Japan

Japan is geographically China’s nearest rival. The two nations practice similar religions, eats similar food and have stolen large parts of their culture from each other. They have a history of warfare. And China hates Japan.

It seems that there is no equivalent saying in Chinese as “to err is human; to forgive is divine.” This passionate dislike for Japan stems from feelings left over from World War II. Japan’s ‘Rape of Nanjing’ remains one of the worst genocides on record; in addition to 300,000 men, women and children slaughtered, the Japanese enacted human testing and committed widespread rape. Confronted with the stark reality of the past it’s understandable that there may be some lingering resentment among the Chinese people, but doesn’t time heal all wounds? Not in China.

The Chinese government continues to use this event as a rallying cry for nationalism. TV shows, movies, and pop-culture all reflect the mindset, setting the Japanese of WWII as the face of evil, much like the Nazi’s are used in western culture. The difference between the portrayal of the Nazis and the Japanese is that the west separates modern Germany from the Nazis, whereas the Chinese view the Japanese as the same people, forgetting the government is completely different and 60 years has elapsed. Most people in China weren’t even alive when this happened, but they still manage to hate.

Last week I asked my students what would happen if WW III started. One student promptly announced to the class that he would “invade Japan and pay them back for what they did to Nanjing.” Shocked as I was, I was further horrified by the other students laughing and nodding approval. These students of mine are the best educated, the smartest, among the brightest and richest people Shanghai can offer. If they can’t understand the need to forgive and move on, how can we expect anyone in China to?