Senior NY Times writer and well-traveled/well-cultured can-speak-six-languages-fluently man, Howard French, was at the Walker last night to present his talk, On China and the West, presented in conjunction with the exhibition, House of Oracles: A Huang Yong Ping Retrospective.
I’m fairly drooling just reflecting back on this talk. Howard delivered a prepared speech and it’s really no wonder that he has received the NY Times’ top publishing award SIX times. He presented a snapshot of China as the world’s fastest growing economy, and brought to light many of the implications that means for the Chinese people on social, political and environmental levels. It’s totally astonishing. Even more so for me, because I walked into the talk knowing almost nothing about China.
He drew an interesting parallel between the current situation in China and the similar path that Japan took in the late 19th/early 20th century to modernize, colonize, and compete with the West. He spoke at length on the connections between Japan and China, and made a fascinating comparison on the situation of women in both countries, stating that Chinese women are very different from Japanese women, jumping in with both feet and actively pursuing their ambitions and voicing their opinions. (He alluded to an upcoming book about women in Japan - I can hardly wait!) But Howard also later spoke briefly on the continued practice of detecting and aborting female fetuses, and in some regions male children outnumber female children four to one. That’s a pretty sobering statistic.
Howard presented such a comprehesive and compelling account of China, I was inspired to move to Shanghai and start the Howard French fan club. Geeking out after the talk, I couldn’t get close to Howard to offer my compliments for the presentation. He was surrounded by Director Kathy Halbreich’s entourage, and I couldn’t imagine busting in on that. Maybe it was better for all that I didn’t do anything to embarrass him AND my co-workers.
Check out Howard’s site, featuring a blog, writing excerpts, and some of his stunning photography.
Yes, what an evening full of well-articulated and thoughtful insight into China! Thanks to the Walker for the great programming.
Along the same lines as Kathy Halbreich’s question about what the Bush administration should do vis-a-vis China, I wish Howard French would have given more indication of how the American public should feel about China. Understandably, we are amazed by her size, enchanted by her ancient culture, and puzzled by, perhaps even fearful of, her government. For certain we must study China more in the coming years, but I was eager to hear something beyond study.
So often when we speak about China, there is the sense of a great and dangerous dragon awakening. Even Howard with his extensive comparison of China to pre-WWII Japan and their rise to militaristic power implied this feeling. I was relieved to hear later in his talk points of cultural and historical difference between China and Japan and his awareness of alarmist comments when analysts like himself talk about a growing China.
The fact that China is growing so quickly and in ways no one can predict gives many Americans great unease because we, as the remaining world superpower, expect to be in control. This attitude is strange and unfortunate when compared to much of the rest of the world's concern that actually America is the already-awakened and plundering beast. I remember Howard's response to Kathy's question on what the American government should do in relation to China. I heard him say that we should take care of our own problems here at home. That certainly would be a good start.
As China moves in fits and starts, and with great speed, to prominence in the 21st century, and as America must turn more and more its gaze eastward to understand what is happening, how should we feel toward what is still a great unknown? When I think of this question, in my mind echoes the final question of the evening addressed to Howard French. What is the future of the Chinese heart now that power and money are within reach? In considering this perhaps we as Americans should look to our own heart. What have we become after the American Century?
I think Huang Yong Ping is tempting us with these same questions? His American spy plane is bat-infested and blessed, destroyed and re-created, and when I look at it I find in myself a sense of shame as an American. The spy plane, beyond just military equipment, is a symbol of our suspicious American stare at China. But I think we should look at China with more hopeful eyes. Can we not say we wish for China's ascendancy all the abilities to offer goodness to the world that America had during the last century and all the wisdom to avoid violence that America lacks now?
We have more to learn from Howard French and from China herself.
Comment by Marcus Young — 11/9/2005 @ 12:52 pm