

China and environs






6 thoughts on “Explaining China, Part I: The Scope of This Series, Which Includes the PRC, the ROC, the Han, and Greater China

  1. China is the other great civilizational center. Much of what China uses as civilizational instruments was developed in situ, from writing, to the number system, to much philosophy. However, that philosophy was unbalanced, too much under the influence of Confucius (whose works have been under care from the same family inside the same city for 60 generations or more).

    China developed an examination system which, in theory, enabled the most cognitively qualified to rule. Thus Mandarins and not aristocrats were in command. At least in theory.

    This system, admirable in principle, was flawed in practice, as China got terminally invaded at least twice. The Mongol invasion came close to annihilation, when some of Genghis Khan’s generals proposed to exterminate the Chinese and change the ecology (!)

    The primary civilization center is the Indo-European ensemble (which crucially incorporated Egypt, where a lot of what came to be known as Greek mathematics, was discovered).

    Now we have basically just one civilization, worldwide, so the misadventures of China are highly instructive.

    To understand Europe, the last 500,000 years have proved necessary (Neanderthals started to burn coal, 80,000 years ago). In the case of China, the last 5,000 years are crucial.
    Now, granted all and any explanation can only be incomplete. What is important is to introduce new ideas, and that includes new hierarchy in what is more important, and what is not.

    Right now, China seems severely influenced by the Germany of the Second Reich, and its incredible fast scientific, technological, mercantilist, and economic expansion… At the cost of a more general, more pacific mood. That uncanny comparison is quite a bit spooky. An evidence is the madness about the south of the South China Sea.

    As in Germany, starting 165 years ago, increasing aggressiveness towards foreign powers seems to be the glue which keeps the dictatorship together. It went with the savage surprise attack on the world of August 1914, and then the encore of Nazism. Not a reassuring comparison.

    Thus, I will be waiting with interest for your next installments.

    Liked by 1 person

  2. I love the subject, Robert. My husband and I went back packing in mainland China in 2004. We do have friends who live there. One lady was a Phd. student of my husbands. It is an amazing culture.

    Liked by 3 people

  3. Pingback: Explaining China, Part III: Basic International Etiquette Involving the Chinese, the Koreans, the Japanese, and Westerners | RobertLovesPi's Blog

  4. Pingback: Explaining China, Part IV: A Response to “War with China” Hysteria | RobertLovesPi's Blog

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