Hello to all Chinese friends on the Internet, and hello to the network administrators as well (smiles and bows in greeting).
I am a university student from the Republic of Korea, and I am currently studying in your country's city of Shanghai. I have been in your country for about 5 years now. At first I came together with my father, who came to China for work. Originally I was studying in your country's capital, Beijing, and three years ago I moved to Shanghai. Ever since I was little I liked Chinese culture. Back in elementary school I slowly studied Chinese by myself, so before coming to China I already had a certain foundation in Chinese. After arriving in your country, naturally my Chinese improved even more rapidly. I like going online very much and chatting with my friends in Korea and China. A few days ago one of my Chinese friends introduced me to this website, saying it was about Japanese people and that maybe we Koreans would be interested. So I came, read everybody's articles for several days, and now I want to speak, as an ordinary Korean citizen, about my real views. If there are places where my wording is not smooth, I ask everyone to please be understanding.
I have noticed that when some Chinese friends post articles online, besides bitterly cursing Japanese people, they also like to say things against Korea. This makes me very disappointed. Before I came to China, I had always regarded Chinese people as a very kind and friendly people. Although some unfortunate things happened in the history of our two countries, overall it was still mainly peaceful. There are indeed some people in Korea who are against China; there are many of them in my hometown SEOUL (what you call "Hancheng"
, but I have always regarded them as fools. But on China's Internet, I am often insulted. Sometimes I very politely say to others, "Hello, I am Korean," but they reply, "Get out of China! Goryeo stick!", "Do you Goryeo sticks still remember how our 'Volunteer Army' trampled your Seoul?", "Back then, do you remember how our Tang dynasty army encircled and annihilated you!" And there is also very vulgar abuse. Surely the people of your country are not supposed to be this xenophobic? Compared with those xenophobic fools directed at my motherland, I thought your country, with its vast territory, huge population, and its "Greater China mentality" as a cultural spirit, should appear to be a very tolerant and broad-minded people, not so narrow-minded, and should also be very civilized. But I have found that some people in your country often use extremely filthy language to attack others, instead of reasoning and arguing. Can this also reflect your "bearing of a great power"? And many of the insults directed at us Koreans sound like jealousy, perhaps anger that what used to be your country's vassal state has now surpassed its "suzerain state" in industry and culture? That may be what some people really think.
In these five years I have come to your country, many of the good impressions of your country that used to exist in my mind have now disappeared. I am actually very sad as well. Your country was historically the cultural teacher of our Republic of Korea; the Korean people and all of East Asian civilization were students of your country. Most of our etiquette systems and humanistic thought all originated from your country's great Chinese civilization. So before, I always regarded your country as the true "land of civilization" and "land of etiquette" in all of Asia. But when I truly came to your country, I realized I was wrong. In some basic matters of etiquette and morality, your country is even far inferior to countries much poorer than yours. Whether on the streets of Shanghai or Beijing, I rarely see people able to line up to get on a bus. The streets are often very dirty, and pedestrians casually throw trash and wastewater onto the street as if it were nothing. What shocked me even more is that people in your country actually spit on the ground anywhere! In other countries this is something very rude and degrading, but in your country it can be done openly and confidently! Once on Nanjing Road in Shanghai I saw a beautiful young girl spit on the ground right in front of her boyfriend. A girl like that in Korea would never get married in her whole life; we also could not possibly have such rude and bold girls. Also, your country's hygiene habits are too poor. Often your country's people bathe only once a week in seasons other than summer. In countries that value cleanliness, this is unimaginable. Around the world, it is common for each person to bathe and wash their hair once a day. Loving cleanliness is also an important aspect of a person's self-cultivation and civilization. In addition, there is no humility, and people love to quarrel. On your country's streets, buses, and in shops, I often see people start arguing over the smallest matters; I have even seen men take the initiative to argue with women. Could it be that the people of your country really do not even have this bit of bearing? Where is the tolerance of Chinese civilization? In our Korea, Japan, and Singapore? I am very sad.
I also discovered a very interesting phenomenon. On your country's Internet, nationalism and patriotism are often very strong, and everyone appears to love the country and hate Japan. But in reality, in the five years I have seen, the situation seems to be exactly the opposite. It seems that your country's people not only do not hate Japan in real life, but actually have very good feelings toward Japan. Most of the Chinese classmates I know in Beijing and Shanghai rather like Japan and Korea, especially Japan. The streets full of Japanese cars and the shops full of inferior Japanese electrical appliances leave me very confused. I think of those hateful Japanese companies oppressing Chinese laborers during World War II, and even now denying that history. Do Chinese people not hate them?! Those hateful Japanese companies have so many assets and so much market in China, and they still dare to oppose Chinese people without fearing that Chinese people will boycott Japanese goods in retaliation. Why? Why? Why?! Which Chinese friend can tell me! There is so much bold talk on the Internet, but when the hateful Japanese revise textbooks, when they openly seize your country's Diaoyu Islands, what practical action have the people of your country taken? Did anyone go into the streets to demonstrate like us Koreans? Did anyone cut off a finger in protest like our Korean brave men? No. Instead there was one famous female artist from your country walking on the streets of America wearing a Japanese military flag. I know you are angry, but though angry you are unwilling to act. I know you are patriotic, but though patriotic you are unwilling to sacrifice! Even insisting on buying domestic goods is also a patriotic sacrifice, but have you done it?! Do your country's people truly hate Japanese people?! Where is your country's ancient and great spirit of "sacrificing life for righteousness"?! Is it in Korea too?
Another thing I discovered is that foreigners, especially those from wealthy countries or foreign students, can always receive some special treatment in your country. Of course I have not enjoyed that, because with my fluent Chinese, rather "rustic" looks, and cheerful personality, even my best friends treat me as "one of their own people." On the contrary, those Japanese students whose Chinese is poor and whose temper is bad are very popular. Every day they are surrounded by a large crowd. Your country's students ask them questions like elementary school children, and they always love to compare their own country with Japan right in front of them, then conclude that their own country is good for nothing. No matter how ugly or ill-tempered Japanese exchange students are, they still receive a warm welcome from many beautiful girls from your country. I know they want to marry Japanese men and then leave (or, one could say, betray) their motherland. I am often very disgusted by such groveling people. As a Korean, I feel such people cannot be called Chinese; he or she is a disgrace to your country. But what is sad is that there are more and more such people. Once a fierce-looking Japanese student said to me alone in a vulgar way, "You need to learn how to act cool. Use money in front of these cheap Chinese women, and they'll all kneel before you begging you to 'do' them." I was very disgusted by what he said. Later, once in a restaurant near the school, I saw that Japanese student publicly harassing a Chinese girl. He said vulgar things to her, tried to put his arms around her, and insisted she finish his drink. The girl had already started crying. She wanted to resist, but also seemed afraid. And the people around her?? that is, around that Japanese student, my Chinese classmates, were actually all standing there watching the joke! Not one stepped forward to stop him. A few even egged that bastard Japanese on, telling the girl to obey! I really could not bear to watch, so I went forward, patted that bastard Japanese classmate on the shoulder, and sternly told him to behave himself, or else I would notify the police. Only then did he let the girl go.
Afterward, a Chinese person who was there patted me on the shoulder and said, "Well done, you're the pride of us Chinese people." I was very surprised at the time! I am Korean! Maybe he thought I was Chinese. Come to think of it, that hateful Japanese man was harassing a Chinese girl on Chinese soil, yet not a single Chinese person present went to stop him, and some even joined in the jeering! Most of them were strong, so why were they so afraid of Japanese people? Are they not men? Are they not Chinese men? They would not help the women of their own country and instead helped others bully them! In the end it was a Korean who stopped that bastard! This incident left a very deep impression on me, right up to today. Later that Japanese student was expelled. I think the school was just.
Right now I still like China, and I still like Chinese culture, but this feeling is already very different from how it was when I was still in my own country. Perhaps it is because there has been too much disappointment. As a loyal student of your country's great culture, I would like to offer everyone some suggestions, some friendly suggestions.
1. Please do not keep being arrogant and self-praising. Please see yourselves clearly. When you can line up to get on a bus, stop spitting everywhere, and behave in a civilized way, then call yourselves a "land of etiquette." When you can establish world-famous companies like LG and Samsung, then say "The 21st century is ours!" When you can stop "worshiping Japan" (is this term used correctly? My friend told me this), then go online and say those anti-Japanese big words.
2. Respect your country and your culture. You may dress like a Frenchman and speak like a Japanese, but in your heart you absolutely must be a Chinese person. I am deeply captivated by Chinese civilization, so why aren't you?
3. Do more and talk less big. If you cannot do something, then do not say it; if you say it, then do it. All the more, do not say those self-comforting, self-satisfying words there. That is a symbol of the weak.
Everyone must have been working very hard lately. I wish all of you good health, and I also wish that China can free itself from the troubles of SARS as soon as possible. As for the words of me, a Korean, I also hope everyone can forgive them and give them attention.
Greetings again
I am a university student from the Republic of Korea, and I am currently studying in your country's city of Shanghai. I have been in your country for about 5 years now. At first I came together with my father, who came to China for work. Originally I was studying in your country's capital, Beijing, and three years ago I moved to Shanghai. Ever since I was little I liked Chinese culture. Back in elementary school I slowly studied Chinese by myself, so before coming to China I already had a certain foundation in Chinese. After arriving in your country, naturally my Chinese improved even more rapidly. I like going online very much and chatting with my friends in Korea and China. A few days ago one of my Chinese friends introduced me to this website, saying it was about Japanese people and that maybe we Koreans would be interested. So I came, read everybody's articles for several days, and now I want to speak, as an ordinary Korean citizen, about my real views. If there are places where my wording is not smooth, I ask everyone to please be understanding.
I have noticed that when some Chinese friends post articles online, besides bitterly cursing Japanese people, they also like to say things against Korea. This makes me very disappointed. Before I came to China, I had always regarded Chinese people as a very kind and friendly people. Although some unfortunate things happened in the history of our two countries, overall it was still mainly peaceful. There are indeed some people in Korea who are against China; there are many of them in my hometown SEOUL (what you call "Hancheng"
, but I have always regarded them as fools. But on China's Internet, I am often insulted. Sometimes I very politely say to others, "Hello, I am Korean," but they reply, "Get out of China! Goryeo stick!", "Do you Goryeo sticks still remember how our 'Volunteer Army' trampled your Seoul?", "Back then, do you remember how our Tang dynasty army encircled and annihilated you!" And there is also very vulgar abuse. Surely the people of your country are not supposed to be this xenophobic? Compared with those xenophobic fools directed at my motherland, I thought your country, with its vast territory, huge population, and its "Greater China mentality" as a cultural spirit, should appear to be a very tolerant and broad-minded people, not so narrow-minded, and should also be very civilized. But I have found that some people in your country often use extremely filthy language to attack others, instead of reasoning and arguing. Can this also reflect your "bearing of a great power"? And many of the insults directed at us Koreans sound like jealousy, perhaps anger that what used to be your country's vassal state has now surpassed its "suzerain state" in industry and culture? That may be what some people really think. In these five years I have come to your country, many of the good impressions of your country that used to exist in my mind have now disappeared. I am actually very sad as well. Your country was historically the cultural teacher of our Republic of Korea; the Korean people and all of East Asian civilization were students of your country. Most of our etiquette systems and humanistic thought all originated from your country's great Chinese civilization. So before, I always regarded your country as the true "land of civilization" and "land of etiquette" in all of Asia. But when I truly came to your country, I realized I was wrong. In some basic matters of etiquette and morality, your country is even far inferior to countries much poorer than yours. Whether on the streets of Shanghai or Beijing, I rarely see people able to line up to get on a bus. The streets are often very dirty, and pedestrians casually throw trash and wastewater onto the street as if it were nothing. What shocked me even more is that people in your country actually spit on the ground anywhere! In other countries this is something very rude and degrading, but in your country it can be done openly and confidently! Once on Nanjing Road in Shanghai I saw a beautiful young girl spit on the ground right in front of her boyfriend. A girl like that in Korea would never get married in her whole life; we also could not possibly have such rude and bold girls. Also, your country's hygiene habits are too poor. Often your country's people bathe only once a week in seasons other than summer. In countries that value cleanliness, this is unimaginable. Around the world, it is common for each person to bathe and wash their hair once a day. Loving cleanliness is also an important aspect of a person's self-cultivation and civilization. In addition, there is no humility, and people love to quarrel. On your country's streets, buses, and in shops, I often see people start arguing over the smallest matters; I have even seen men take the initiative to argue with women. Could it be that the people of your country really do not even have this bit of bearing? Where is the tolerance of Chinese civilization? In our Korea, Japan, and Singapore? I am very sad.
I also discovered a very interesting phenomenon. On your country's Internet, nationalism and patriotism are often very strong, and everyone appears to love the country and hate Japan. But in reality, in the five years I have seen, the situation seems to be exactly the opposite. It seems that your country's people not only do not hate Japan in real life, but actually have very good feelings toward Japan. Most of the Chinese classmates I know in Beijing and Shanghai rather like Japan and Korea, especially Japan. The streets full of Japanese cars and the shops full of inferior Japanese electrical appliances leave me very confused. I think of those hateful Japanese companies oppressing Chinese laborers during World War II, and even now denying that history. Do Chinese people not hate them?! Those hateful Japanese companies have so many assets and so much market in China, and they still dare to oppose Chinese people without fearing that Chinese people will boycott Japanese goods in retaliation. Why? Why? Why?! Which Chinese friend can tell me! There is so much bold talk on the Internet, but when the hateful Japanese revise textbooks, when they openly seize your country's Diaoyu Islands, what practical action have the people of your country taken? Did anyone go into the streets to demonstrate like us Koreans? Did anyone cut off a finger in protest like our Korean brave men? No. Instead there was one famous female artist from your country walking on the streets of America wearing a Japanese military flag. I know you are angry, but though angry you are unwilling to act. I know you are patriotic, but though patriotic you are unwilling to sacrifice! Even insisting on buying domestic goods is also a patriotic sacrifice, but have you done it?! Do your country's people truly hate Japanese people?! Where is your country's ancient and great spirit of "sacrificing life for righteousness"?! Is it in Korea too?
Another thing I discovered is that foreigners, especially those from wealthy countries or foreign students, can always receive some special treatment in your country. Of course I have not enjoyed that, because with my fluent Chinese, rather "rustic" looks, and cheerful personality, even my best friends treat me as "one of their own people." On the contrary, those Japanese students whose Chinese is poor and whose temper is bad are very popular. Every day they are surrounded by a large crowd. Your country's students ask them questions like elementary school children, and they always love to compare their own country with Japan right in front of them, then conclude that their own country is good for nothing. No matter how ugly or ill-tempered Japanese exchange students are, they still receive a warm welcome from many beautiful girls from your country. I know they want to marry Japanese men and then leave (or, one could say, betray) their motherland. I am often very disgusted by such groveling people. As a Korean, I feel such people cannot be called Chinese; he or she is a disgrace to your country. But what is sad is that there are more and more such people. Once a fierce-looking Japanese student said to me alone in a vulgar way, "You need to learn how to act cool. Use money in front of these cheap Chinese women, and they'll all kneel before you begging you to 'do' them." I was very disgusted by what he said. Later, once in a restaurant near the school, I saw that Japanese student publicly harassing a Chinese girl. He said vulgar things to her, tried to put his arms around her, and insisted she finish his drink. The girl had already started crying. She wanted to resist, but also seemed afraid. And the people around her?? that is, around that Japanese student, my Chinese classmates, were actually all standing there watching the joke! Not one stepped forward to stop him. A few even egged that bastard Japanese on, telling the girl to obey! I really could not bear to watch, so I went forward, patted that bastard Japanese classmate on the shoulder, and sternly told him to behave himself, or else I would notify the police. Only then did he let the girl go.
Afterward, a Chinese person who was there patted me on the shoulder and said, "Well done, you're the pride of us Chinese people." I was very surprised at the time! I am Korean! Maybe he thought I was Chinese. Come to think of it, that hateful Japanese man was harassing a Chinese girl on Chinese soil, yet not a single Chinese person present went to stop him, and some even joined in the jeering! Most of them were strong, so why were they so afraid of Japanese people? Are they not men? Are they not Chinese men? They would not help the women of their own country and instead helped others bully them! In the end it was a Korean who stopped that bastard! This incident left a very deep impression on me, right up to today. Later that Japanese student was expelled. I think the school was just.
Right now I still like China, and I still like Chinese culture, but this feeling is already very different from how it was when I was still in my own country. Perhaps it is because there has been too much disappointment. As a loyal student of your country's great culture, I would like to offer everyone some suggestions, some friendly suggestions.
1. Please do not keep being arrogant and self-praising. Please see yourselves clearly. When you can line up to get on a bus, stop spitting everywhere, and behave in a civilized way, then call yourselves a "land of etiquette." When you can establish world-famous companies like LG and Samsung, then say "The 21st century is ours!" When you can stop "worshiping Japan" (is this term used correctly? My friend told me this), then go online and say those anti-Japanese big words.
2. Respect your country and your culture. You may dress like a Frenchman and speak like a Japanese, but in your heart you absolutely must be a Chinese person. I am deeply captivated by Chinese civilization, so why aren't you?
3. Do more and talk less big. If you cannot do something, then do not say it; if you say it, then do it. All the more, do not say those self-comforting, self-satisfying words there. That is a symbol of the weak.
Everyone must have been working very hard lately. I wish all of you good health, and I also wish that China can free itself from the troubles of SARS as soon as possible. As for the words of me, a Korean, I also hope everyone can forgive them and give them attention.
Greetings again
================================= kickout
大功告成，打个Kiss!
大功告成，打个Kiss!
