China and Japan through the ages: failure and success

In the face of the aggressive by western powers, China and Japan have resulted to two very different endings. The beginning of modern Chinese history originated from the first opium war in 1840. With the invasion of foreign capitalism, the nature of Chinese society began to change and China gradually became a semi-colonial feudal country. With the change of the principal contradiction in the society, China started the anti-imperialist and anti-feudal bourgeois national revolution. Because of this, the opium war became the starting point of China’s modern history.

Under the leadership of the Qing dynasty, China lost many wars and Chinese territory was carved up. China was also forced to compete with the United Kingdom, the United States, France and other countries to signed Treaty of Beijing, Treaty of Wangxia, Treaty of Huangpu , Treaty of Nanjing and which for China is a number of humiliating unequal treaties. Both Qing dynasty and Japan were locked country to outside world. Qing thinks they were pretty strong economy and army, they dont need to learn from the west. Western industrial growth fast lead they have good weapons and technologies. UK sent their officers to China for cooperation many times but Qing refuse to co-op. This was the main reason which lead the wars happen. UK use war forces Qing to open the country and trade.

For Japan, they locked down their country for 200 years, people are living under peace. In 1854, Japan forces by U.S. to reopen their country for trade. As the time goes on, the former great country Qing has become the sick man of East Asia. However, Japan faces same question, they did successful on Meiji Restoration which led Japan became strong country. Why did Japans Meiji Restoration success but Qing does not? The first point I learn from the success of Japan is: Study is the true way to become strong, the key is that Japan found the right object to study. Europe and the United States were relatively positive power countries in the world at that time. Although they invaded India and China, it could only be described as the truth of survival of the fittest on the theory of evolution. The traditional feudal system was no longer suitable for Japan and the rest of the world.

Japan started to learn Chinese culture from 593 to establish in 646.  Since then until 1868, Japan ranked third in Chinese culture,

while in the process of learning, Japan also have a war record with Tang dynasty. However, I have to say that Japan is a country with full of love on learning, Japan knows that they need to study from the strongest country in the world. So I feel like the connotation of the Japanese spirit of learning: which country is stronger, Japan will follow the country to learn. This is a good point which led Japan become success. Rather than Qing dynasty, too arrogant about learning form the west.

Second point I learn form the modern History of East Asian is: You need to be strong so that you will not be bullied by others. During the Qing dynasty, the Chinese people suffered from the government’s exploitation and the invasion of western powers. The government is incompetent and the people were powerless in the face of such dark times. Only way is to study and adhere to their own beliefs, change the traditional thinking, became strong so others will show respect to you. Backwardness will be beaten this reflects people’s desire to become strong.

In 1900, the eight-power allied forces launched the war of aggression against China. The eight-power allied forces met no decent resistance and made their way into Beijing. A familiar scene is re-staged – the empress dowager cixi, who holds the real power, with the emperor Guangxu under the guise of “kano”, escaped from Beijing, through Hebei, Shanxi and other places, fled to xi ‘an, Shaanxi. The Qing emperor actually escaped from Beijing, leaving the common people in Beijing to suffer. Both the British and French allied forces and the eight-power allied forces carried out the barbaric burning, killing and looting in Beijing, bringing untold sufferings to the Chinese people.

This tells me that, the government have the responsibility for their people. The government’s incompetence and corruption is irresponsible to its own people. People should have the right to choose their government.In the end, from all aspects, we can see the spiritual outlook of a country, whether it was vigorous and positive, or whether it was a country waiting to die and muddle along. I think China in the late Qing dynasty belongs to the latter. Japan is the former. For me, learning history is always a reflection on us. We learned form the wars, learned from the history, we need to reflect some questions to avoid things happen again. There are still wars around the world, they only way is to become strong. Lucky, most of us live in peace.