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The writing background of the book "The Chrysanthemum and the Knife" which introduces the development of Japan
Ruth's biggest regret is that she has never been to Japan in her life. Japan's opinions and conclusions are based on written materials or interviews.
At that time, Asia still remained cautiously closed, opposed to changes, and resisted reforms, especially China and a series of East Asian countries. In contrast, Europe, which was originally ignorant and backward in the Middle Ages, was the first to break out the bourgeois revolution, destroying feudalism and removing obstacles to economic development. The prosperity of Europe and the silence of Asia in modern times formed a sharp contrast.
In the 19th century, Western colonists had already established colonies in many Asian countries. Asia paid a heavy price for its conservatism. By the beginning of the 20th century, India had been completely controlled by the British for more than a century. century, Indonesia was occupied by the Dutch, the Philippines was a colony of the Americans, and China was the object of competition among all Western countries. Among the many colonized countries, Japan was the only one not included!
The sudden rise of Japan’s national power in modern times has attracted worldwide attention. Through the Meiji Restoration, it achieved the goal of enriching the country and strengthening the people in half a century. It is also the only militaristic country in Asia in modern times that has successfully moved toward foreign colonization and used military conquest as the foundation of its country. From the mainstream point of view, the outbreak of World War II was a just war against aggression by the world's anti-fascist countries. But from another perspective, the Pacific War provoked by Japan did end Western countries' colonial aggression in Asia. In the early days of the war, the banner of the "Greater East Asia Prosperity Sphere" raised by the Japanese militarists played an inspiring role in the people of Southeast Asian countries. Just as U.S. President James Monroe famously said, "America is for Americans," the Japanese government made a similar argument at the beginning of World War II. However, as the war progressed, the brutal and murderous atrocities of the Japanese army were reflected in their attitude towards the colonial people. This caused the Asian people to completely lose their expectations for Japan, and instead joined hands to jointly resist Japan, and finally won victory over Japan.
However, the Japanese soldiers showed terrifying combat effectiveness, tenacious will, and hardworking spirit during the war, which shocked Western countries. At this time, people remembered that this small and remote island country with such a small population could explode with such power. It was indeed worthy of in-depth research.
Ruth's book was written against this background.
"On Japan" has a solid foundation
And what about Dean Dai? His upbringing was very different from Ruth's. Dai was born in 1891, at a time when China was under great threat of being carved up by foreign powers. After the Sino-Japanese War, Chinese students studying abroad began to consider Japan as a destination for further studies out of reflection on Japan's rapid rise. When Dai was 15 years old, he also went to Japan to study. At this time, the Russo-Japanese War had just ended. Japan defeated Russia and obtained part of the territory of the Far East, including half of Sakhalin Island. It also replaced Russia and obtained the right to build roads in the Northeast. Japan was full of joy, but China and Russia were hit hard.
Dean Dai made in-depth field observations of Japanese society and ordinary Japanese people while studying in Japan. Due to financial problems, Dai returned to China without completing his studies. The important stages in the formation of his outlook on life were all completed in Japan. It is said that Dai's Japanese was so good that the Japanese living next door could not tell that he was Chinese. After returning to China, Dai traveled extensively with Mr. Sun Yat-sen and participated in many important events, such as the second revolution, the law-protection movement and the founding of the "Civil Rights Journal". Sun Yat-sen traveled between China and Japan many times. Whenever he came to Japan, Dai would be one of his entourage. Dai also participated in the meetings and exchanges between Sun Yat-sen and many Japanese dignitaries as an interpreter. During these foreign affairs activities, Dai established deep personal friendships with many Japanese leaders such as Katsura Taro, Inukai Takeshi, Tanaka Giichi, Akiyama Shinyuki, etc. He was a real "Japan expert" in modern China with such experience. The book about Japan written by a famous person is naturally authoritative and comprehensive.
Thirdly, the long-term hierarchical system has made Japanese people develop the habit of obedience and humility to the strong. The peasants' resistance is only to alleviate the official's excessive oppression of land rent, but it is never intended to overthrow the government. The idea is that there is also a contribution from Japan’s native religion, Shintoism. Shintoism originated in Japan. It is a unique belief that is reconciled by Japan's pan-theistic worship, Confucianism and Taoism from China, and the Buddhist civilization of India. Shintoism emphasizes that Japan was created by Amaterasu, and all Japanese are the people of God. The Emperor is the descendant of God, has the legal authority to rule Japan, and is the highest spiritual and political leader of Japan. Shintoism has a profound influence in Japan, and almost everyone in Japan is a believer. During the Meiji Restoration, the government carried out reforms in the name of the emperor and encountered very little resistance, which also made Japan's reforms relatively thorough.
While China was struggling with its heavy historical burden, Japan was able to go into battle easily, and the entire country changed from top to bottom. A Westerner who came to Japan during the Meiji period once asked an ordinary person: Japanese: "Where did your Japanese history begin?" The Japanese's answer was insightful: "Our Japanese history begins today."