The thread about democracy and China reminds me of something: in a curious manner, 1989 reflected a lot of 1898...
I am currently
re-watching "Towards the Republic," a tv series that was taken off
broadcast three years ago by the CCTV because of it stirred debate
about many controversial topics, amongst them the historical
redefinition of Li Hongzhang and Yuan Shikai, the Sino-Japanese War,
the Boxer Rebellion, and yes, the Hundred Days' Reform.
I am thankful of the producers having bravely created something that is
at once thought provoking and sophisticated, elevating the quality of
the series above the normal rubble. It is a pity that the series is no
longer shown, because in my humble view, every student of modern
Chinese - no East Asian - history should see it. From the Menji Reform
to the Sino-Japanese War, from the Hundred Days' Reform to the Boxer
Rebellion, from the westernization efforts to the struggle for a
republic, from the Peking warlords to the Nationalist front, everything
can be mirrored to issues that are ever prevalent today.
Listening to conversation in old chinese is like music to one's years,
so much more intelligence and fluidity. While re-watching the series,
I am noticing more subtle contexts, things that are implied between the
lines, things that make every character - Li Hongzhang, Zhang Zhidong,
Kang Youwei, Liang Qichao, Sun Yat-Sen, Yuan Shikai - complex,
realistic, and three dimensional. From character study to dynamics
between warring interest groups, from historical accuracy and
cinematography, this is a jewel that should not be missed.
Li Hongzhang
Zhang Zhidong
Yuan Shikai
Kang Youwei
Sun Yat-Sen
Edited by poirot - 02-Mar-2007 at 18:13