Course Code, Number, and Title: Asia 2270, China and the World in the 20th Century and Beyond Year and semester: 2021 Spring Course Format: WWW Credits: 3 Transfer Credit: For information, visit bctransferguide.ca Course Description, Prerequisites, and Corequisites: This course seeks to provide a historical survey of China’s political, economic and cultural relations with the West (including the Soviet Union) in the twentieth century. The course will focus on interpreting how China’s relations with West have contributed to the shaping of modern China. While chronological, we will follow a thematic approach. Major themes include the USSR and the Chinese Revolution, China and the Allies in the Second World War, The US and the Chinese Civil War, Canada and China, China in the Cold War, Mao’s view on international politics, and China’s relations with the West after Mao. This is an introductory course open to all students; no prior knowledge of Chinese history is required or expected. Class meetings are scheduled for four hours each week. The general pattern will be lectures, groupdiscussion and film/video/library research. The course will have discussion sessions once a week, following the lecture topics and reading materials. Learning Outcomes: Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to 1. Identify and describe trends of nineteenth century China’s interactions with the world. 2. Explain the major issues relating to the development of China’s relations with the world in the twentieth century. 3. Compare and assess various debates and interpretations concerning the history of interaction between China and the Western powers in the 20th century. 4. Analyze the causes and effects of historical conflicts in the relationship between China and the West in recent times. 5. Outline and assess the historical and cultural factors that impact current events and relationships in the Asian region and beyond. 6. Lead group discussions and articulate their viewpoints clearly. 7. Collect, interpret, evaluate and cite information from academic references and sources. Instructor(s): Avram Agov Office: A208 Office Hours: Zoom sessions Phone: 604-323-2387 Email: aagov@langara.ca Textbook and Course Materials: Odd Arne Westad, Restless Empire: China and the World since 1750, New York: Basic Books, 2012. Michael Schaller, The United States and China: Into 21st Century. Oxford University Press, 2003. Note: This course may use an electronic (online) instructional resource that is located outside of Canada for mandatory graded class work. You may be required to enter personal information, such as your name and email address, to log in to this resource. This means that your personal information could be stored on servers located outside of Canada and may be accessed by U.S. authorities, subject to federal laws. Where possible, you may log in with an email pseudonym as long as you provide the pseudonym to me so I can identify you when reviewing your class work. Assessments and Weighting: Lecture attendance and participation (in-class assignments and projects): 20% Mid-term exam (February 12): 25% Term paper (March 4): 25% Final exam, as scheduled by the College: 30% Term paper writing: - - - - You are required to submit a research essay of 4-5 pages (1000-1500 words, double spacing printed). This essay should treat some important issue in China and the world in the 20th century until present time. In addition, a bibliography sheet should be attached to the essay. A good research essay involves the bringing together of facts and ideas using precise and meaningful language and a formalized structure. Clear understanding of the relevant issues in an assigned topic and the ability to see their relationship to the course content. Argument: First, remember that when writing a research essay you are putting forward an argument or answering a question, not just listing facts or writing a chronology of events. Consider all possibilities, identify and weigh the importance of each factor, and come to your own conclusion. The resulting thesis or argument is the centrepiece around which you marshal and organize the evidence and ideas for your essay. A clear statement of the argument should appear near the end of the introduction of the essay, eg. "This paper will attempt to demonstrate that...." or "This paper argues that....." Planning: Formulate a concise title for your essay that crystallizes its purpose and approach. Then construct a plan that will enable you to proceed. Identify relevant sources, prepare notes and formulate an outline for the essay. Don't worry if you find that your ideas, argument or even your essay title require modification along the way: this is a natural and expected component of the research process. Full, critical engagement with the issues presented in primary and secondary source materials. Engagement is demonstrated by the effort to understand and internalize the issues through serious questioning and examination of the evidence. Page 2 of 6 - - Quotations are not introduced and “left hanging”; rather, the ideas in them are examined critically and are integrated into the larger argument. Mastery of paraphrasing techniques is evident (with appropriate documentation). Plagiarism is a serious academic offence which can result in failure or suspension from the college. Avoiding plagiarism requires that you acknowledge, by means of citation, the words and ideas of others. Use quotations sparingly to highlight or illustrate a specific focus or point. Otherwise, use your own words. Develop your own ideas rather than paraphrasing those of others. On occasions when you do need to refer to the ideas of others, even if you choose not to use a direct quotation, you must provide a citation. Your essay must conform to accepted standards of academic style. References should follow a consistent and accepted format, as should the bibliography of sources which you must include at the end of the paper. For further details you may consult a style guide. Careful grounding of assumptions in a socio-historical context. Broad statements about a subject are particularized and sketchy generalizations avoided. Evidence of skill in analyzing, comparing and contrasting, integrating and synthesizing to express significant ideas in an original way. The writer is able to move back and forth between the concrete particulars of a question and its abstract significance in order to give full expression to her/his findings. Based on the above, the general criteria for letter grades will reflect the following: Besides the content, here’s what I will be looking for in your paper: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Does the introduction outline the basics of the argument? Does the paper progress in a logical and coherent manner? Do paragraphs have main ideas followed by explanation and supported with discussion and information? Are terms defined clearly and accurately? Are all borrowed ideas clearly referenced? An A essay: demonstrates the above skills and qualities to a high degree; is correctly written with few or no errors in grammar, spelling, diction, punctuation; uses a recognized scholarly form of documentation; shows knowledge of the conventions appropriate to the type of essay (argument, description, narrative, analysis, etc.); is written in a way that facilitates the reader’s engagement with the issues under discussion. A B essay: demonstrates some of the qualities listed above; is for the most part correctly and coherently written, but contains some errors in writing and scholarly form that obstruct the reader’s easy comprehension of the essay; is less sophisticated in its articulation of the core issues posed by the source materials; does not explain the issues as fully as a reader might require in order to understand them. A C essay: shows only intermittent evidence of the qualities and skills listed above; contains numerous errors in writing and documentation; may begin with a thesis or focus but is not able to sustain it consistently or coherently; requires substantial effort on the part of the reader to understand it. A D essay: lacks focus or argument; has not dealt with the assigned topic; contains a number of major writing errors (e.g. incomplete sentence, persistent misuse of words, unidiomatic phrases, paragraph fragments, etc.); lacks awareness of the conventions of essay writing or the uses of documentation; consistently fails to respond to the reader’s needs for clarity. There is a Writing Centre on the Langara campus to help students with their written assignments. They provide one on one tutoring as well as workshops on specific topics. If English is not your first language, or if you have Page 3 of 6 difficulties writing papers, I strongly encourage you to go to the Writing Centre and take advantage of the help they can provide. For more information: http://www.langara.bc.ca/academic-services/writingcentre/index.html. Grading: The grade category of A-, A, A+ is defined as “Excellent Performance” – to earn a grade in this category students must demonstrate a level of performance deemed to be excellent in each and every area (all 4) above. Inconsistent or irregular attendance will impact your final grade. A+: 90-100 A: 85-89 A-: 80-84 B+: 77-79 B: 73-76 C+: 65-69 C: 60-64 C-: 55-59 D: 50-54 F: 0-49 B-: 70-72 Detailed Course Schedule: WEEK 1 Introduction: Organization; Themes; Sources and data; China and the world in pre-modern times WEEK 2 Sino-centric world order, 19th century imperialism Discussion: Lin Zexu Letter to Queen Victoria WEEK 3 The Chinese revolution and end of Qing dynasty; the West and the Chinese New Culture Movement Discussion: Chen Duxiu, Call to Youth 1915 WEEK 4 Communism, the Comintern, Soviet Russia, and the Chinese Communist Party Discussion: Edgar Snow: Red Star over China WEEK 5 Spring break WEEK 6 Republican China and the West Discussion: Restless Empire: China and the World (Republican period) WEEK 7 Page 4 of 6 Wartime Developments and Diplomacy Discussion: Restless Empire: China and the World (World War Two) WEEK 8 The Chinese Civil War and the roles of the United States and the Soviet Union Discussion: Restless Empire, The United States and China WEEK 9 The Korean War; Communist alliance system; China in the Cold War WEEK 10 The Sino-Soviet Split and its Domestic and International Implications WEEK 11 Normalization of Sino-US Relations Discussion: Michael Schaller: The United States and China WEEK 12 Post-Mao China and the West WEEK 13 Post-Cold War era; Rise of China and the world WEEK 14 Summary and Review for final examination As a student at Langara, you are responsible for familiarizing yourself and complying with the following policies: College Policies: E1003 - Student Code of Conduct F1004 - Code of Academic Conduct E2008 - Academic Standing - Academic Probation and Academic Suspension Page 5 of 6 E2006 - Appeal of Final Grade F1002 - Concerns about Instruction E2011 - Withdrawal from Courses and Deferred Standing Departmental/Course Policies: 1. Failure to submit the paper by the due date will result in 2% loss of the paper’s value for each day beyond the deadline. No paper will be accepted one week after the due date. Extensions are granted only in cases of personal or family conflicts, and not because of academic workload or conflicts. Students must retain a copy of the paper (in case of loss). Papers without footnotes and bibliography are NOT acceptable. You are required to use Chicago Style for citation of sources. 2. Classroom discussion is an important part of this course. Students will be expected to share their ideas and opinions. 3. Academic dishonesty like cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated. It is the student's responsibility to read and understand the student disciplines in Langara. Page 6 of 6 ASIA 2170 ESSAY East Meets West: Colonized History of the Empire of China Jennifer Z The well acclaimed museums of European and North American hold collections of artifacts and treasure that have come from the ancient tombs and caves of the Ancient Chinese. This illusive Empire, while certainly incomparable to the modernized version seen today, remains one that for the everyday people – one mysterious and often times easily forgotten. Simply put, this act of forgetting is not to blame any institution or educators for fault in teaching, but rather the worlds lack of open knowledge since the early dynastical reign of the Chinese Emperors. The choice was made by the ruling dynasties that foreigners would remain foreign, and unlike the ways of their European counterparts, remained largely unified and singular in thought, with a remarkable ability of drawing out clear borders and realms of influence. The act of preventing an easy open-door policy as many other empires had, created this shroud of mystery that still lingers thousands of years today. This paper states the idea that Dynastical China was an Empire adamant on preserving its independence, self-reliance, cultures, without the influence of the outside world, however there are telltale colonialist remnants traced throughout China’s illusive and mysterious history that seem to point at a unsuccessful attempt at maintaining a colonialism free empire. Taking a look at China’s own act of defiance against any signs of colonialism would give a clear image on why it is historically not recognized that any colonialism had transpired. The start of the Qing Dynasty in the 1600’s would prompt a series of dynastical changes reversing many aspects of the rule that the previous dynasty, the Ming had established. The Qing rulers became adamant in reunification all those who resided within the borders and outside1. Thus, expanding the territory and maintaining a sense of peace by bringing people groups together. The peoples Lieberman, Victor. “The Qing Dynasty and Its Neighbors: Early Modern China in World History.” Social Science History, vol. 32, no. 2, 2008, pp. 283 1 who were “seminomadic” and previously the troubles of the Ming Dynasties border reign, would be won over by the Qing through, “marriage alliance, diplomacy, economic lures” 2. The start of this new ruling dynasty proved a change in all signs of communication and maintained new tribal relationships that changed the shape of the Chinese borders and frontiers. The reunification of many tribal lands, including the land by which the ruling class of Manchus hailed from – Manchuria, would now be henceforth part of the ending process of thousands of years of border disputes and threats3 and created for the first time, a unified peaceful, and stable Empire to start afresh. In many senses this similarly can be seen in the European Rulers mindsets, by attempting to bring together lands and groups, however at an extent of which Europe was at constant battle4 with one another with neither power reaching perhaps the ultimate goal and thereby extending their lands to ones not adjunct at the borders but sailing across to foreign exotics and staking claims there. In the example of India5, the British made clear what their demands were and created a colonial stamp that remains ever present even today. So, in comparison it could be stated that the Europeans had never attempted the sort of reunification of land that the Qing Dynasty had accomplished, and instead created the concept of colonialism, one primarily unheard of before this time6. Lieberman, Victor. “The Qing Dynasty and Its Neighbors: Early Modern China in World History.” Social Science History, vol. 32, no. 2, 2008, pp. 284 3 GONG, Shuduo, and Huang Deyuan. “Characteristics of Lixue in Qing Dynasty.” Frontiers of Philosophy in China, vol. 2, no. 1, 2007, pp. 18 2 4 Wu, H Y. “‘The Observations We Made in the Indies and in China’: The ...” JSTOR, 2017, pp. 332 5 Wu, H Y. “‘The Observations We Made in the Indies and in China’: The ...” JSTOR, 2017, pp. 102 Morar, Florin-Stefan. “Relocating the Qing in the Global History of Science: The Manchu Translation of the 1603 World Map by Li Yingshi and Matteo Ricci.” Isis, vol. 109, no. 4, 2018, pp. 683., 6 The Europeans documentation, in particular the accounts of Jesuit missionaries 7 show signs of confusion and bewilderment at the founding principle of the Qing Dynasty – the Mandate of Heaven. Differing completely from the faith ridden beliefs of a ruler, deity that presides over all humans that the Christians hold true, was the idea that the heavens had elected a ruler8. A man all but one spot away from the heavens itself, chosen to have his word be absolute, beyond correction, with nothing but the heavens to hold him accountable. This in a sense was so starkly contrasted by the elected and hereditary titles the rulers of European origins held 9, and titles that were far more fragile in the sense that the throne was not seen as one that was bestowed, but rather one fought to secure. This is perhaps the starting point of where the blemished line between the Western authorities and Eastern authorities met. Previous to this point there had not been any challenges to the Dragon throne, neither had there been any need to, as the rightful heir was deemed one chosen by the heavens, and should a ruling dynasty be deemed unfit, the right ruler would be given easy access to claim the throne, just as the Manchus of the Qing Dynasty were able to do to the rulers of the Ming Dynasty despite not even being of Han descent10. The Emperor and ruling class were respected and oftentimes feared as a power greater than man, and was once thought to be respected by all in the world. For the Europeans such a notion was deemed heresy, with only the Church being able to make such claims as being selected individuals with a higher calling, all Schneider, Julia C. “Missionizing, Civilizing, and Nationizing: Linked Concepts of Compelled Change.” Religion and Nationalism in Chinese Societies, edited by Cheng-tian Kuo, Amsterdam University Press, Amsterdam, 2017, pp.95. JSTOR 7 Drechsler, Wolfgang. “Max Weber and the Mandate of Heaven.” Max Weber Studies, vol. 20, no. 1, 2020, pp. 25–56. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/10.15543/maxweberstudies.20.1.25. Accessed 19 Nov. 2020. 8 Fairbank, J. K. “Tributary Trade and China's Relations with the West.” The Far Eastern Quarterly, vol. 1, no. 2, 1942, pp.135. JSTOR 9 Morar, Florin-Stefan. “Relocating the Qing in the Global History of Science: The Manchu Translation of the 1603 World Map by Li Yingshi and Matteo Ricci.” Isis, vol. 109, no. 4, 2018, pp. 690., 10 rulers were seen as man, and the definition of the Emperor of China being one appointed by the Heavens was most infinitely not one accepted by any. While the nearby Eastern states not under the direct rule of China bowed in reverence and understood that while they had rulers, the ultimate one by which all powers were to respect was the one sitting on the Dragon Throne in China. The act of maintaining tributary relations was also an act that was created out of fear, out of respect, out of a recognition that they, as those falling within a borders reach of China, had to appease a power and force greater than themselves11. In noting, the Europeans participated in this transitionary relationship with a vastly different mindset than the one held by the Eastern foreign entities. The rulers such as the British in the 1800’s sent ships with goods, treasures, and people. The act of sending a representative was deemed respectful12, however the difference being, instead of the ruler beings sent, a court official was sent, one not always of the highest ranking, and thereby insinuating that the western world considered little of the ways of the Chinese, especially the honorific title bestowed through the Heavenly Mandate. The gifts sent by the British then were seen as an act of seeking an equal relationship, what the west saw as a partnership, the east saw as a grave sign of disrespect and foolishness on the part of their rulers, as stated in a letter towards them from Lin ZeXu. Asking to place officials in a court with no specified title, creating ports13 and embassies meant that there was a recognition of a power force outside of the dragon throne, and that in and of itself was a fact seen as completely unacceptable by the Chinese Emperor. The Fairbank, J. K. “Tributary Trade and China's Relations with the West.” The Far Eastern Quarterly, vol. 1, no. 2, 1942, pp. 129-130. JSTOR 11 Schneider, Julia C. “Missionizing, Civilizing, and Nationizing: Linked Concepts of Compelled Change.” Religion and Nationalism in Chinese Societies, edited by Cheng-tian Kuo, Amsterdam University Press, Amsterdam, 2017, pp. 102. JSTOR 12 Lieberman, Victor. “The Qing Dynasty and Its Neighbors: Early Modern China in World History.” Social Science History, vol. 32, no. 2, 2008, pp. 291. JSTOR, 13 borders were open for the brief exchanges for the sole purposes of spreading “the wealth and prosperity of China”, an act of kindness and pure generosity, one that can only be granted coming from the “most powerful realm on earth” as seen from the perspective of a Sinicization process14. Sinicization stems from the idea that the world revolved around a center point - China. A land purposefully crafted by Chinese historical depiction as one that was so prosperous on its own that it opened its troves of wealth purely for the purposes of sharing that wealth with the not so fortunate other empires of the world. While recognizing there was rulers and lands outside of the Emperors reach15, it was believed that the affects of China were to be seen and experienced by all across the world at an equal pace and rate to those who were Chinese Citizens. This however was an unrealistic expectation namely because of the physical distance, as well as the minimal contact that was publicly allowed for foreigners and Chinese alike to visit each other empires. The Jesuit missionaries 16 allowed in from the 1800’s were succumbed to regulations that prevented their knowledge and cultural influence from affecting the everyday citizen, and instead were their solely for the purposes of providing insight and missing knowledge in the academia world, but were not to impose any ideals and standards that conflicted with the ideals of the Emperor, which in many cases was an impossible dilemma. The priests believed in an entirely different system and heavenly Ho, Ping-Ti. “In Defense of Sinicization: A Rebuttal of Evelyn Rawski's ‘Reenvisioning the Qing.’” The Journal of Asian Studies, vol. 57, no. 1, 1998, pp. 125. JSTOR, 14 Morar, Florin-Stefan. “Relocating the Qing in the Global History of Science: The Manchu Translation of the 1603 World Map by Li Yingshi and Matteo Ricci.” Isis, vol. 109, no. 4, 2018, pp. 676-678., 15 Schneider, Julia C. “Missionizing, Civilizing, and Nationizing: Linked Concepts of Compelled Change.” Religion and Nationalism in Chinese Societies, edited by Cheng-tian Kuo, Amsterdam University Press, Amsterdam, 2017, pp. 91. JSTOR 16 figure and would never have chosen to concede the knowledge of the Chinese that their emperor was a god recognized by the people. By the 1900’s, the foreign ambassador visits became instead the visits of merchants, not stopping in the palaces, but rather at the port sides. This began the ensuing conflicts and disdain of the emperor for well established routes, and instead preferring the option of agreeing or disagreeing with terms his way contrast to the demands of what the Western world wanted to establish17. In a sense, from this point it can be observed that the hints of a colonialist attitude is starting to appear. The British in particular applied pressure upon the trade routes, and therefore implying that Britain had made its demands, and it was not up to the Emperor to decided whether or not they could do what they wanted. This sense f defiance was one the Chinese Ruling Class had never once seen before. It also signified that the reign of the Manchu’s had weakened18 and no longer could uphold the absolute pride they had before in being unafraid of lash back, or a belittling tone against the west. Instead, here through gritted teeth the Emperor shields his trading ships, and receives the wrath of the British, a war the Chinese were ill-prepared and advanced enough to fight. The Opium Wars19 in the 1840’s prompted a conversation about the harsh realization that trade with the Western world had brought about the ultimate demise of an entire Chinese Empire. The letters between the Emperor and Queen Victoria of Britain seemingly show clear tell tale signs GONG, Shuduo, and Huang Deyuan. “Characteristics of Lixue in Qing Dynasty.” Frontiers of Philosophy in China, vol. 2, no. 1, 2007, pp. 23, JSTOR 17 Lieberman, Victor. “The Qing Dynasty and Its Neighbors: Early Modern China in World History.” Social Science History, vol. 32, no. 2, 2008, pp. 290. JSTOR, 18 Fairbank, J. K. “Tributary Trade and China's Relations with the West.” The Far Eastern Quarterly, vol. 1, no. 2, 1942, pp. 135 19 that China was on defense mode, and no longer wanted the negative issues to be worsened. The tone used is one of warning and cautionary tale, with a not so subtle undertone that there would be conflict20. It would have likely been perceived by the Chinese courtiers that the British would back off and essentially tighten the reigns around this issue for fear of any war implications this would have caused, but to no avail, the British monarchy simply dismissing the Chinese threats. As seen in many patterns of colonialism21 around the world, historically colonialism has brought about issues and problems to a people group that had never previously existed before. In the example of India, the British’s quick entrance and exit is deemed one of the massive implicatures for a disastrous self-governing system resulting in a complex contradiction between people groups about whether the tradition pre colonist22 days were to be correct or the new cultural change. This is seen in China where destruction wreaked havoc on the Chinese people trust in their ruler, prompting the idea that the heavens no longer wanted the emperor and his dynasty on the dragon seat. China was not a small colony that the western world occupied with soldiers and took slaves, and produce from, in any sense. However, it was a empire strong and mighty on its own that perhaps adapted to the fast pace of the outside world a step too slow, and the introduction of even a few minor figures, prompted the ultimate demise of that greatness. This can be seen as the fault Schneider, Julia C. “Missionizing, Civilizing, and Nationizing: Linked Concepts of Compelled Change.” Religion and Nationalism in Chinese Societies, edited by Cheng-tian Kuo, Amsterdam University Press, Amsterdam, 2017, pp. 115 20 21 Wu, H Y. “‘The Observations We Made in the Indies and in China’: The ...” JSTOR, 2017, pp. 108 Fairbank, J. K. “Tributary Trade and China's Relations with the West.” The Far Eastern Quarterly, vol. 1, no. 2, 1942, pp. 138-148. 22 of any colonialist attempt and often times it changes history without much force, the ways of the natural history occurred, and immortalized the fate of Dynastical China. Colonialism was no longer reserved for the islands, and countries without power, or prestige – colonialism itself is perhaps one of the most fundamental powers itself in shaping the modern world, and especially the modern China we know today. BIBLIOGRAPHY Drechsler, Wolfgang. “Max Weber and the Mandate of Heaven.” Max Weber Studies, vol. 20, no. 1, 2020, pp. 25–56. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/10.15543/maxweberstudies.20.1.25. Fairbank, J. K. “Tributary Trade and China's Relations with the West.” The Far Eastern Quarterly, vol. 1, no. 2, 1942, pp. 129–149. JSTOR GONG, Shuduo, and Huang Deyuan. “Characteristics of Lixue in Qing Dynasty.” Frontiers of Philosophy in China, vol. 2, no. 1, 2007, pp. 1–24. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/27823274. Ho, Ping-Ti. “In Defense of Sinicization: A Rebuttal of Evelyn Rawski's ‘Reenvisioning the Qing.’” The Journal of Asian Studies, vol. 57, no. 1, 1998, pp. 123–155. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/2659026. Lieberman, Victor. “The Qing Dynasty and Its Neighbors: Early Modern China in World History.” Social Science History, vol. 32, no. 2, 2008, pp. 281–304. JSTOR, Morar, Florin-Stefan. “Relocating the Qing in the Global History of Science: The Manchu Translation of the 1603 World Map by Li Yingshi and Matteo Ricci.” Isis, vol. 109, no. 4, 2018, pp. 673–694., Ruser, Nathan, et al. Cultural Erasure: Tracing the Destruction of Uyghur and Islamic Spaces in Xinjiang. Australian Strategic Policy Institute, 2020, www.jstor.org/stable/resrep26122. Schneider, Julia C. “Missionizing, Civilizing, and Nationizing: Linked Concepts of Compelled Change.” Religion and Nationalism in Chinese Societies, edited by Cheng-tian Kuo, Amsterdam University Press, Amsterdam, 2017, pp. 89–116. JSTOR Wu, H Y. “‘The Observations We Made in the Indies and in China’: The ...” JSTOR, 2017, pp. 102
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