Thoughts on China

While we're talking of thorny international issues, I have a modest proposal for the US.

The next time China whines about how international imperialism deprived it of the fair and beautiful island of Taiwan--where even those who proudly and loudly call themselves Chinese seem very wary of reunification just yet--the US needs to put a counter-offer on the table.

Let's ask the international community to de-recognize and penalize those counter-revolutionary reactionaries and running dogs of English imperialism who live north of Line Forty-nine and the Great Lakes. After all, the United States of America is the sole legitimate heir of Great Britain's one-time North American Empire. While we're at it, let's throw in Belize, the Bahamas, and all those Caribbean islands, too. Once upon a time, when we were an up-and-coming power, we truly and sincerely believed that our manifest destiny was to incorporate the whole North American continent from the Arctic Ocean to the Isthmus of Panama and from Atlantic to Pacific.

For the benefit of all those humorless liberals and others out there, I was being facetious about Canada being illegitimate. Yes, they seem to treasure their ceremonial ties to Britain, but if the hatchet got buried good and deep back in 1815, let it stay there, and let the USA, Canada, and UK take pride in keeping it there for almost two centuries. Heck, if they want an international celebration of two hundred years of Anglo-Canadian-American peace in 1815, I'll gladly march in the parade, if my arthritic knees and spine permit it. And, while I'm at it, I'm all for the continued independence of our Latin American neighbors. I'll even support Puerto Rican independence if the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party to rally enough support for giving up US citizenship on that island (and, I'll gladly hang out a flag with a fifty-first star if the Puerto Rican Statehood Party gets enough support, too!).

Taiwan, when it was under the administration of President Lee Teng-hui, made it clear that it wanted a formal end to the Chinese Civil War. That was an honorable and honest stance which, if allowed, would solidify a truly pacific "Pacific [Ocean] Era". If there is no trust between two peoples with similar ethnic, historical, linguistic, cultural, and religious backgrounds, a period of separation is a must in order to build the trust necessary for future reunification. Otherwise, a forced reunification will only result in a disaffected and potentially rebellious territory threatening the stability of China and its neighbors. Since the 1920's, there has not really been "One China", and international fictions to the effect that one existed only served to encourage the stronger Chinese entity to threaten or launch civil war.

Hence, whether Taiwan [with associated smaller islands] calls itself the rump of the Republic of China established in 1911, Taiwan, Great Liuqiu, or even Bob, it deserves international recognition. If, after fifty years or so, the two sides realize that they can trust each other and reunite, fine. But let's make it clear that the world does not want the threat of hot war looming over the Western Pacific.

美国人看唐朝

最近，我的初级汉语学生要阅读李白的“夜思”。我写了一篇文章介绍唐朝与李太白的生平。研究此题目时，我自己发现不少新的消息。原来，我认为李白出生于中国中部，可是一些参考说它是现代哈萨克或别的中亚国家出生的。当然，这并非重要的问题，因为在几元后第八世纪，这些地方为唐朝中国的领土。可是，如果现代希腊又名诗人Kavafis是埃及出生， 古代中国名实力太白出生于哈萨克也没什么大罪恶。

虽然我教的是高中生，我发现我学生的英语生词也有限。他们没想到中国过去的边疆与现代的没有完穿一样。实际上，他们对任何主要国家的扩张没有清楚的观念。我也必须说明妾与太监是什么。

可是，学生们同意李百过世的传说是郎忙的故事。 一天晚上，李白在长江水上与朋友们又夜会。 李白喝醉时，他看月亮影子散光在水上，怕月亮落于水里。李白想拯救月亮，低头抱月亮的影子，就落于水里淹死。我记得自己当大学生提股市的时候，我认为李白是傻瓜。但现在，比较老了，多了解实情，我现在了解为什么这样的传说会发展。

中国唐朝真的是世界历史很丰富的时代。其画家，诗人，美人，皇帝，与别的人物又名是很合适的事情。那后，中国有不少移民，与别的国家与文明有密切的接触。我希望美国的青年学历史也会对中国唐朝有兴趣！

Recently, my Elementary Chinese students have begun to read Li Bai's "Ye Si". I wrote them a short blurb to introduce the Tang Dynasty (618-903 A.D.) and the life of the poet. Researching the topic, I myself discovered a few things. For instance, I had long supposed that Li was born somewhere in central China, but found out that his actual birthplace is probably in what is now Kazakhstan or Kyrgizia. Maybe this isn't that important, since China's borders have changed quite a bit during 4,000-plus years of history, but it was an interesting factoid nonetheless. Well, if Cafavy, one of modern Greece's great poets, could be born in Egypt, what is wrong with one of China's ancient poets being born outside the current borders of his country?

Although I'm teaching High Schoolers, I found there's a lot they don't know. I've had to explain "concubine", "eunuch", dynasty, and a few other things. Many also have little concept of how the borders of an important nation may shift over time.

Still, the students agreed that the traditional legend of Li Bai's death was quite a romantic tale. It holds that while partying on a boat on the Chang Jiang, Li got quite drunk (as was his wont), saw the reflection of the moon in the river, and thought the moon itself had fallen in. Thinking he ought to rescue it, he bent over the gunwhale and fell headfirst into China's mightiest waterway--and drowned. I admit that as a college student, I thought Li Bai a fool when I first heard this story. But with age, I've come to appreciate the poetic quality of the legend.

The history of Tang China is a rich period in human history. it featured artists, poets, great emperors, officials, beauties, eunuchs, rebels, and everything that makes history interesting. I hope my students warm to the subject, too!