In the West and Japan, there might be a belief that when China becomes strong, it will seek revenge against them. This is actually quite different from the Chinese perspective. There is an ancient Chinese saying: “Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself.” If you don't want to be treated a certain way, you shouldn't treat others that way. If, after becoming strong, we seek revenge for past persecutions, we would be becoming the very thing we detest. So, I always believe that at most, China might engage in punitive wars, but attempting to invade the West or Japan? Impossible.
Due to the atrocities committed by Japanese fascism in China, such as massacres and human experiments, there are indeed extreme opinions about "wiping out the Japanese." However, when seriously discussing potential conflict between China and Japan, the general sentiment is that ordinary Japanese people are not at fault. The focus should be on capturing officials and far-right extremists who still promote Japanese fascism, and dismantling the Yasukuni Shrine artifacts related to war criminals. Chinese hostility towards Japan largely stems from Japan's unrepentant stance on WWII issues—saying one thing publicly but doing another privately.
“Strong men are angry and draw their swords against stronger foes; weak men are angry and draw their swords against those weaker than themselves.”
I apologize if I caused you any discomfort. About a month ago, I learned about Lemmy, and I was quietly observing, like a crab blowing bubbles in the water. Then, a few days ago, I saw a post asking, "Is Lemmy banned in China?" That sparked a thought in me: "Hey, why not register and communicate with everyone to share some real information about China?" So, I submitted an application to the admins and joined the Lemmy community.
It's like a little crab suddenly swimming up from the riverbed to the surface, announcing its presence to every passing fish. This might indeed annoy the fish. As time goes by, I might become like one of the small fish, blowing bubbles together with you all in a friendly way on some issues. Or perhaps, I will return to the riverbed, continuing to be a quiet crab blowing bubbles. 😂
As a Chinese person, when I was very young, I learned from books that "the Jewish people are a wise people; they put honey on books to let children know that knowledge is sweet." Before I went to university at 18, I believed that Jews were very smart, like Einstein. All my knowledge came from books. After I started university, I got my first mobile phone, and then I started accessing the internet. This led to a collapse of my worldview, as some things I had firmly believed in began to be questioned by myself. My perception of Jews was just one of many aspects that changed.
Chinese people do not discriminate against Jews. As I experienced, due to widespread propaganda, Jews have a generally positive and subtle reputation in China. The situation is more like a backlash caused by a mismatch between the promotional image and the actual product. Previously, Jews were portrayed as very wise and polite, but when the reality turned out to be different, people felt deceived, which led to what the article calls "anti-Semitism." However, in fact, on the Chinese internet, people are just bringing up the wrongdoings that some Jews have done.
Among Jews, there are both good and bad people. I support Jewish Voice for Peace and believe that a wandering people should not be discriminated against anywhere. However, Zionists want to hijack all Jews, using the concentration camps from World War II as an emotional card to coerce everyone onto their bandwagon. When the actions of Israel in Gaza reach China, almost all Chinese people are reminded of the atrocities committed by Japanese fascists in China, treating Chinese people like livestock for slaughter. The suffering of the Palestinians makes us empathize deeply. When their homes are destroyed and their relatives killed, it is reminiscent of our past. I saw a group of Israelis holding hands and dancing in front of UN emergency relief supplies to block the aid. It tore my heart apart. I don't know what to say, I can only say that the Palestinians are incredibly enduring. If it were me and most Chinese people, we simply couldn't endure it.
China has never oppressed or persecuted Jews. China even sheltered Jews in Shanghai, and the current Prime Minister of Israel has praised this. But ironically, it seems that now China still does not compare to Germany in the eyes of Israel.
In China, there is an old saying used by the elderly to criticize the young: "I have eaten more salt than you have eaten rice." Nowadays, young people respond to stubborn elders with, "Old thing, you should have blown up your gold coins by now."“老东西，早该爆金币了” .It's like defeating a boss and getting loot.Some older people are still reasonable, and there is a consensus in China that young people are considered "energetic," "the future of China," and "the sun at eight or nine in the morning."
In modern Chinese history, young people were the main force in revolutions. During the New Culture Movement, young Chinese fought against the rigid and dogmatic elders who adhered to "ancient teachings" and "ancestral laws." In the May Fourth Movement, students mobilized workers and the petty bourgeoisie to prevent further colonial infringement on China's sovereignty (such as the transfer of Shandong from Germany to Japan, even though China was considered a victor in World War I).《少年中国说》 "The Young China" essay from the New Culture Movement is something every Chinese middle school student learns. Publicly belittling young people can only happen in small circles; on the internet and in real life, such behavior will be ridiculed.
If we look at it from a family perspective, unfortunately, most Chinese people believe that children should listen to their parents. Of course, extreme control over children is also criticized in China. How important a child's personal thoughts are depends on the parents.
If you are referring to expressing political views, people may criticize each other based on differing political opinions, but they won't discriminate against you just because you are young, and there are no special privileges either.
In terms of politics, in China, one must start from the grassroots level to enter politics. Even if you have connections, it can only speed up your promotion slightly (if too fast, unless you are very capable, you will be reported to the discipline inspection commission as there is no shortage of competitors in officialdom). Therefore, many Chinese politicians are already middle-aged or elderly because people generally believe they have more experience and stability.
You might want to look at 《风波》"The Gale" from Lu Xun's 《呐喊》"Call to Arms" during the New Culture Movement, which might be similar to what you mentioned.
Thank you for answering my question. Many Chinese people judge Western gender diversity issues based on reproductive organs, which leads to widespread misunderstandings. Additionally, when we watch international news, we often see cases where some individuals exploit gender diversity to evade legal consequences, exacerbating the negative perception of gender diversity. Because news needs to attract viewers, those who lawfully live within gender diversity are often overlooked, resulting in the stigmatization of gender diversity.
In my opinion, the issue of gender diversity is an attempt to answer "Who am I?" This indeed falls within the realm of personal spirit. But as you know, people have subjective initiative. When someone identifies as a gender-diverse individual and takes action, their behavior can be observed and is material. Just like with God, no one has seen or touched God; God seems to exist only as a concept passed down orally and retained in people's minds. However, God's believers are real people in life, and they deeply influence the world. Historically, there were events like the Crusades, and in modern times, there are large-scale pilgrimages to holy cities and global anti-terrorism wars resulting from extreme religious beliefs. These events affect us on a material level. While God may hold no value to materialists, God holds great value to believers. Therefore, listening to believers' needs and guiding their productivity towards promoting social development is meaningful to materialists.
In my view, your comparison of gender diversity with God is correct, as both attempt to answer the ultimate questions of "Who am I?" and "Where am I going?" This is also why strong suppression of gender diversity is bound to be harmful, as such suppression essentially denies an individual's independent personality.
Due to 1) the ancient Chinese concept of people's livelihood, 2) the influence of the October Revolution on modern China, and 3) the deep-rooted image of the Communist Party of China in China, most Chinese people have a different perspective on leftism. They believe leftists are more inclined to be: 1) willing to eliminate poverty in a practical way (not by making empty promises), 2) honest and upright, and 3) willing to fight against social injustice, similar to Lenin's concept of the "vanguard of the proletariat." More radical individuals believe that communists and leftists abroad fighting social injustice through protests and demonstrations are somewhat "playing house." They think people should arm themselves and directly overthrow the government (which I find impractical and contrary to Lenin's "three elements of revolution"). Leftism in China is generally viewed positively, but it can be said that there are various factions, just as the Russian Revolution was divided into Bolsheviks and Mensheviks.
As a Chinese person, I can share my own observations from both online and real life:
LGBTQ+
There is almost no public promotion of LGBTQ+ issues in China. LGBTQ+ individuals are not considered a mainstream group, and most people are indifferent to them. Online, many references to LGBTQ+ are just jokes or memes meant to entertain, not necessarily to mock the community. For instance, phrases like "Bro, you smell so good" are popular online jokes. In real life, if you are part of the LGBTQ+ community, it doesn't really matter to most people; everyone has their own life. However, if LGBTQ+ individuals try to date heterosexuals, it usually leads to discomfort. If a child wants to identify as LGBTQ+, it depends on their parents, and most parents do not approve. Also, since LGBTQ+ concepts are seen as coming from Western countries, some LGBTQ+ individuals who are perceived as overly admiring Western culture can face backlash. Chinese public opinion generally acknowledges heterosexuality, homosexuality, and bisexuality, but concepts like "72 genders" and "gender fluidity" are seen as incomprehensible. Phrases like "My gender is an attack helicopter, and I want to screw a tank" are commonly used to mock the plethora of gender identities in the West.
Women's Rights
As a socialist country, women's rights are well-protected in China. Prostitution is illegal (to combat human trafficking). In stable government jobs, women make up a large proportion. However, there are some peculiarities: women have maternity leave, and some declare pregnancy right after being hired to receive paid maternity leave and then resign afterward. In government jobs, some women may claim they cannot handle the workload and pass their responsibilities to male colleagues or other female colleagues, leading to a form of hidden hiring discrimination in some companies and government units.
Anti-Racism
Chinese people generally focus on a person's actions rather than their race. Discrimination tends to be based on an individual's behavior, regardless of skin color or ethnicity. Ethnic minorities in China receive preferential treatment, with special funds to promote their traditional cultures and extra points on college entrance exams. However, as the economic conditions of some minorities have become comparable to the Han majority, places like Shandong are considering abolishing these extra points. Ethnic minorities like Tibetans and Mongolians also have the option to take their college entrance exams in their native languages. During my university years, Mongolian students often joked that they didn’t ride horses to school.
Respect for Youth and the Elderly
I don't quite understand the concept of "respecting the youth." Is it similar to bowing to someone in Japan? In China, as the birthplace of Confucianism, respecting the elderly and caring for the young are considered traditional virtues and are commonly practiced in daily life. However, due to the "Peng Yu case," where a judge asked, "If you didn't knock the old person down, why did you help them up?" many people are now wary of helping fallen elderly individuals for fear of being extorted (which has happened multiple times). Such extortionists are referred to as "taking advantage of their old age."
I think the current situation of the Philippines with China is similar to Vietnam's situation with China in the 1970s. Vietnam signed an agreement with the Soviet Union, and the Philippines has received guarantees from the United States. If the Philippines keeps pushing China's bottom line, then we can watch the script unfold.
There is no need to worry. If you sincerely help others, they will notice it.
Although I feel that China has the strength to defeat the US within the First Island Chain and has been preparing for war, I do not believe China will proactively initiate a war with the US. It is more likely to punish America's allies, causing America's security guarantees to fail, possibly targeting the Philippines.
If a direct conflict with the US does occur, continue with your usual activities, pay attention to official announcements, and express your aversion to all wars。Expressing regret for the loss of lives on both sides (do not appear happy when discussing a war, as this may provoke hostility from the public,). Do not act like a spy by obsessively inquiring about military matters, harming others, or deliberately deceiving others to gain an advantage for the US military.
Do not apply the precedent of the US placing Japanese-Americans in internment camps during World War II to China.
·6 months ago
·6 months ago