Nan Jing 2002 (part 1)

after 8 years, eventually....

i was a high school student on 2002. That year, our school was selected to join a program, hold by Hong Kong government, something like 'enhance the cultural exchange after Hong Kong returned to China.' The program, basically, is a field trip to mainland china, to see and discover the big and huge china.

The trip will first brought us to Beijing, then we went to another city, at the middle of mainland, Nan Jing and then back to Hong Kong. The choose of these 2 cities is not a random pick. It is because this 2 cities are historical landmark of the modern China.

Beijing, in Chinese word, it means north (Bei) capital (Jing) , the capital of People Republic of China, which also the capital, dated back to Ming Dynasty, which ruled 250 years of China around 600 years ago, which is also the last empire govern by Han. Han is a race that living at the central China. During the long history of China, Han expanded their territory, adapted, adopted and absorbed others races nearby, therefore, Chinese, is a very board definition. Around middle of 17 century, Qing Dynasty over throw the power of Empire of Ming. The family of the new empire was from the north east part of China, located at the north of Korea. Thus, they are not Han. In order to well govern the major population of Han, They accept and respect, almost learned all Han's culture. Thus, they also set the capital in Beijing. They even use the Ming's palace, which is the forbidden city, as their own palace. They not just use the complex as their living and working place of the emperor (you can see how boring or convenience of emperor's life, well, they may be the first soho), but also the government system.

Like every empire, Qing Dynasty corrupted, it was weak, and then fell. but unlike many dynasties before, its fallen was accelerated by the western invasion, or the expand of trading from the western countries. England, France and German are the main forces. After few chaotic decades, a new China was born and called the Republic of China. Its capital was located at Beijing. This new modern country was soon faced the invasion of Japan from outside and the infiltration of communism from inside. Being tried of dealing both at the end of world war II, it changed its capital to Nan Jing and later, it fleeted to Taiwan and continuous its power. On the mainland, a 2-nd republic was established by the communism party. The republic is the People Republic of China, the PRC. Therefore, people still call it Mainland China to distinguish the Taiwan China.

Therefore, Beijing is a witness of the change of modern china. i may be not pay attention enough, i had no idea about the plan. i just knew if i fellow the group, i will be alright. after i had been there, i found that i do really want to see somethings, like the forbidden city, like some kind of museums.

we landed the city and went to the hotel at night. after little rest, we had to wake up on 4am and arrive the Tiananmen Square, too see the flag salute. i though such a boring thing, such a early time, should be not much people there. I was wrong. There are many many people stand around the flag and wait for the ceremony.

Tiananmen

During the waiting, i look at the Tiananmen. There is a photo of Mao Zedong, the first leader of PRC. I still wonder why such a evil is a worship icon of this nation. During his rise and ruling, many people die and killed. no matter political  enemy or innocent people, during war or peace, both thousand of million Chinese and foreigner were killed directly and indirectly. To Chinese, he directed the cultural revolution, and many huge and disaster campaigns, only for enriching his power and dormitory. To foreigner, mainly Korean and Vietnamese, Mao raised wars to expand the communism. Forcing other countries to live under communism, in his word, liberation. The most practical joke. I really wonder how many modern chinese know about this history, or even they were told or taught in school. Even at the end of Soviet Union, Sterling was no longer a worship icon because what he had done. I think it is the thing we should learn from westerner - they can oppose the ideas from people at higher position and even death people. In China, death people like god or something more powerful. death people always good, no matter how many bad things were made. This is the weakness of our culture. The first culture lesson during the trip.

The People's Liberation Army

After the truly boring and sleepy flag salute, we took few hours bus, from the square to a very remote military camp. i am always thinking why they like to show us the army? it is a proof of a strong nation? No, never, it is only a proof of a strong ruling power of the government. Do they want to show us, their army is strong, so, don't think about to be independent of Hong Kong? anyway, i never proud of the nation because of a strong army. It should be a high social standard, well living place, zero corruption, freedom of speech and publishing to make one citizen of a nation proud, and love the country. A nation should be able to export its culture rather than its army to give others good image. besides of the fantastic energy release of a tank gun, i see nothing interesting there. The 2nd chance of cultural exchange is quite meaningful in some sense.

The Great Wall

The Great wall is the third place to visit. it took us another few hours by bus. In my opinion, we can visit the forbidden city instead of the military camp. The Great Wall is always a wonder, not just owned by chinese, but always the mankind. The construction of the wall was finished around 3000 years, and every dynasty keep on to maintain and expand the mega structure. The main function of the wall is the defend the invasion from the northern nomads. Similar to the ancient Roma, the rich and wealth attracted nomads. The technique and skill of ancient communication are so inspiriting, while all of us are so used to tele-communication, like cell-phone and internet.