born-Chinese), in fact I've said this quite often. I don't hold American citizenship and I make no claim to be American in any way shape or form. Not by birth, culture, or nationalization.

I attended several schools in the West during my life but only as a regular student, not an English language student. I know how to write in English because I know how to speak it but I've had minimal English usage education. That is why my usage of punctuation is poor. Everything else, such as spelling and grammar mistakes is 100% pure laziness on my part. I often don't think about the sentences before I write them and I change the tense halfway though or something silly like that, then I don't proof read.

Ironically, I actually graded very well in English at high school.

ACB,

I think you misunderstood. My previous comments about being an ABC and English were directed not at you, but at 麦天明 tim, who moaned, "hmm i am an american born and raised uhg." Goodness, your English is better than mine. You didn't send me an email, perhaps because you thought I had insulted your English proficiency. I just wanted to ask you if you knew of any good Chinese language blogs or websites where knowledgeable Chinese discuss issues related to the Korean peninsula.

Sorry, you're right. I did misunderstand. I send my profuse apologies.

I hope that you understand but I don't give out my email address to anybody whom could link that address to this blog. I want to protect my privacy.

I'm an intern at Campus Progress (part of the Center for American Progress). I'm working on a piece about bloggers in China and was wondering if you'd be interested in talking to me. You can check out Campus Progress at www.campusprogress.org or e-mail me at kwalker@americanprogress.org. Thanks!

Hi ACB,

As a brash American college student, I have little compunction in admitting in my first clause both my nationality and my occupation, with a solid hint at my age. Nevertheless, I appreciate your reserve and very thoughtful commentary. In spending a little time to look at at your comments, I think there is much to learn from you, even as I disagree with some of your positions. It is very exciting to find online someone who is both knowledgeable and level headed. I look forward to reading more and perhaps contributing once I have something appropriate to add.

Cheers, Chris

Nice to have you on board. Feel free to disagree with anything that takes your fancy. This blog has two primary purposes, the first one is to bring people news and views that they would not otherwise see, and the second one is stimulate debate by showing people that every argument has at least two sides, often more.

Hi Angry Chinese Blogger, could you send me an email at robyn(at)orato.com? I am an editor at Orato.com, a citizen journalism website and I was wondering if you would be willing to write stories/blogs for us about the events leading up to the 2008 Games. Hope to hear from you soon, Robyn

Sorry, I barely have time to write for my own blog. If you agree to correct my grammar and to credit me, you can just cite my blog if you want to cite me just so long as it's not as a loudmouth rabble rouser, or anything bad like that.

you are gay and jewish! fraking kike!

1) Never met a Chinese Jew, or even an overseas Chinese Jew. Can Chinese even be Jewish? 2) homosexuality is not a problem in China 3) There are no Chinese K*kes, it is a foreign problem 4) fraking? What is this, Battle Star Galactica? Maybe when your name is Lee Adama I will take that one seriously, but until that day I will just laugh at you. Seriously, what kind of person actually talks like that?

I believe that the correct response here is that "it's better to be a homosexual Jewish blah blah blah, than it is to be you".

What are you, like, 12 years old? I think that I hear your momma calling you to get of the PC and to clean your room.

Jim:

"Do you read Kipling?"

No, never. My study of Western literature was very limited and primarily encompassed the English classics (Lit: Shakespeare) and 20th century American literature.

"China could not achieve its proper place in the world due to all those marauding U.S. carrier battlegroups"

If you look at the psychology of the Chinese nationalist it is possible to conclude that such a statement actually has many parts to it that and that US CAG is just the way that these parts are expressed.

Firstly the writer is angry at the presence of US military forces so close to China. In the past colonial powers such as Britain (And America, to a lesser extent) used to sail warships down China's rivers and sit them outside population or economic centers, or march platoons of troops up and down. They didn't have to fire a shot, their mere pretense was an act of intimidation. The threat if force, if you will. Like the school bully having a couple of their pet thugs stand next to your locker in the morning. Well, China remembers those days well, and feels that the US military is doing this now. Reminding China that the threat of force is always an option and that China is not able to do anything about it.

Secondly that the writer is noting the fact that fact that the US will always move to counter any military advance that China makes, regardless of its intentions, and will always mark these advances as a threat. Even if they aren't. For example, if China builds a missile shield, America will declare it to be a dangerous advancement move more missiles into the Pacific. Even if the shield is build around a population center such as Shanghai, rather than a military installation. If China dug bomb shelters under middle schools, Washington would invest in more bunker buster. This isn't good for China's image of America.

Lastly, whenever the author is also more than likely noting the fact that the US will always move to counter Chinese influence around the world. Be it political, economic, or military. This brings back the Chinese idea that "foreigners are keeping China down" which is lodged within the Mainland psychology.

"a PLA that is content to sit within its borders would have no concerns about U.S. anything, especially now that China holds so much U.S. debt."

I think that you have forgotten about 2 critical points.

Firstly, that China considers its borders to encompass Taiwan. This makes US power in the Pacific an important factor to the PLA. To many Mainlanders the US Pacific power base is a giant finger flipping it the bird on a daily basis. This really burns many Mainlanders. It's a constant reminder of the days when whites not only ruled the world but also much of China. I don't know how to explain it to you in familiar term without going to extremes, so you will have to excuse this one for being in fantasy land: It's like Osama Bin Laden being granted international immunity by the UN and then broadcasting pictures of himself on every cable network, day in, day out, taunting America for being powerless to do anything.

Secondly, while you may consider the US to be peaceful and its power not being of concern, this is not how many people internationally see the US. As noted above, many people see the internaitonal presence of US forces as being a like holstered pistol. It's there and can b used.

Please put yourself in China's shoes. Imagine what it would be like if China had a couple of CAG based in Cuba and was running spy planes down the US coast just like America is doing to China. How would you feel?

"I worry about a Chinese curse - "May you live in interesting times""

While some would dispute that this really was a Chinese curse, I think that I will just settle for saying that I don't remember a time when we weren't "living in interesting times".

"That nasty little act has been a favorite of despots since they were all kings."

I remember a lot more than that. America went into Vietnam and Panama because of political pressures at home rather than any fears over the plight of the local people. The same is true for many other actions. Fortunately, or rather unfortunately, depending on which side you look at it from, Beijing is far more likely to use the PLA to quell internal problems than it is to use them to start a foreign war to distract from them. Remember one key thing about Beijing: Beijing leads the people, it is not lead by the people. Starting a foreign war to detract from a domestic problem is not in its nature.

The one exception to this would of course be Taiwan, but any action against Taiwan would be preceded by an overseas action such as a declaration of independence, rather than by social unrest on the Mainland.

My name is Dennis Holmgreen, and I'm the leadsinger, and thus representing, the Danish band: Shire.

We've been following the Free Tibet Campaign closely and came to the point where we felt that we had to contribute the best way we can. We write songs - so that was what we did. We are convinced that music can be a powerful tool to spread a message, and the Internet to spread that message worldwide. So we made a video to the song we wrote: "The Identity Beneath Every Tyranny", and uploaded it to YouTube. The song and video are given away for free to everyone, so you may use it as you please.

Thank you for everything you do in the struggle for a Free Tibet.

Video: http://youtube.com/watch?v=oyCkCOMjeJk Music: http://shire.dk/album_RB.html

Best Regards

/Dennis Holmgreen

Hi ACB...

I have just come across your site and finished scrolling through the comments on this particular thread. Interesting stuff. I look forward to reading more. As an American living in Hong Kong, which is NOT China as you mention, though China thinks it is, I am intrigued by the dichotomy that exists here and there. I imagine this is going to be a busy few months for you with the increased scrutiny from all sides concerning all things China. I have only just ventured into Mainland China (I was one of the last groups to be issued visas so am feeling pretty lucky about that.) Thus far I have found the contradictions and hypocrisy of China to be more fascinating than anything else, and how ML Chinese are perceived by the Hong Kongers has been even more amazing. In light of the recent issues in Tibet and the hoopla surrounding the Olympics, the love-hate-love-hate-love relationship has been enlightening to see in action.

On a side note, I was wondering about your disinterest in coming forward with your nationality/ethnicity. You said this was because you didn't want ad hom attacks based on that information though one of your responses to an earlier commenter was "You show the typical blindness of somebody raised among whites. Take your white talk somewhere else." Seems a bit, erm... ad hom. Or were you being ironic and I missed it?

Regardless, I am very interested in delving deeper into this blog and hope that, though I was raised among whites, I can talk in technicolor.

Amanda:

I'm the "Angry" Chinese Blogger. So, naturally, I sometimes get angry at people. Feel free to browse my blog. It's a little sparse at the moment but if you go back a bit you'll find that I typically used to post every other day.

This is not related to China,but there are some things that never get said in the world media and I would like for you or someone to say something about it.Can I "request" an article/page?

I only really do China on this blog.

This website is truely pointless, for much of it is truely uninteresting. If you felt in the past dumb enough to post your email adress on this infernal blog, I would remove it immediatly at the risk of many viruses. (I mean it, Bozo) I would truely love to see all of the ****** (Obscenity deleted)on the rest of your blog, however I seem to ged nausea each time I considder clicking another shortcut. **** anyone ****** crazy enough to leave a positive comment on this website. If you want an uncensored version of this comment, visit my blog,. Thank you/ **** u depending on who u r

Oh, joy. What a pointless comment. No style, no substance, not even a real point.

Since you seem to enjoy ah-hom barages maybe I should return the favor. You're a critic who can't even pick a topic to be critical about, and I can't help but wonder if this is because you don't know the subject well enough to debate it out with me. you're afraid that I could shoot down anything that you say and make you look a fool.

At least I have an excuse for my poor level of English, what's yours? Did you sleep though your classes, or just skip them. When Chinese have a higher level of English that you do, it's no wonder that you hide behind inane comments.

FYI: Readers, ACB only took out the one obscenity, the posted *ed out the rest of their own volition.

Hey ACB,

Since you don't give out an email address, and I couldn't find any other way to contact you I thought this would be the best way. I recently read an interesting article about the Chinese Auto Industry that I thought you might enjoy: http://www.monsterauto.ca/chinese-cars.php

Hello,

My name is Angulo Fu, from China. My blog is China Business Daily, the URL is: http://china-business-daily.blogspot.com/. It is a blog focus on global business news and industry movements, especially Chinese. I think your blog (angrychineseblogger.blog-city.com) is very professional and interesting, I really like it. Are you interested in friendly link exchange? Please give me a feed back. Thank you very much!

Waitting for your letter!

Hey! I am still in high school and i am curious about what you are writing. I didn't get much time to read all of it but what I read was really interesting. I have tried several times befor to post a comment but always chickened out...so please don't laugh or think im a 'child'. I whould really like to talk with you over these comment post thingys and get to know how you see things. I too have my own opinion about things and I whould like to share them. eh heh....so i'll write more when i know more about your blogg.

nobody like dictatorships...

so long as they are around they will be portrayed badly in the media, since they are seen as the enemy and fraternising with them is done with caution as the chance of one day having to face them in war (hence we may need to kill each other) then there is the reason why relations are tense and biased-

i find the fact that a communist country can have all sorts of freedom around the world a bitter pill to swallow, especially given such countries give nothing in return-

the other thing that angers people is places that call themselves "democratic peoples republic" when they are clearly not democratic, not for the people and not a republic-

personally, i don't care what happens in dictatorships, but i do care that they trade on our stockmarkets and work for our companies, which means our spending pays their regimes-

finally, it angers me to see rediculous institutions like the UN where western countries are expected to rely on votes from countries like china in order to solve their own problems... 1. china doesn't give anyone the right to even speak their mind never mind vote 2. it doesn't concern everycountry in the world when a country is attacked 3. international law is a farce, who is going to force russia or america to obey?

You seem to be laboring under a number of misconceptions.

Firstly and fore mostly, China is NOT a communist state. China is a LEGALIST state with public ownership of farmland. When you get right down to it China is a Capitalist free market state the likes of which the US could only dream off. Private ownership of business is not only legal but it is VERY easy, and because there are so few regulations companies can rise or fall on their own merits much faster than they can in countries like the US where there are all sorts of complex taxes and labor laws and competition laws. The Chinese welfare state is also minimal, and it's education system is stat supported rather than state funded as in the US. John McCain would love to get away with the level of welfare spending that China gets away with. China's welfare system makes Barrack Obama look like the communist.

Secondly, China has all sorts of freedoms around the world because that's the way that a globalized market works. You need to face facts, China is a political and economic power, and without it countries like the US wold be a lot worse off. Take everything that you own that was make in China, and then total up how much more it would have cost you if you'd brought it from elsewhere. You're Chinese made DVD player and TV would have cost you a couple of hundred bucks extra if they were made in Japan, and your clothes would be the same. You're standard of living would be lower if it wasn't for cheap Chinese imports. If you think that your spending is paying for regimes like China you may also wish to think about the companies that you are spending money in, too. If Walmart stocked only American made goods its prices would be higher and its profits would be lower, and it would also be much smaller. Think of the loss to the US economy. You're spending on cheap Chinese goods is keeping your own country in the money, too.

You may also wish to take a look at the UN and take note that their reverse is also true, China is dependent on Western votes, as well. It's a game of give and take. America supports Chian on one issue, China supports America on another.

1) China doesn't stop others from having free speech, or democracy. In fact China is one of the worlds single largest providers of peacekeeping troops, in this way it actively supports freedom and democracy in places such as Africa and Asia. 2) Poland, 1939? 3) It depends what they are doing. Chinese nukes will force America to obey some laws, and the Chinese economy will force it to obey others. China is one of the biggest holders of dollars and US treasury debts in the world. If America were to try to invade somewhere that China cared about Beijing could wipe out the US economy simply by selling these assets and sending the dollar into the ground.

Hey, i just wanted to know if you consider yourself as a so-called "angry youth"-feqing?

Thanks xx

Hey

i just wanted to know if you consider yourself as a so-called "angry youth"-fenqing?

Thanks, xx

Me? No, not in the slightest. I'm the complete antithesis of a Fenqing. Fenqing are fierce nationalists who follow a creed of "heart first" (Nationalism based on a passion for nationalism). I'm an analyst, so for me the analysis comes first and foremost and nationalism can go hang. I will defend China when it is being unfairly treated but if I see a fault I will call it, rather than deny it as a Fenqing would.

It's sweet of you to suggest that I might be young enough to be a Fenqing, though.

haha.

Sorry for my question, after spending one hour reading you blog, the answer was quite obvious. I laughed a lot btw thanks (i haved lived in China as well).

I'm French and i'm writing a thesis about fenqing, do you know the most famous or popular blogs of fenqing? ( would be easier for me in English, but in Chinese is also ok)

Merci! x

"do you know how'China's map like? Why the Tibet has a differnt colour from the mainland"

Maybe ACB is trying to state that, while Tibet is under China, it still must be granted a genuine Autonomy. As a Tibetan, i believe that we are so different in so many levels but yet we have so many things in common. I trully support a genuine autonomy but it has not yeiled any fruit in the last 50 years. instead the reppression by Beijing upon Tibetans has gone worst. You should def consider staying with a Tibetan family and you will see and realize that Tibetans are very unique and thus it is very hard to consider them as Chinese because of their language, culture, tradition, religion (mahayana), religious activity, diet..etc etc.. i can go on and on....

but lastly i wanted restate that, genuine autonomy is fine but the REPRESSION OF TIBETANS MUST BE STOPPED !

Very interesting blogger. it is a mind-opener. i just wish people in this world is open-minded enough.

Dear Sir, Im writing from Karachi, Pakistan and would love to have a word with you. Went through your blog and we would be honored if we can speak to you for a few minutes. This can be done via 'Skype' or whatever means you prefer. We have a show called 'Wired and Active' which is all about the blogging world and blogging and how political activism on the internet is the means of change for the new generation. Our website is www.dawn.com and on it, is the W&A page. Do check us out and if possible email me. Sorry for taking your time Sincerely Yours Adnaan

cheers from Canada. I like your posts. Maybe a part of them to tough about China but you know better then me :)

I accidentally found your blog whilst looking for a mature Beijing blogger on Tibetan issues. I have to say I am happily surprised to have found you instead. I was born and raised in mainland china, but spent rest of my life in UK. I find myself in extreme isolation on Human Rights, Religion & Culture and Environmental Protection issues amongst the mainland chinese community abroad.

I would love to be a friend and exchange ideas more. I write frequently, but not in blog format, only on facebook notes. I am however in the process of creating a blog and uploading notes onto it, as i think it has better access to everyone.

If you use facebook, please add me :)

China is now consider as one of the world's superpower, mainly because of her egnormous amount of human resources, by consumming this human resources, the Chinese government successfully turn it into profit and trumendous economic growth. However there are lots of problems with this kind of system, unfortunately, this system will not be changed at least for another 50 years. The society system, and the political system will only be changed due to economic need, therefore if one day, Chinese enconomic situation shifts dramatically, there will be a force to push the political system to change. Concequently, from my opinion, to blame China for what the government is doing now, is useless, and will not work. Finally, there are lots of people in China actually believe the society is doing great. Change the society is already hard enough, but change people's thougth is even harder. We can only hope, one day the people in China will realize China needs a change, and let's hope China will get her chance to change, and once again be prosperous. China god bless you.

James:

This would probably be a good time for ACB to point out that this was exactly how countries such as Britain, Japan and America became developed countries. They developed the efficiency of their agriculture to the point that they could produce more food with fewer workers, leaving them with a large surplus population that became free to work in factories. Don't bank on things changing any time soon. It took Britain 150 years to become a service economy, Japan 100 years, and America still hasn't made the transition completely. It could take China another 100 years to develop to that stage. More if there is an economic setback or political instability.

On the other hand, if China did develop to that stage it could be a very bad thing for the US. It could even destroy the US way of life. For the last 20 years the US has been able to afford a higher standard of living than ever before due to the import of cheap manufactured goods from China. Mostly clothing, electronics and homewares. But if China develops into a service economy the price of Chinese made goods will increase, which in turn will increase the cost of US consumer goods, forcing US consumers to pay higher prices for everything from socks and childrens' toys to DVD players and furniture.

How would you like to pay 20c in the dollar more for everything that was made in China because more Chinese are becoming bankers and white collar workers, and less are becoming factory workers.

Don't bank on other countries to take up the slack. Most poor countries will take years, even decades, to develop to the stage where they can compensate. It's taken China 20 years to get to this level, and it will take them at least that long, too.

Madam,

This is Raja Basu, a blogging enthusiast from India.

I really liked your blog. I was just browsing through Global Voices Online blog postings, when I came across angrychineseblogger.blog-city.com, and loved it immediately. I also loved the way you have talked about yourself, a serious stuff with a subtle touch of humour.

As a blogging enthusiast I like to interact with bloggers across the world, especially with the ones who love to write on Current Affairs (politics, economy, etc.), which is my favourite subject as well. This explains why I love visiting Global Voices Online.

Can I please request you to have a look at my blog, whenever you have time?

Regards

Raja Basu

Noida (adjacent to New Delhi)

Republic of India

Blog - Potpourri (rajabasu.blogspot.com)

it's all cyclical.

ABC,

China is a Communist country, it just isn't truly Socialist. A better name for it would be "Command Capitalism". You can't even make a bowling leage in China without getting permission from the government, and political freedom is a farce. Economic freedom is a necessity. Chicoms are power hungry, but they aren't idealogues. They don't care what color the cat is, as long as it catches mice. Capitalism is one of their useful cats. Chinese love money and prosperity, and as long as they are focused on that, they won't complain in public about how the government is abusing them in other ways.

VotR

ZK

Vanguard of the Republic:

China a Communist country? Oh, you foreigners make ACB laugh. you have clearly either been watching too much Fox or two much CCTV.

China isn't even remotely Communist. Under Mao China was on the path to Communism but that was all abandoned under Deng. China had a revolution and it kicked out the landlord classes, but that was about it. Even at the hight of the revolution China was little more than a legalist country that had undergone land redistribution, with some Communist flavoring thrown in for good measure in the form of state owned enterprise, but even Capitalist countries of the time had state ownership. Many still do even after China has privatized or disbanded many of its state owned companies.

You say that Chinese love money. That is not true. Chinese love eating enough food not to be hungry and sleeping in warm homes even when it is cold outside. They also love being able to afford school fees for their children, and medicine in case they get sick. ACB thinks that cannot truly appreciate what this means unless you have been cold and poor and hungry yourself, and are now being presented with a chance to protect your children from such a fate.

It is true that Chinese prefer stability and economic progress to Western style freedom, but as ACB has already said it is unlikely that you can appreciate why most Chinese are willing to foregone the prusuit of Western style freedom in exchange for food and shelter, and for the futures of their children.

You can be as free as you like, but if you've lost the skin on your feet to frostbite, and you are constantly hungry because you're giving most of your food to your children, all of the freedom in the world won't do you much good. You will have the right to complain, and you've got the right to elect a leader to complain to, but the only kind of freedom that will put food on the table is economic freedom, and even that is worthless in a chaotic country because who would invest in a China that was at civil war with itself. Which is what would have happened if the government wasn't a strong are regime.

Chinese look across the border to India where they have much freedom, but where they are poorer than in China and were there are so-called Maoists, and all kinds of separatists, setting off bombs everyday, and they they are glad to be Chinese. Then they look at America and they see that freedom of speech means the freedom to buy and sell hard core pornography, and the freedom to make rap songs where every other word is a curse word about raping women or killing men. Then they look at American elections where every dirty trick in the book is used to blacken the character of your opponent, like the Swift Boat Veterans in 2004, or the accusations that Obama was a Muslim in 2008. Then there's the freedom to carry guns. Chinese would give up much of the freedom that they have to avoid that.

Chinese would rather have food and warmth than freedom, and they would rather have a safe and healthy environment for their children. The West can keep its freedom. The Chinese people would like more freedom some times, but not like you have.

I love your blog very much, and it's a pretty impressive action you take ! keep going we are on the same track:

http://justiceinchina.blogspot.com/