What Do We Not Talk About When We Talk About China?

March 9, 2021 — In the launch event for his debut work of fiction My Old Home: A Novel of Exile, Orville Schell, Arthur Ross President of Asia Society's Center on U.S.-China Relations, discusses the book's themes with Asia Society President and CEO Kevin Rudd and New Yorker writer Zha Jianying. ChinaFile editor Susan Jakes moderated the conversation. (1 hr., 20 min.)

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[wyz]

Every Chinese agree that Cultural revolution is absolutely wrong, but this Beijing woman is still stuck in China of half century ago. She has been living in her bubble away from China with the memory of China in past and can't turn eyes to reality of China NOW. Many Chinese of her age turned to be China government haters, or even China haters, no matter what China has accomplished and improved and changed in the past 40 years, of course with reasons which is understandable as they had been through one of darkest time in China.

But things changes, China Today is Not what it was in Cultural revolution, time of playing ideology game is over in China, but she insisted in seeing everything in China through ideological ( western one) and only negative lens, but not China as it is Today.

The only legitimacy of any government is to let its people live a good life, and any ideology that can't serve for this purpose is brainwashing. Sure, there are still many problems in China and with CCP (which country is perfect and which political party is saint?), but ignoring the facts that Chinese people not only enjoy their best 40 years in their 5000 history, with billions of people lifted out of proverty, but also enjoy many personal freedoms, some of them even US might envy when talking about either China or CCP is very un-objuctive and biased.

If using control to maintain social order upon which all social reforms and development can be carried out in an orderly and rational fashion, then such control is not a bad things, but if control just for the benefit of the controller, then it is manipulative.

Well, I do hope she can put down what is in her past and look forward and see China in real time today.

[johnniewalker]

Fill in the blank, China is and you be somewhat right. Comparing China with India after WW2, China was poorer and just as chaotic. Look at them today, the difference of their progress are unmistakable.

[marjo]

10 year Chinese cultural revolution does not represent 4000 year of Chinese culture. May be if China had not had gone through this dark 10 year period of cultural revolution, the chinese people would not have appreciated what they have achieved today.

[Hazza_Harding]

Who do I listen to when it comes to China-related issues (apart from Chinese people because obviously they are the optimal source of information)? Former world leaders like Kevin Rudd. I'm not trying to discredit current world leaders, or the efforts that Keven Rudd made while he was our Prime Minister, I'm just saying that former world leaders don't have a constituancy to please, and don't need to balance what they believe is best for the future with their chances of being re-elected. They use the platform they have gained to speak frankly and openly and offer practical ideas and solutions to issues that the world currently faces. I've actually made a conscious effort to seek out content/sources of information from former leaders (who I actually regard as current world leaders, since they are actually displaying leadership qualities) because I believe that they are truly voices of reason. Massive fan of K. Rudd and his understanding of China, and the relationships that he has managed to maintain with China despite sometimes not always saying things that would make China happy - he is an example of what we should all be. We should know what we are talking about before we open our mouths to offer an opinion, although social media has enabled a lot of people to do just that, and influence a lot of people. But at the same time, social media, and websites like YouTube are a great resource if you know what you are looking for, and can appreciate the views of people that are worthy of our respect and admiration.

[Sirnkissako]

The intelligent and affluent youth of China today will, actual already going for it, reestablish past virtue and values and embrace the Chinese Cultural Renaissance. Things will change.

[Sirnkissako]

Today there are many recluses in the Southern Mountains ! Many of them are in their twenties. Not only brave males but beautiful females. I personally know them !

[iguana]

There is room at the table for heartfelt discussions such as this one. I was surprised by its effect of me. Please. consider more of these discussions. Thank you.

[unreliablenarrator]

Dear Orville, friendship is alive and well in China. We are human. We have friends and make friends.

[-second-HACKS]

I've never heard any of the millions of young people from the Cultural Revolution speak up and say: "We beat our teachers. We were wrong."

[unreliablenarrator]

I think a problem for Schell, et al, is they thought China would evolve into a Western culture and they are disappointed than one of the oldest societies hasn't cut the roots that nourish the tree. What he is missing is what is happening at street level today, and what my daughters generation is changing, and NOT changing. Edit: Is the veneer of Western morality any different? How does morality and religion guide Western culture today? To an outsider, it seems the West is the region in the midst of a culture war where the traditional foundation of moral values and religion is crumbling under its own weight and devolving into meaningless rhetoric. Seriously, folks, take a reality check.

[raminsafizadeh]

Must now read the book and search for the fate of love! Romantic, messy, disorderly, Romeo-Juliet love! Where does that fit (or not) in the acknowledged hierarchy of loyalties? And, thank you for a great conversation!

[unreliablenarrator]

Ultimately the problem with different systems is balance. In the West, the supremacy of the individual becomes just as fatal a flaw as subordination of the individual to authority is in the East. COVID gives us a valuable window on that in both cases; to the extent either has been moderated for the public good can bee seen in statistics and social status quo.

[Sirnkissako]

The tradition of Muslim culture and influence is ignored by Kevin !

[steverogers]

Did I hear something about superior morality?

[yingzhang]

It was because, students were not taught after cultural revolution about the 10 years. Gradually, it has been forgotton.