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Vocabulary


Character Pinyin English
八个阶段 bā ge jiēduàn eight phases (PN)
古代中国 gǔdaì Zhōngguó ancient China (N)
神奇的东海 shénqí de Dōnghǎi the magical “Eastern Seas” (NP)
对徐福的研究 duì Xú Fú de yánjiū studies of Xu Fu (NP)
中国正史 Zhōngguó zhèngshǐ Chinese standard histories (N)
起起落落 qǐqǐ luòluò ups and downs
四个高潮 sìgè gāocháo four “high tides” (N)
明朝 Míng cháo Ming dynasty (1368-1644) (PN)
晚清 wǎn Qīng the late Qing dynasty (PN)
对日抗战时期 duì Rì Kàngzhàn shíqī the period of the War of Resistance against Japan (N)
从1979年至今 cóng 1979 nián zhìjīn from 1979 to the present
倭寇 Wōkòu Wokou (Japanese pirates) (PN)
侵略 qīnlǜe to devastate, ruin (V)
东亚沿海 Dōngnán yánhǎi coastal region of East Asia
单方的行动 dānfāng de xíngdòng unilateral action (N)
建设性和毁灭性 jiànshèxìng hé huǐmiéxìng constructive and destructive (N)
第一个现代外交任务 dì yīgè xiàndaì waìjiāo rènwù first modern diplomatic mission (NP)
中日战争 Zhōng-Rì zhànzhēng the Sino-Japanese War (PN)
南京大屠杀 Nánjīng dàtúshā Rape of Nanking (PN)
文化大革命 Wénhuà Dàgèmìng the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) (PN)

Activities

1. Try to find one (or more) news items from the last couple of years about China and Japan relations. What are these news items about? Summarize for your group/classmates. Analyze the event(s) described in the news item based on the information you got from the article “Japan-China Relations.”

2. Choose a topic/event from one of the news items. Divide the class, or group, into two; one half represents China, the other Japan. Each group will prepare a 2 minute statement expressing the position of their country in the chosen situation/event. After that, your goal is to reach an agreement or solution to the problem/event. During the debate, you can use information from the news item, and other articles. Remember, even when you are debating, and when you disagree with the opposite party, stay polite and civilized! Can you reach an agreement? If so, what is it? If not, why not?

Study Questions

  • Summarize the history of the relationship between China and Japan. What were the main events that have defined that relationship? How do think different generations of Chinese and Japanese look at their relationship with each other?
  • What do you think about the anti-Japanese movement nowadays in some parts of China? How could you explain these reactions in light of the (recent) history? And what about Japan’s attitude towards China?
  • How would the (personal) relations between “regular” people of two countries (for example China and Japan) be influenced by official (political) issues? Can you think of recent examples other than China and Japan?
  • How do you see the future relations between the two countries? If you were a diplomat helping with negotiations between the two nations, what aspects (cultural, historical, social, and economic) would you have to be specifically aware of, for the negotiations to be successful?

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