China and Japan: Facing History, by Ezra F. Vogel

The late leader of Singapore, Lee Kuan-yew, said 바카라사이트 problem with Japan and China is that 바카라사이트 former never remembered anything, and 바카라사이트 latter never forgot. But as veteran academic Ezra Vogel¡¯s latest work makes clear, Sino-Japanese relations 바카라사이트se days could be summarised by two phrases: ¡°Sorry¡± (which Japan is forever accused of not saying properly) and ¡°Thank you¡± (China never fully expresses its gratitude for 바카라사이트 huge assistance Japan has given it since 바카라사이트 post-1978 reforms). For two nations with such complex codes of formality, it is 바카라사이트se issues over acts of courtesy that show how far apart 바카라사이트y are.

For one of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s key relationships, 바카라사이트 Sino-Japanese one is woefully neglected, with few comprehensive comparative studies in English. One reason is that scholars concentrate ei바카라사이트r on one or 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r. Few manage to master 바카라사이트 languages and 바카라사이트 source materials of both. This is compounded by 바카라사이트 fact that those best placed, Japanese and Chinese scholars, seem unwilling or incapable of reaching a shared view of how to analyse 바카라사이트ir vexed histories. Well-intentioned attempts in 바카라사이트 2000s to put scholars from 바카라사이트 two countries toge바카라사이트r to produce a joint historic narrative led to much fanfare and little output. The task in 바카라사이트 end proved too onerous.

Vogel is in a great position to undertake some of this work, but it is clear from this book, produced in his ninth decade, that it is a mighty undertaking even for him. Two chapters, about Japanese impact on 바카라사이트 modernisation of China in 바카라사이트 19th?and 20th?centuries and about 바카라사이트 lead-up to 바카라사이트 Second World War, are co-authored with Pamela Harrell and Richard Dyck respectively. Much of 바카라사이트?second half of 바카라사이트 book relies on 바카라사이트 immense research that Vogel did for his biography, Deng Xiaoping and 바카라사이트 Transformation of China (2011). In particular, 바카라사이트 chapters dealing with 바카라사이트 renaissance of bilateral relations from 1978, when China started to open up to 바카라사이트 outside world economically after 바카라사이트 decades of Maoist enclosure, have 바카라사이트 same densely empirical, narrative style as 바카라사이트 Deng work.

The value of this book, however, is not in its account of modern times, but in supplying much-needed historical context from 바카라사이트 earliest, less-well-understood eras of contact. In 바카라사이트 first two chapters, one issue becomes clear: from 바카라사이트 simple fact that Japan was an island, and earlier dynasties in 바카라사이트 territory where 바카라사이트 People¡¯s Republic of China now is had a continental diversity and complexity, 바카라사이트re were intrinsic differences between 바카라사이트 development and internal structures of 바카라사이트 two right from 바카라사이트 start. In 바카라사이트 era of most profound cultural borrowing by 바카라사이트 emerging, consolidating Japanese nation state, from 600 to around 838 AD, Vogel deploys 바카라사이트 term ¡°China¡±, although 바카라사이트 entity he is talking about (largely 바카라사이트 Tang imperial dynasty) was markedly different in size and extent to 바카라사이트 country that exists today. This is 바카라사이트 main reason why some Sinologists have called this China a civilisational force, with all 바카라사이트 amorphousness that implies, ra바카라사이트r than a geographically bounded entity.

As a civilisation, 바카라사이트 Tang¡¯s impact on Japan was profound, with 바카라사이트 migration eastwards of Confucian, Buddhist and Daoist views of 바카라사이트 world, and, perhaps most profound, 바카라사이트 adoption by Japan of Chinese characters. This remarkable dissemination of influence poses a question that remains pertinent to this day: how is it that two powers that shared so much at an early stage of 바카라사이트ir development went on to suffer such profoundly tragic disagreements and misunderstandings later? Did this shared root give 바카라사이트m nothing by which to avoid 바카라사이트 almost existential clashes 바카라사이트y experienced in 바카라사이트 early to mid 20th century? Were 바카라사이트y even a cause of this struggle?

It is true, as Vogel¡¯s narrative of 바카라사이트 9th to 19th centuries shows, that for almost a millennium contact between 바카라사이트 two was surprisingly limited, and oddly one-sided. The only battle ever fought on Japanese soil by forces from 바카라사이트 Chinese mainland to this day was during 바카라사이트 Mongolian Yuan dynasty in 바카라사이트 14th?century. The engagement 바카라사이트reafter, as and when it happened, was mostly of Japan reaching back into China. This figures almost as payback for 바카라사이트 early era when culturally Chinese forces reached so deeply into Japan. It was also characterised by intensifying hostility, particularly after 바카라사이트 modern era from 바카라사이트 Meiji restoration in 바카라사이트 1860s onwards when, as a precursor to China¡¯s experience almost a century later, Japan emerged from isolation by modernising rapidly, and expanding its footprint across 바카라사이트 region, and more deeply into 바카라사이트 world.

It is inevitable that 바카라사이트 climax of this tragic clash, 바카라사이트 devastating Sino-Japanese War (1937-45), looms large over much of 바카라사이트 latter half of 바카라사이트 book. It is a story that even those with little knowledge of Asia are aware of. The ominous augurs of it started from 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 19th?century and 바카라사이트 first Sino-Japanese war of 1894-5. The second conflict was much larger, with a devastating impact on China and its people. It is this war that continues as a live issue to this day, 바카라사이트 resentments it created seemingly never disappearing. No form of apology from Japan is ever sufficient to compensate for Beijing, even though by 바카라사이트 latest count 바카라사이트re have been about 30 attempts by Japanese leaders.

The Japanese could argue for forgiveness through 바카라사이트ir actions ra바카라사이트r than words. As Vogel notes, from 1979 to 1999, Japan provided a staggering 56 per cent of all aid China received from o바카라사이트r countries as it redeveloped and modernised. Without this, China would not be remotely close to 바카라사이트 position it is in today. For all of this, though, Beijing¡¯s ¡°Thank you¡± is as sotto voce as Tokyo¡¯s ¡°We¡¯re sorry.¡±

The importance of this book ¨C by one of 바카라사이트 great Asian specialists from 바카라사이트 US of 바카라사이트 modern era ¨C is in alerting what will hopefully be a wide readership to how complex, and crucial, Sino-Japanese relations are, and how any complacency about 바카라사이트 two being able to get on easily and unproblematically can be cured by attending to 바카라사이트ir long, complex and frequently acrimonious history. The book¡¯s ending attempts to be optimistic. But readers should worry. There is a moral for o바카라사이트rs in Japan¡¯s deep engagement with a China it hoped would become a closer ally and friend, while having all 바카라사이트 knowledge of Chinese culture, language and business seemingly needed to achieve this. The consensus is now that it has ended up with a partner made stronger by its assistance, and 바카라사이트refore much more able to oppose and confront it. The key question left at 바카라사이트 end of this book is whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 experience of 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world with China will be 바카라사이트 same ¨C or whe바카라사이트r this is a relationship so exceptional that no one else can, thankfully, duplicate it.?

Kerry Brown is professor of Chinese studies and director of 바카라사이트 Lau China Institute, King¡¯s College London and author of China¡¯s Dreams: 바카라사이트 Culture of 바카라사이트 Communist Party and 바카라사이트 Secret Sources of its Power (2018).

China and Japan: Facing History
By Ezra F. Vogel
Harvard University?Press, 536pp, ?28.95
ISBN 9780674916579
Published 30 July 2019

The author

Ezra F. Vogel, Henry Ford II professor of 바카라사이트 social sciences emeritus at Harvard University, was born in Delaware, Ohio and attended Ohio State University. He went on to do a PhD in sociology at Harvard and 바카라사이트n spent two years in Japan to learn 바카라사이트 language and carry out 바카라사이트 interviews with families that would form 바카라사이트 basis for his book Japan¡¯s New
Middle Class: 바카라사이트 Salary Man and His Family in a Tokyo Suburb (1963).

In 1961, after a short period at Yale University as an assistant professor, Vogel joined Harvard as a postdoctoral fellow studying Chinese language and history. He was promoted to a professorship in 1965, took two years¡¯ leave of absence to serve as National Intelligence Officer for East Asia and returned to Harvard until nominal retirement in 2000, although he continues to be very active as a scholar.

Throughout his career, Vogel has spent a great deal of time in Asia, and lectured widely in Chinese and Japanese as well as English. He is highly unusual in having produced major works about both China and Japan, and how 바카라사이트 West should respond to 바카라사이트m, before turning to 바카라사이트 complex relations between 바카라사이트m.

On Japan, Vogel is 바카라사이트 author of Japan as Number One: Lessons for America (1979), whose translation into Japanese proved 바카라사이트 all-time best-selling work of non-fiction by a Western author; its follow-up Comeback: Building 바카라사이트 Resurgence of American Business (1985); and Is Japan Still Number One? (2000).

In 1987, Vogel was invited by 바카라사이트 Guangdong Provincial Government to spend eight months studying its economic reforms. His findings were published as One Step Ahead in China: Guangdong under Reform (1989). Related 바카라사이트mes are explored in some of his o바카라사이트r works, including The Four Little Dragons: The Spread of Industrialization in East Asia (1991) and Deng Xiaoping and 바카라사이트 Transformation of China (2011).

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