搜索
AmericaThroughtheSpectaclesofanOrientalDiplomat1AmericaThroughtheSpectaclesofanOrientalDiplomatbyWuTingfang,LL.DAmericaThroughtheSpectaclesofanOrientalDiplomat2Introduction:Whilethisbookisbynomeansfamous,itisaremarkablechancetolookatAmericaof1914throughtheeyesofanoutsider.WuTingfangshowsevidenceofhavingthoughtthroughmanyissuesofrelevancetotheUnitedStates,andwhilesomeofhisthoughtsareratherodd--suchashissuggestionthatthetitleofPresidentbereplacedbythetitleofEmperor;andothersareunfortunatelywrong--suchashishopesforpeace,writtenontheeveoftheFirstWorldWar;theyareallwell-consideredandsometimesshowremarkableinsightintoAmericanculture.Evenso,itshouldberemarkedthathemakessomeerrors,includingsomemisunderstandingsofAmericanandWesternideasandanidealizationofChineseculture,andhumanityingeneral,insomepoints--whileIdonotwishtorefutehisclaimsaboutChina,Iwouldsimplypointoutthatmanyofthethingshepraiseshavebeenseendifferentlybymanyoutsideobservers,justasWuTingfangsometimeslookscriticallyatthingsinAmericawhichhedoesnotfullyunderstand(and,unfortunately,heissometimesalltoocorrect)--inallthesecases(onbothsides)someleewaymustbegiventoaccountformutualmisunderstandings.Still,hisobservationsallowustoseeourselvesasothersseeus--andregardlessofaccuracythoseobservationsareuseful,ifonlybecausetheywillallowustobettercommunicate.Therangeoftopicscoveredisalsoofparticularinterest.WuTingfangwrotethisbookataninterestingjunctureinhistory--airplanesandmotionpictureshadrecentlybeeninvented,(andhisexpectationsforboththeseinventionshaveprovencorrect),andwhilehedidnotknowit,atremendousculturalshiftwasabouttotakeplaceintheWestduetotheFirstWorldWarandotherfactors.Iwillleaveittothereadertoseewhichideashavecaughtonandwhichhavenot.Thetopicsinclude:Immigration;theArmsRaceandchangesintechnology;one-timesixyeartermsfortheofficeofPresident;religionand/orethicsintheclassroom;women'sequality;fashion;violenceinthetheatre(violenceontelevision);vegetarianism;and,crueltytoanimals.AmericaThroughtheSpectaclesofanOrientalDiplomat3Iwillalsonotethatafewpassagesseemsatiricinnature,thoughIamnotcertainthatitisn'tmerelyaclashofcultures.AlanR.Light.Birmingham,Alabama.May,1996.AmericaThroughtheSpectaclesofanOrientalDiplomat4PrefaceOfallnationsintheworld,AmericaisthemostinterestingtotheChinese.AhandfulofpeopleleftEnglandtoexplorethiscountry:graduallytheirnumberincreased,and,incourseoftime,emigrantsfromotherlandsswelledthepopulation.Theyweregovernedbyofficialsfromthehomeofthefirstsettlers,butwhenitappearedtothemthattheywerebeingtreatedunjustly,theyrebelledanddeclaredwaragainsttheirrulers,thestrongestnationonthefaceoftheearth.Aftersevenyearsofstrenuous,perilous,andbloodywarfare,duringwhichthousandsoflivesweresacrificedonbothsides,theyoungerraceshookofftheyokeoftheolder,andEnglandwascompelledtorecognizetheindependenceoftheAmericanStates.Sincethen,inthecomparativelyshortspaceofonehundredandthirtyyears,thoserevolutionistsandtheirdescendants,havenotonlymadethecommonwealththerichestintheworld,buthavefoundedanationwhosewordnowcarriesweightwithalltheothergreatpowers.TheterritoryatfirstoccupiedwasnotlargerthanoneortwoprovincesofChina,butbypurchase,andinotherways,thecommonwealthhasgraduallygrowntillnowitextendsfromtheAtlantictothePacificOcean,fromthenorthwhereiceisperpetualtothesouthwherethesunisashotasinequatorialSingapore.Thisyoungrepublichasalreadyproducedmanymenandwomenwhoaredistinguishedinthefieldsofliterature,science,artandinvention.Therehostsofmen,whointheiryouthwereaspooraschurchmice,have,bydintofperseveranceandbusinesscapacity,becomemulti-millionaires.Thereyoumayseetherichestmanintheworldlivingasimpleandabstemiouslife,withoutpompandostentation,dailywalkinginthestreetsunattendedevenbyaservant.Manyofthemhavesomuchmoneythattheydonotknowwhattodowithit.Manyforeigncounts,dukes,andevenprinceshavebeencapturedbytheirwealthyandhandsomedaughters,someofwhomhavebornesonswhohavebecomehighofficersofstateinforeignlands.Thereyoufindrichpeoplewhodevotetheirtimeandwealthtocharitableworks,sometimesAmericaThroughtheSpectaclesofanOrientalDiplomat5endowinglibrariesnotonlyintheirownland,butallovertheworld;thereyouwillfindlynchingtolerated,orimpossibleofprevention;thereonemanmaykillanother,andbythewonderfulprocessoflawescapetheextremepenaltyofdeath;thereyoumeetthepeoplewhoaremostfavorablydisposedtowardthemaintenanceofpeace,andwhoholdconferencesandconventionswiththatobjectinviewalmosteveryyear;thereanAmericanmulti-millionairedevotesagreatproportionofhistimetothepropagandaofpeace,andathisownexpensehasbuiltinaforeigncountryapalatialbuildingtobeusedasatribunalofpeace.*Yetthesepeoplehavewagedwaronbehalfofothernationalitieswhotheythoughtwerebeingunjustlytreatedandwhenvictorioustheyhavenotheldontothefruitsoftheirvictorywithoutpayingareasonableprice.**Theretheinhabitantsare,asarule,extremelypatriotic,andinarecentforeignwarmanygaveuptheirbusinessesandprofessionsandvolunteeredforserviceinthearmy;oneofherrichestsonsenlistedandequippedawholeregimentathisownexpense,andtookcommandofit.Inthatcountryallthecitizensarehe