I'm a Chinese, I can answer your questions about China.

For the elegant of Taoism and deep affection of Confucianism, Chinese people more worshiped emperor than fairies, which is hard to understand for foreign friends.

When the Buddhism was introduced to Chinese, Confucianism showed its huge tolerance again. It absorbed Buddhism into its large system. Taoism didn't either conflict with Buddhism due to its elegant.

Buddhism is more dignified and solemn than Taoism. Taoism advocate via exercise to be sublimed, and Buddhism advocate via helping others to be sublimed. Buddhism paid more attention to "saving people". From this, it developed a series of philosophy, which seemed to have more persuasion and contain more wisdom to Chinese.

Living were always not so easy, and people usually suffered many difficulties. Which made elegant Taoism unappeasable and gave serious Buddhism space to fast spread. Buddhism helped to relieve the pressure and sorrow carried by caste system stabilized by Confucianism, and were beneficial to Chinese Feudal System too.

Chinese ancestors always held double even multiple beliefs, if take Confucianism as a belief. Three thought coexisted harmoniously.

Change started from the corruption of Ming Dynasty.

There are chinese historians who specially research how Qing Dynasty blocked Chinese capitalization and thoughts development and renovation. They ever spoke one words, "China vanished follow the Ming Dynasty." Passed through the Qing dynasty, Chinese had fallen far behind the western countries. There were many changes happened in the late of Qing Dynasty.

Traditional culture were destroyed and blocked for two hundred years and wasn't adapted to the era anymore.

The Feudal System walked to its end, and Confucianism lost its sociaty base, and Taoism and Buddhism lost its relying frame.

Western civilization came followed the gun and canon. Freedom and democracy rushed Chinese absolutely different ideology. Lag humiliated Chinese and produced their suspicion to traditional thoughts.

Christianism and Communism and other western thoughts poured into Chinese. There were large obstacle for the Chinese and western people to understand each other.

There were no direct conflict between Chinese belief and Christianism, but conflicts produced from rights, fortunes and lands.

Chinese were stunned by new situation, and lost direction where they ought to go.

There were debates about how to save out country among Chinese outrunners. One part advocated restructuring Chinese culture from the foundation and gradually changing the whole sociaty. Another insisted on gaining the power through military force first and remolding the sociaty later.

Obviously, Communism gained the victory. Unfortunately, CPP ignored their responsibility and never concentrated on reconstructure Chinese spirit and culture after they came into power. So, Chinese civilization and the empty space in people's heart, left by the collapse of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism, were never regenerated systematically till now. Feudal System have collapsed, but Coufucianism still stoped at the older status based on it. Which haven't catch up with the era and haven't reinstated its relevant power and value.

From this, people lost superorganic reliance and sank into money worship and showed stong tendency to personality cult, which was analyzed before. This is a disappointing result.

But, traditional culture still have big influence in Chinese lives. They existed more than 2,000 years in Chinese history, and have already entered into the Chinese daily life and ideology. Literature, moral rules, folks legend, socia conventions and history record, etc. All influenced Chinese behaviors and notions.

Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, are still coupled with Chinese daily lives. Which shouldn't be understand by asking how they influenced Chinese lives, but by asking which changes happen to their influence due to new situation, because they are essentially one part of Chinese lives.

As to the elderly, Chinese very emphasize the important of familiy, which came from the stable structure designed by Confucianism. But like most of traditional notions, this thought is bearing shocks too.

This theme is over.

[edit on 5-6-2006 by Earthlism]

Originally posted by SteveR

Thanks Earthlism!

What do you think of Hu Jintao?

Steve

steve,

Chinese leaders execute closed-door politics, so I have no enough materials to evaluate him.

earthlism

Originally posted by ceci2006

Originally quoted by Earthlism
Thank you very much for your wishes.

You're very welcome, Earthlism. And as always, thank you for answering my questions. I am very appreciative of your efforts.

I've been fascinated by Chinese history, culture and society, so I would like to ask you something more along these lines.. Throughout history, the Mongolians and the Chinese were always at war. How does the Chinese view the Mongolians in the present day?

I am seeing a different side of China from your posts. And it has benefitted me from participating on your thread. Your explainations gave me other interesting issues to explore in my researches in history.

Again, as always good luck with your scholarship and English.

Take good care,

Ceci

[edit on 3-6-2006 by ceci2006]

Ceci,

Now we don't concern much about mongolians problem. Chinese was always at war with surrounding minorities, and mongolians is just one of them. Mongilics ever bloomed in some periods, but it have passed. Now Mongolians lost their advantage and relying on Russia. So there are no special feeling about mongolians.

There were many war and lands contest in Chinese history, and Chinese take it for merited.

Thank you!

earthlism

I think I have answered all asking.

Utter a sigh of relief.

I don't know much about Chinese variants of Budhism, just a little about the transformation it underwent in Japan. It's definitely one of the least offensive world religions, but it has had a few extremist sects in its history, like any religion.

Except maybe Taosim. I've never met a militant extremist taoist.

I think Taoism is a wonderful personal philosophy, and Confucianism is a wonderful state philosophy. They work well together, to be sure. One thing I miss is the notion that businessmen are the lowest in society, while farmers are second only to officials and educators. The way it is today, the most necessary people are treated very poorly, while the superfluous and self-interested accumulate accolades and wealth (which makes them even worse). It's shameful, and no virtuous society would condone it.

Thanks again for your answers to my questions, hopefully we can talk more in the future. I think it's great what you're doing, trying to help people understand a little better.

Originally posted by Earthlism
asmilesnail:

cheers! Are you in China?

no.but I am gonna go back this year.

Hi, all my friends,

I decide to stay here and continue our communication after a period of hesitation and thinking.

I'm just a civilian thinker and I love my nation in the heart. I concern the future of my nation, as well as concern history, philosophy and literature. If they can read English, they have enough konwlodge to understand my feeling.

When I continued reading "I once dreamed of liberty", I found there were still some misunderstanding in my view. I cound't help continuing communication.

There are many materials I want to translate to you.

Wars containing millions of soldiers 2,500 years ago.

Dozens of national massacre in chinese history.

Glorious Tang and Han Dynasty

etc.

Let me arrange them gradually, and I must ask which boards should I post them?

hello Earthlism
I am from Beijing
glad to meet compatriot here

Originally posted by gs001
hello Earthlism
I am from Beijing
glad to meet compatriot here

Hi gs001,

nice to see you too.

Most of people are compatriots, I'm no different.

Originally posted by Earthlism
Hi, all my friends,
I decide to stay here and continue our communication after a period of hesitation and thinking.

Hello Earthlism,
I'm so glad you decided to stay. I have learned so much about your country, just by what you have posted in this thread.

I just have one question. How do married women feel about the "one child" rule in your country? Do they feel as if the government controls their freedom to choose how many children they will have? Or, do they feel that it is for the good of their country, reducing over population?

If they get pregnant with a second child, do they have the option to allow the child to be adopted to a childless family? Or, are they forced to have an abortion?

Thank you again for your posts. I have a different view of China and her people, because of you.

Hi, sosuemetoo,

It's pleasure to introduce knowlodge about my homeland. All of you give me so much thanks, and I don't know how to express my feeling of appreciation to you.

Chinese relied on agriculture for thousands of years, and agriculture depended on man quantity in old condition, so Chinese people valued man and ignored woman, and hoped to have more children to produce more foodstuffs.

Nowadays, Chinese people still hold this thought, in spite of the era have changed. They procreate lots of chindren, but ain't responsible to their education and growing. Many people ignore their daughters and stick to precreate a boy, because child usually are surnamed as their father.
I have to say that their thought are too ignorant.

Government adopts brutal methods to control it. They have to do so. Blasting of human amount will harm not only Chinese and India, but also the whole world.

I think "one child" limitation is right, and it's surely benefit to our sociaty. But there are many rural people who don't think so.

If they get pregnant with a second child, they will be forced to have a abortion.

The eventual method to solve this problem is to change people's thought.

I just watched the Discovery Channel show about pyramid builders.

The Great White Chinese Pyramid is amazing!

There are so many and this is the first I've heard of them.

What do your historians tell you about the true age of your civilization?

Absolutely facinating!

en.wikipedia.org...

another people from China....

have to reminder you readers that what E'lism saying was just the points from his/her perspectives, I'm not encouring him/her to introduce more about himself/herself, but I guess he/she is quite young and still need time to understand his/her mother country, also a reminder to E'lism that it may be much helpful if you can express your points with more corrected/or verified facts....rather than just talking about your feeling....China is facing bundles of problems, but not as abominable as you are imaging

[edit on 31-8-2006 by calmanzhang]

Originally posted by calmanzhang
another people from China....

have to reminder you readers that what E'lism saying was just the points from his/her perspectives, I'm not encouring him/her to introduce more about himself/herself, but I guess he/she is quite young and still need time to understand his/her mother country, also a reminder to E'lism that it may be much helpful if you can express your points with more corrected/or verified facts....rather than just talking about your feeling....China is facing bundles of problems, but not as abominable as you are imaging

[edit on 31-8-2006 by calmanzhang]

I have read this today for the first time. Since he has not posted in a long time, I wonder if he is ok. Then this last post above mine seems at least a bit odd, almost seems like claman is trying to make us believe E'lism is young and does not know what he is saying.. hmm

If your out there I hope your ok man. Was good reading your thoughts.

X

I read this threats by chance, in my first visit to this forum
I have no intend to argue with E'lism or others, since I beleive every people has his right or standing to say something////however, I have to say that as a commmon Chinese, i can't agree E on most points....but sorry I have no time to disprove one by one.....
The best way to understand China is to visit the land yourself, China now welcome people from all over the world, or, you may consult people around you who have been there...I bet you will have a clearer picture than listen to some people through cyble forums

I was a primary scholar when it happened. All the TV shows were the soldiers wounded and killed by citizens and they denied they had ever killed people in Square. From then on, all materials about it were deleted and prohibited to talk about. We couldn't accurately evaluate the meaning of it till now.

Several weeks ago, I saw the articles " WSJ: We Think, They Sweat ", and get some knowlodge about what you described.

It is the only choice for China to being the industrial workhouse for the west, because my country have most population in the world. Only being industrial workhouse can bring maximum job opporunity, which is specially suitable for the uneducated person. This is a strategic means.

On the other hand, workhouse in China stood by "small profits by quick turnover", and there are additional influences in favor of people too. Accompanied by the Workhouse industry blooming, there are more and more competitive industry entering into China.

Government intended to twist the modern history and cover the problem existed. It did play a role. On ther other hand, Busied with pursuing self interests and lack of knowlodge to manage the country is another reason. They set up a bad example and put people into survival situation, so society were full of money worship.

One of my friend, a Doctor, ever told me that there were almost no genuine research in Chinese campus.

But there are many many people knew the situation and the truth. It's easy to realize the reality. It's hard to change.

I don't think Chinese are lack of genius, but there ain't suitable soil for them to grow, because they are all engaged in resolving survival problem.

As for normal intellectual, I think some chinese have proved they were very excellent if they were in proper environment.

you could not talk on it .what are your job?

[edit on 3-9-2006 by huws]

I really don't understand what are your points...

Originally posted by huws

I was a primary scholar when it happened. All the TV shows were the soldiers wounded and killed by citizens and they denied they had ever killed people in Square. From then on, all materials about it were deleted and prohibited to talk about. We couldn't accurately evaluate the meaning of it till now.

Several weeks ago, I saw the articles " WSJ: We Think, They Sweat ", and get some knowlodge about what you described.

It is the only choice for China to being the industrial workhouse for the west, because my country have most population in the world. Only being industrial workhouse can bring maximum job opporunity, which is specially suitable for the uneducated person. This is a strategic means.

On the other hand, workhouse in China stood by "small profits by quick turnover", and there are additional influences in favor of people too. Accompanied by the Workhouse industry blooming, there are more and more competitive industry entering into China.

Government intended to twist the modern history and cover the problem existed. It did play a role. On ther other hand, Busied with pursuing self interests and lack of knowlodge to manage the country is another reason. They set up a bad example and put people into survival situation, so society were full of money worship.

One of my friend, a Doctor, ever told me that there were almost no genuine research in Chinese campus.

But there are many many people knew the situation and the truth. It's easy to realize the reality. It's hard to change.

I don't think Chinese are lack of genius, but there ain't suitable soil for them to grow, because they are all engaged in resolving survival problem.

As for normal intellectual, I think some chinese have proved they were very excellent if they were in proper environment.

you could not talk on it .what are your job?

[edit on 3-9-2006 by huws]