tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4050554817776641945.post5003499764420234189..comments2023-06-05T07:33:16.696-07:00Comments on The China Beat: FAQ#7: Why were Chinese people so angry about the attempts to seize the torch in the international torch relay?The China Beathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17042877198563453117noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4050554817776641945.post-54173575894047331652008-08-03T16:47:00.000-07:002008-08-03T16:47:00.000-07:00Earlier this year on the Modern Chinese Literature...Earlier this year on the Modern Chinese Literature and Culture e-list I wrote that the global torch relay will likely go down in the Chinese public memory as a new Long March--a heroic struggle against all odds. For this statement, which I'd meant as a lighthearted joke, I was viciously attacked by one of our Chinese members. I learnt the hard way how strongly people's emotions are invested in this ritual affair (not to mention the original Long March). Perhaps I'm one of those cynical Westerners who Susan writes about in her blog. In any case, the torch relay seems to have opened up a Pandora's box of international angst over the symbolic appropriation of global space by the Chinese state. All part of the big show, and I suppose all this angst will be re-targeted into the athletic events once the real competition begins. Anyhow it was nice to see Victor Turner's theory on ritual being put to good use.Andy Fieldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16412377278632300322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4050554817776641945.post-60981857973270246802008-08-02T16:06:00.000-07:002008-08-02T16:06:00.000-07:00"Yet, the corollary of that is the complete lack o..."Yet, the corollary of that is the complete lack of understanding among the Chinese people that the reason the Torch was being grabbed was precisely because it was a sacred object, and <B>China' politicization of it, so reminiscent of the Nazi use of it, was deeply offensive.</B>"<BR/><BR/>Oh please, from China running the torch through Xinjiang and Tibet to groups such as the Free Tibet movement and FLG using the torch relay to promote their own agenda, everybody has politicized it to death. Your sweeping statement serves merely as a reflection of your own bias.PBXhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12653523453598448464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4050554817776641945.post-32881580596424519882008-07-31T22:53:00.000-07:002008-07-31T22:53:00.000-07:00I agree with Telemachus, very nice piece of writin...I agree with Telemachus, very nice piece of writing.<BR/><BR/><B> I realized that at least part of the anger that many Chinese people felt at the disruptions of the international torch relay was the result of the (to them) appalling and uncivilized lack of respect for a nearly-sacred object.</B><BR/><BR/>Yet, the corollary of that is the complete lack of understanding among the Chinese people that the reason the Torch was being grabbed was precisely because it <I>was</I> a sacred object, and China' politicization of it, so reminiscent of the Nazi use of it, was deeply offensive. In other words, the Chinese understood its sacredness only in relation to themselves, and not to the others who experienced it. <BR/><BR/>MichaelMichael Turtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17974403961870976346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4050554817776641945.post-4260869480317003892008-07-31T17:36:00.000-07:002008-07-31T17:36:00.000-07:00Susan,Thank you for a very insightful meditation o...Susan,<BR/><BR/>Thank you for a very insightful meditation on the power of symbols and rituals. To believe in them is also to have access/privilege to a deep path of healing.Telemachushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03543108987086534303noreply@blogger.com