The tragedy of victory

     I've always wanted to write an article about national sentiment, but I've hesitated because I fear such a controversial piece would become a source of trouble. I'm someone who dislikes getting involved in disputes and is afraid of trouble. I'm also afraid of being unable to handle public scrutiny due to my poor speaking skills. Therefore, I've remained silent, letting my thoughts churn.

    But the story of Yu the Great controlling the floods teaches us a lesson: when facing floods, blocking is the worst strategy; only dredging is the best. Similarly, suppressing my thoughts is the worst strategy; releasing them is the best. So I'm prepared to speak my mind, and thus, I'm prepared to become the target of public criticism.

    Japan and China are neighbors, and Japan once oppressed and humiliated China. It's a pain that can never be forgotten. However, since the concept of a nation existed, morality has been latent. While justice seems to be held by the nation as a whole, this is not the case. From history, both ancient and modern, we can easily see that justice, when tainted by self-interest, has shifted and changed. This kind of justice, devoid of morality, often becomes the facade for the powerful to dominate. Bullying the weak is human nature, and indeed, the nature of all living things.

    As for China, our Chinese dynasties have risen and fallen over thousands of years, sometimes united, sometimes divided, sometimes strong, sometimes weak. When weak, we were bullied; when strong, we did not seek revenge, but instead embraced the world and bestowed blessings upon all. This is a characteristic of our nation. Invading others is not our style. Zheng He's voyages are a prime example. However, the Mongolian people, with their fierce and flamboyant character, were the only exception, conquering the world. With their scimitars and iron hooves, they expanded China's territory unprecedentedly. Although Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Wu of Han were also militaristic, their influence remains on the land of China.

    In the thousands of years of Chinese history, such figures and dynasties of strength and glory have only appeared once, and it was ultimately just the glory of one dynasty. This flamboyant and fierce national style is not our mainstream strategy for governing the country. China is an ancient country with a long history, and we are a nation with a gentle, jade-like character.

    The balance of strength and gentleness is the soul and root of our nation. When this gentle nation is invaded and oppressed by foreign powers, we consistently try to educate, influence, and tolerate them. When this bullying reaches its extreme, a natural reversal is inevitable. Only then can the invaders realize how fierce, how righteous, and how awe-inspiring our resistance is.

    Japan owes China an unpayable debt. This debt is a wound in the soul of our nation that can never heal.

    That era is gone, but we have not forgotten our pain and humiliation. That era is gone, and we are moving forward with a spirit of recuperation, from the past to the present and future. We are developing and strengthening ourselves in peace. But this development and strengthening is carried out within a framework of moral principles.

    Japan, too, rose from the ruins of defeat and stands tall in the world with great strength. After a short period of recovery, they quickly entered a state of development. Today, their militaristic national character is resurfacing under the influence of some. They distort historical facts and worship war criminals at shrines. This is disrespectful and provocative towards the Chinese people. All we can do is protest their shameless actions from our own standpoint. War is no longer the dominant force in this era or the future world; peace and development are the themes of the present and the future. As a developing country, we need to develop our economy because we are not yet strong enough. Even when we are strong, all we can do is defend our sovereignty and territorial integrity, not aggression and revenge. As descendants of the Yellow Emperor, we are not belligerent, but that doesn't mean we can be bullied again.

    We may not be able to control others' provocations. Especially when facing provocation, we cannot treat every Japanese person with narrow-minded blind obedience. Japan has deeply hurt us in the past, and some Japanese people are still hurting our broken hearts. But this is not enough to prove that every Japanese person is our enemy and adversary.

    We are a great nation, and also an ancient one. As descendants of the Yellow Emperor, we should inherit the moral principles of our ancestors and the ideal of striving for the rise of China. Self-reliance and self-strengthening are the foundation for us to never be humiliated again.

    Our broad vision requires tolerance and influence, conducted within our own principles. We have no need to resort to violence in the heat of the moment. This is not our way. We need reason; others dare to provoke us because we are not strong enough. Violence is not our national style. We need calm, but not apathy.

    We are patriotic, but expressing patriotism through violence is narrow-minded, blindly obedient, and extreme. Boycotting Japanese goods to express patriotism is an unwise choice. In terms of adopting foreign ideas, we should only take what is useful to us, even if we have similar things, ours may not be as good as theirs, whether in the material or spiritual realm. When we are not as strong or as inferior as others, we need to learn from them, not close ourselves off from the world. Whether this person is your friend or your enemy, as long as they contribute to our progress, that's enough. The outward form is unimportant. Humility itself is a form of potential wealth and value. King Goujian of Yue, to restore his kingdom, was willing to become a slave in Wu, endure hardship and humiliation, and even taste excrement. What we need is the belief in self-reliance. During the War of Resistance Against Japan, Japan was our enemy, but we didn't abandon using the new weapons we captured just because they were our enemy, nor did we execute all prisoners of war just because they were our enemy. This can be seen in the TV series "Bright Sword."

    Back then, we exchanged our blood and lives for the weapons we captured. Now, we use our hard-earned money to buy goods that may be produced by them. As consumers, buying the best is their natural choice. Since their products are better than ours, why don't we reflect on the gap and strengthen ourselves, instead of one-sidedly and radically resisting them? This is narrow-mindedness and blind obedience. Since their products are better than ours, why should we settle for second best when we have the means to consume?

    If patriotism is achieved through boycotting Japanese goods and supporting domestic products in a violent manner, then isn't that too superficial, naive, and narrow-minded? In my view, there are many forms of patriotism, and this approach is not the best. Getting angry is punishing yourself for someone else's mistakes; it's better to strive for excellence than to be angry.

    Japan's industry is highly developed, and we choose their products because they often offer the best value for money. Similarly, in terms of culture, we cannot deny the cultural value of works like *The Tale of Genji* and *Snow Country* because of the provocations of a few Japanese people. Likewise, we cannot belittle the character of figures like Mr. Fujino and Tokufuku Roka because of the provocations of a few Japanese people.

    At this point, some may accuse me of forgetting my roots, of being unpatriotic, or of being a Westernizer. Here, I am simply looking at the issue from the rational perspective of a fellow countryman. Since I have placed myself in this position of right and wrong, I am prepared to be criticized. Here, I am simply viewing patriotism and Japanese goods from the perspective of a fellow countryman and a consumer.

    Perhaps the development of Japanese goods is supported by Japan's economy. However, in the 21st century, the diversified development of the economy has transcended geographical limitations. The economies of different countries are intricately intertwined like a spider web, mutually dependent. Your raw materials, his processing, but the market belongs to everyone, including you. Perhaps what we lack is not the market, but production capacity.

    We live in a commercial world. As designers and developers of a market economy, following market rules and buying the best products at the most reasonable prices is a natural choice for everyone. We don't bring human factors to break these rules, nor is it necessary for us to participate in trade in goods that we can choose but cannot. If human factors are allowed to participate, what's the difference between this and the recently implemented planned economy? In acts of

    patriotism, we need unconventional methods. Perhaps strengthening our industry through trade is a form of patriotism. Let the market speak, let consumers choose for themselves. This is the demeanor a great power should possess, a natural choice for its citizens. We don't need to express our patriotism by boycotting Japanese goods.

    My love for my motherland is like a child's love for their mother. Regarding Japan, like all Chinese people, I find it difficult to accept the injustice. But I hope we can view our patriotic actions more broadly and rationally, with tolerance and understanding. Because this country belongs not only to you, but also to me, and to everyone. You love it, and so do I.

    Imagine if we were to triumph through violence, it would be a tragic victory. This is because our sentiments are tainted with narrow-mindedness and extremism. Only those who have seen the painting by the former Russian painter (Bereschagin) depicting Napoleon standing on Sparrow Hills overlooking Moscow can truly grasp the poignant meaning of that victory. For Napoleon's political career ended precisely during his victorious retreat from the Battle of Moscow.

    Finally, I'll conclude this article with a passage from an essay by Japanese writer Tokufuku Roka about the nation and its people. "Ah, Japan, you have grown up. Are you truly growing? No, no. Before listening to the envious flattery of others, you must take a step back and quietly examine yourself before the gods… Your wealth, without the tens of millions of tons of raw silk and tea, without the coal of Fushun, without the camphor and sugar of Taiwan, would be your poverty. Don't you realize where your so-called victory places you?… Japanese people, repent!"