Asian Studies Community on LiveJournal

Research topics

2008-07-18T12:31:41Z

have any of you ever researched or written papers on any of these topics or similar topics?

- Taiwanese national identity

- Sense of identity in Hong Kong

- Use of Mandarin in Taiwan

- Use of Mandarin in Hong Kong

- Language policies/ language planning in Taiwan

- Language policies/ language planning in Hong Kong

- Comparisons between Hong Kong and Taiwan, esp. linguistic/ language policies

- Mandarin in Malaysia/ Singapore

- Ethnonyms

- Other linguistic/ sociolinguistic aspects of Hong Kong/ Taiwan

- Other aspects of transforming national identities in East Asia

I'm currently researching these topics and would like to map how popular they are. If you've researched any of these, drop me a line and let's talk! I'm not after stealing anybody's thesis; I'm only interested in exchanging opinions and such.

thanks, and my apologies to those who see this twice. :)

Important Question

2008-07-12T14:16:45Z

I know I should ask this on a Japanese community but I was hoping someone here could help me. Also does anyone know if Sophia University's Asian Studies program on the MA level is any good? Thnx.

Hi everyone I am studying "an intergrated approach to intermediate japanese" by The Japan Times and I have four small questions?

1.)
学生：今朝でクラスの宿題をいただくのを忘れてしまったのです。
先生：明日持って来るのを忘れて下さい

first what does the の in each sentence mean? If is remember correctly (according to Genki, by The Japan Times as well, it references to a noun that has already been stated or clear; also I thought that everything before the の was just qualifing it.

2.)
例：赤ちゃんはペンギンのように歩きます
例：あの人は女のようなひとです

okay, here is my issue i know that のように　is the adverbial form of のような but I have seen it used in sentences without a preceeding verb following it. So, could someone clear this up for me because even when Genki II explained this I was confused.

3.)
例：自分の名前さえかけない人がすごくないでしょう
例：時々夏のように日さえあります

So, i learned sae means even and it follows a noun or dictionary form of a verb + koto, so I am very confused - please help.

4.)
例：僕は盗人に財布を盗まれました
例：お母さんは子供達に野菜を食べさせました

simply, what is the difference between causive, passive, and causive-passive? when do I know when to use them?

thank you,
hitotsuyanagi

Books on Chinese Elite Politics

2008-06-25T21:21:00Z

Asian Studies Folks,

I'm doing research on Chinese elite politics. The primary agent/actor on radar is Zhu Rongji. Particular attention is paid to his role in SOE reform, the resistance he meets from within CCP. As commonly understood, it's always difficult to find academic articles and newspaper/magazine reports on China's top-level political figures. But I do find some books published in Hongkong that show the poltical struggles from an insider's perspective (e.g., please see http://www.mirrorbooks.com/?book=5904).

My question is then, how reliable are these books on elite politics? As there's not much information I can get from a well-recognized channel, are books mentioned above well-recognized by scholars? Can they be cited and used as the primary resources for a serious, proper academic research project? Or, these books are for the purpose of entertainment only... Thanks for your time.

Arc.

Onmyoudou and Shikigami

2008-06-24T23:18:15Z

Hello, all!

I recently read through Lee Butler's "The Way of Yin and Yang: A Tradition Revived, Sold, Adapted" (Monumenta Nipponica, v.51 Issue 2, 1996), and while it provided a good overview of onmyoudo's history, it didn't really answer the questions I had. I've been trying to research the specifics of onmyoudo -more specifically shikigami and the Twelve Heavenly Generals (which seem to have been imported from China?)- but can't find any helpful resources in English. Unfortunately, I'm unable to read Japanese, so all the best books are out of my reach. Does anyone know of some good English-language books or articles available in the USA?

Questions for foreigners who have moved to China

2008-06-22T04:39:28Z

*waves* Hey guys!

I have a few questions... lol, sorry if these have been asked before.

1.What part of the country did you go? Was it in an area that spoke almost no English? Which dialect was spoken there?
2. Was it hard getting a job?
3. How long did it take until you felt you were fluent?

Lol, I'm asking all of this because I plan to move there for a few years to build my fluency/knowledge of Chinese culture... but I'm afraid that I may have trouble blending in.

I was also wondering how to write my name in simplified character... it's Chang Liu Yao (The surname is actually mine... whereas "Liu Yao" was my own creation).

Thanks :)

A Trip to Japan

2008-06-21T17:29:29Z

A Trip to Japan
Monday, May. 03, 1943
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,774490-1,00.html

We were running right along over the streets, just above roofs and could even see a couple of soldiers leaning against a lamppost. Then anti-aircraft got bad with lots of black puffs, so we settled right down on the bay, so low in the water that our props were sucking it up. It was banging against the sides of the hull. We passed over the whole bay with warships, a weather ship, seven subs there, but nobody fired at us. There were a bunch of people sunning themselves on the beach, they waved to us as we went past.

Time.com has free archives of all their articles and magazines dating back to 1923. You just need to define your search parameters and can find all sorts of goodies. The article above is a firsthand report of the Doolittle raid on Japan.

Pearl Harbor? Ghandi? Vietnam? You can find anything.

Call for Reviews on Takarazuka's Twelfth Night and Epiphany

2008-06-16T12:58:42Z

Hi Everyone,

I'm a researcher on Shakespearean productions. I've done my PhD research on homoeroticism in Takarazuka productions of Twelfth Night and Epiphany (1999). Due to the lack of reviews on these productions, it's difficult to analyse the audience's responses for my thesis. I recently discovered that Takarazuka fans will share their views on performances on the Takarazuka Wikipedia and LiveJournal. I'm thinking here may be a great place to invite you to share your opinions on these two particualr performances. Anyone who have seen these productions are welcome to write about them. The length of your reviews is favourable from 500 to 1000 words. I will be interested in knowing your thoughts about the relationships between Viola and Orsino (Otaka and Iriya) or that between Viola and Olivia (Otaka and Mari). I'll acknowledge your names if your words are cited in my paper. I hope to hear from you soon!

Sincerely yours,
Y. C.

Valparaiso University

2008-06-16T12:24:24Z

What can you tell me about the Chinese and Japanese Program at Valparaiso University?

I'm going to be a Sophomore at Hollins University majoring in International Studies - it's more of a self-designed major really as they don't have an out and out 'Asian Studies' program and I'm just adapting it mostly as I go along.

I was originally going to Hollins for a completely different major - but things have changed.

Also the fact that Valpo is cheaper (problems financially are not helping) than Hollins (and 1hr away vs. 12hrs)

So if I do go to Valpo I'd be doing a double major of International Studies/Chinese and Japanese Studies.

I'd appreciate any insight good or bad :)

Article on Japan's foray into space defense

2008-05-22T17:13:44Z

I'm a security studies student, so perhaps this was more interesting to me than others, but I thought some of you might find it intriguing as well.

Japanese Lawmakers Enact Space Defense Law

Japanese lawmakers today enacted a law allowing the country to conduct defense-oriented space activities within the boundaries of its pacifist constitution, the Associated Press reported.

Passed by the Japanese parliament’s upper house in a landslide vote, the law ends Japan’s 1969 prohibition of military work in outer space and paves the way for Japan to build more sophisticated reconnaissance satellites as well as possible space-based missile interceptors.

The law stipulates that Japan’s military space programs must “contribute to establish a safe society, remove various threats to life of the people and ensure peace and safety of international society, as well as the national security of our country” (Mari Yamaguchi, Associated Press/Google News, May 21).

From Global Security Newswire

Live TV

2008-05-19T05:56:36Z

If you look at this link you'll find tons of links to free online TV broadcasts from around the world including any number of Asian countries:

http://wwitv.com/portal.htm

I especially enjoy CNN India and Fuji News Network.

Great for language study and/or just getting the scoop on world events from another country.

Help?

2008-05-16T09:08:23Z

I'm currently writing my research paper on the Rape of Nanking. I've gotten a few resources from academic journals but I would really like to have some videos or articles that show both the Japanese view and the Chinese view. Any help would be great.

Hollywood Perspectives of Asia

2008-05-11T00:58:07Z

I'd like to ask what everyone here thinks of these kinds of movies. The reoccurring theme is one of a westerner -- in the cases above an American -- going off on a grand adventure in Asia to save Asians from themselves. They portray Asia as an exotic land filled with both pleasures and great dangers. The tradition brought forth by Indiana Jones carries forth in Hollywood today.

So, I should like to ask: is this way of portraying Asia potentially dangerous? I sometimes wonder if these sorts of films in particular don't help to perpetuate negative stereotypes about Asian countries. Not only that, they encourage a superiority complex where western viewers (specifically young males) might take on the heroic image for their own personal role model and think of Asia as a place to satisfy their desires for the exotic.

Selecting universities

2008-05-06T16:19:15Z

Hi all! Apologies for the x-posting if you see it more than once. Anyway, I'm nearly done with an application to study overseas in Japan next year, but I'm missing one rather important thing - a choice of university. :P My university has quite a few partnerships with Japanese institutions, but I've narrowed the list down a little and thought I'd see if anyone has any particular experiences (or heard of any) at the following universities, good or bad.

* Saga University
* Hiroshima University
* Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific (Beppu)
* Momoyama Gakuin (Osaka)
* Akita International University

Thanks. :)

Request: "The golden cangue" by Eileen Chang (Zhang Ailing)

2008-05-02T11:04:50Z

Hi all,

I'm looking for an online copy of Eileen Chang's novella "The Golden Cangue". I have it in Chinese, but she herself translated it into English and I would like to compare both versions for a paper I'm writing. I am unable to find it online (and I've already ordered the book but it won't arrive until after a couple of weeks), but maybe there are some Eileen Chang fans out there who know better?

Intro and plea for translation help

2008-04-29T06:15:03Z

Hello everyone!

I was searching for Japanese-related communities and found this one, so I thought I'd introduce myself. I'm currently a graduate student at George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs, specializing in international security with subfields in Asian regional security and nonproliferation studies. I lived in Japan from 2000-2001 where I went to school and taught English, and have studied Japanese ever since. I truly love the language, and intend to sit the JLPT 2 in December. I'm planning to start studying Korean this summer, to expand my foreign-language research abilities. I'm not sure what else to say, as my brain has been rather wrecked by the end-of-term insanity, but I'm glad I found this community!

My dad is a civil engineer who runs academies for the Pennsylvania state department of transportation, and today he sent me an email asking for help in translating some Japanese. It turns out a foreman in his academy has a piece of geological survey equipment that was manufactured in Japan; he does not have an English-language manual for it and can't figure out how to work it, so my dad asked me to translate the writing on the box in hopes of finding out who made it, so that the foreman can try to get an English-language manual for them.

I translated most of it, but I ran into two problems: 1) The picture is blurry and it's hard for me to make out a few of the kanji, which is my first request for help; and 2) The thing was made in 1941, so it's rather like bungo and unfamiliar to me. I've used all the online dictionaries I know of, plus my own paper and electronic dictionaries, trying to sort out these few kanji to no avail, so I would greatly appreciate your help. Below is what I've figured out so far, plus the annoyingly blurry picture.

The top of the box reads: 地上梓標艇定機箱, which I roughly translated as "geo surveying equipment box"

There is also a label on the box:

It seems it is written in right-to-left format. I got the top line, 昭和十六年八月, which is where I got that it was made in 1941 (Showa 16). The second line is the problem. I can't read/make out the fourth and sixth kanji (after 光 and 機, respectively) and I can't find the last kanji at all. I did try to look up the kanji by the radicals, and still couldn't find them.

I realize the picture isn't the greatest quality, so if you can't make anything out, that's fine. It's not a matter of earth-shattering importance, I just wanted to try to help my dad and this foreman out. :)

Thank you so much!!

[Edit] Thanks so much, question answered! :D

(x-posted)

Any archaeologists out there?

2008-04-28T03:29:35Z

Hey everyone! I just stumbled across this group, and I thought I'd make an intro post. I'm an undergrad studying archaeology, focusing for now in China. I've been studying Chinese for several, and I'll be working on my first dig in Asia this summer. I'm also very interested in the culture of Japan and possibly working in Mongolian archaeology someday.

I also just created a liverjournal group for East Asian archaeology, if anyone out there is interested in jump-starting that with me:
http://community.livejournal.com/archaeo_asia
It'll be great for sharing info on fieldwork opportunities, interesting research that's going on, grad programs, etc.

That's all!
~Liz

Introduction and Questions

2008-04-22T04:14:35Z

Hi everyone!

I'm a sophomore at a liberal arts college, and I'm contemplating doing an Asian Studies major. I really enjoy my classes (more than I've enjoyed any of my other classes aside from those related to Asian-American studies), and I was wondering what you could do with an Asian Studies major. (Well, my mom was wondering too, and she asked me and I couldn't answer...)

So, just a couple of questions for you all:
1. What kind of work are you doing now (even if it's unrelated to the field)?
1a. How's the pay? Haha.
2. Did you do an Asian studies major in undergrad? Another major? Double majored?
3. Are you going/did you go to grad school? If so, what program?
4. Have you studied abroad in another Asian country? How helpful do you think that was in getting to where you are now?
5. What's your opinion on the prospects of the Asian Studies field?

I've looked at old entries in the community, but I'm wondering if answers have changed in the past years, given that it seems like "the East is rising". Aside from teaching English (or just teaching in general), what else can you do with Asian studies? I'm really interested in policy-related stuff, so I've thought about working in the US State department. I'm also interested in the idea of consulting but I don't know anything about it. Any thoughts?

-edit-
Oh, and I'm currently minoring in English because it's most convenient, but of course, that's not set in stone. I'm also a Chinese-American with immigrant parents, so I grew up speaking Mandarin at home, and can read fairly well (I got up to 4th-year level in college, and I spent two months of last summer in Beijing in an intensive language study program). I hope to continue to study it by studying abroad next spring, hopefully in Shanghai.

CBETA / 佛教藏經

2008-04-22T00:10:49Z

For anyone wanting primary sources for Buddhism, this is the place to go:

http://www.cbeta.org/index.htm

It is a vast digital database of the Chinese Tripitaka.

... and it's free.

For an article or essay you probably need to cite the paper volume, but you can cut and paste from the digital archive. I've found it has saved me a lot of time as I can just copy and paste rather than having to input long lines of sometimes rare characters.

For example, Nagarjuna's Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way as translated by Kumarajiva:

http://www.cbeta.org/result/normal/T30/1564_001.htm

CFP: Japanese History - ERAS Journal

2008-04-11T04:04:40Z

People may know about this already, but I thought I might pass it along:

The Eras on-line postgraduate journal is currently seeking submissions
of papers for publication for our forthcoming editions in 2008 and 2009.

Eras is a fully refereed on-line journal edited and produced by
postgraduate students from the School of Historical Studies at Monash
University, Melbourne, Australia which is intended as an international
forum for current or recently completed Masters and PhD students to
publish original research, comment and reviews in any field covered by
the Monash SHS's teaching and research. We are seeking papers from
postgraduate students working in any of the fields listed below, along
with a brief description of your current affiliation and thesis topic.

Eras publishes papers from the following disciplines: History,
Archaeology and Ancient History, Religion and Theology and Jewish
Civilisation. Papers are also strongly encouraged from students in other
disciplines, such as Cultural Studies, Indigenous Studies, Gender
Studies, Philosophy, Sociology and Politics, providing such manuscripts
are relevant to the journal's primary disciplines.

For our upcoming editions we would be particularly interested in
submissions relating to Japanese history. Eras is a fully refereed
journal and all papers will be subjected to the standard refereeing
process. Papers should be up to 5,000 words in length and full
submission guidelines are available on the journal website:
www.arts.monash.edu.au/eras.

Please forward all submissions via email to: eras@arts.monash.edu.au by
June 1, 2008 for the 2008 edition (submissions received after June 1
will be considered for the 2009 unless space allows inclusion in the
earlier edition)

Thank you L.Grant & M. Katz Editors-in-Chief Eras Journal
-- ----------------------------
Eras Journal School of Historical Studies P.O.Box 11A, Monash University
Victoria, 3800 AUSTRALIA
email: eras@arts.monash.edu.au www.arts.monash.edu.au/eras

asianstudies @ 2008-04-10T14:44:00

2008-04-10T18:48:02Z

Hi there,

I have become increasingly interested in the Tibet-China conflict in recent weeks, especially with the furor over the Olympics and China's human rights record being dinged. Seeing that this conflict though has been going on for a very long time now really, I am curious to read more about how it started and evolved.

I read this article already which was resourceful, albeit a bit long, but I am looking for other viewpoints and historical references also. Websites are preferred since I can read them during my breaks at work, but I am especially interested in articles that analyze the situation to help me understand it better.

Thanks!

都統

2008-04-08T07:38:26Z

Can anyone tell me anything about the Chinese historical term 都統?

I understand the literal meaning of the two characters separately, that is, governing/overall/ruling the capital, but as this appears from the text I'm reading to have a very specific function and historical meaning in relation to particular posts/titles, such as 都統使 (the embassy/ambassador of the ruler of the capital?) and 都統使司 (the official of the embassy of the ruler of the capital?), I am hoping anyone might be able to provide more specific, historical, information.

To be more specific, I am reading the Gaiban Tsuusho (外蕃通書), a 19th century Japanese document about Tokugawa Japan's diplomatic relations. In this particular section, dealing with the state of affairs in early 17th century Vietnam, the document explains that the Nguyen (阮) lords of southern
Vietnam were not "kings" (王) and were frequently styled, particularly in Chinese documents, as 「都統瑞国公」、「大都統使瑞国公」and the like, also stating that they received 都統使 from Ming (presumably some sort of embassy), and now, it would seem that in the past, the kings/emperors received investiture (my interpretation may be off; lit. "seals were done to them", 封せらる) from China, and became 都統使司, receiving (the title? or the embassy?) 都統使.

Any thoughts, insights, would be most appreciated. Thank you.

Mac or PC for Korean language?

2008-04-08T07:01:05Z

Hello,

I'm a PhD student in anthropology doing research on South Korea, and hence, using a lot of Korean web pages and word processing. (I also sometimes use Chinese and Japanese). My old PC laptop is starting to break, and I'm in the market for a new, sleeker, lighter laptop. I am really taken with the idea of getting a Macbook (they are on sale at my school right now for even less than they would usually be for students).

I don't mean to start a war over whether PCs or Macs are better in general- I know that both have strengths and weaknesses, and I'm primarily interested in making the switch to a Mac because of the ease of video editing. But...which has better Asian language word processing support/software? If I buy a Mac, should I buy Windows for Mac? Or something else?

Also, does a Mac come with more things installed than a PC? It's been such a long time since I've bought a computer that I'm kind of dismayed that I need to buy Word (or whatever other program I end up buying- iWorks?) separately, but c'est la vie.

I also am a bit concerned because I'll be doing fieldwork in Korea 2009-2011, and I know that Macs are not so widely used in Korea. I know that there is an Apple store in Seoul, though, and I've heard that Macs are slowly becoming more popular.

What would you all advise? Thank you!

Odd symbols in Japanese text

2008-03-31T05:50:42Z

Hi all. I'm reading a pre-war Japanese transcription of an even older (Japanese) text, and while there are a number of symbols that I do understand (old kanji, old kana, and things like 〇 and □ which represent characters the transcriber couldn't read), there are a few I am having trouble with.

Any thoughts on what ┐ means?

It doesn't really sink below the line like that in the original text, falling squarely within the "box" where a character should go. It's also not a quote mark like 「this」, as this text is using [square brackets] for that, and because it's always ┐ not └.

...其瑞國公ハ、亦阮氏封號ノ通稱ナル┐、猶國王莫登庸カ、。。。此國明代二至テ王ヲ稱スル┐ヲ得ス、。。。

よろしくお願いします。

Report by an anonymous tourist in Lhasa

2008-03-20T17:23:17Z

I got this email from my brother's mailing list today and I thought that maybe you might be interested in reading this?
In case you'd like to know, he's studying Economics and Chinese in Germany and right now he's staying in Kunming as an exchange student, just so you know the situation.

Hello everybody,

I'm sending this email to everybody on my contact list because i think it is important, if you are not interested sorry to spam your email inbox.

I just got an email from a friend from chengdu (west china, bordering region to tibet) which i send to you in the original version (see the bottom of the page), i just erased my friends name. please also have a look in the zip file attached, it describes what a tourist experienced in lahsa these days.

short summary for all those who didn't follow the news recently:
last weekend anti-chinese-protests of tibeteans started which escalated into riots. according to the chinese government at least 13 people died until now, according to the tibetean exile government over 100 died.
the protests started in tibet and spread over to the bordering provinces of sichuan, gansu and qinghai of which huge parts used to be tibet as well. a lot of tibeteans live in this area as well.
according to an article that i just read (http://www.welt.de/politik/article1817231/Hunderte_Tibeter_stuermen_chinesische_Stadt.html) a thousand tibetens attacked a chinese city in gansu and hissed the tibetean flag.

according to the chinese media everything is under control, but many websites were closed like youtube, several hongkong and taiwan newspapers. bbc and cnn broadcastings are blackened out. the chinese media are insufficient and tell about the case perhaps on page eighteen and not on page one like f.e. german medias.
french medias reported it only from tuesday on on a broader base since there were communal elections in france this weekend.
hong kong and taiwan newspapers report about iton their first pages as well though it isn't today anymore on hong kongs "the standard". british and american newspapers also report on their first page about it.
feel free to inform yourself what the media say.
an interesting article to be found on taiwans newspaper "taipei times": http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2008/03/20/2003406291

i just want to give you an "nearly-insiders" view of the situation.

according to my friend in chengdu there have been several protests in chengdu as well and apparently a bomb exploded on one bus, perhaps even a second one. if the rumeurs can be trusted 3 people died. there is no reporting about those cases according to my knowledge. the city seems liked sieged, police troops are present everywhere also according to another friend of mine from chengdu.

in my quarter in kunming (capital of yunnan province in the south west of china, yunnan also has an important tibetean population) nothing is to be felt except if you read the international newspapers. i've seen only one article on page 18 of a chinese newspaper so far. it was very short.
according to rumeurs there have also been protests in kunming but not in my quarter so far.
another newspaper of the "世界报 world newspaper (i think)" reported totally wrong facts, that the international press is also against the tibetean protests. it emphasized that the world community stands behind china. i will not say for any other thing wether it is right or wrong, but this is absolutly wrong. also taiwan and hong kong critisized the happenings in tibet, the potential new taiwanese president Ma even thought publicly about boycotting the olympic games.

just for your information

sincerely yours
[name of my brother removed]

Bonjour,

ici en Chine, a Chengdu (Sichuan) nous n'avons aucune information, seulement des rumeurs. Par exemple, le quatier tibétain de Chengdu est pris tous les jours dans des révoltes, et chose visible, les flics comme l'armée font le siège dans le centre ville. Si nous l'avions oublié, le gouvernement nous le rappelle: le gouvernement quadrille et passe le Tibet au karcher. Nous sommes maintenant presque sûr qu'une bombe a explosé dans le bus 92 à Chengdu avant-hier. Mais voilà, ce ne sont que des rumeurs, trois morts et deux grièvement blessés. Les informations n'en parlent pas mais tout le monde l'a vu, les rumeurs se recoupent...
Je suis en contact avec une journaliste de France Info et le consul de France, et les journalistes étrangers ne savent même pas que la situation à Chengdu dégénère sérieusement, que deux bombes ont sans doute déjà explosé.
il ne faut pas l'oublier, les tibétains ne sont pas qu'au Tibet et les inssurections se passent un peu partout en Chine. Le gouvernement est dépassé et réagi avec violence et la place au dialogue est impossible.

Je vous joins un texte écrit par un touriste anonyme qui se trouvait à Lhassa la semaine dernière. C'est un témoignage que vous devez faire circuler.

Merci de tenir au courant les gens que vous connaissez qui sont en Chine et qui ne peuvent pas avoir accès à ces informations.
Cette censure d'information est très frustrante, surtout lorsque nous sommes habitués à en recevoir en masse.

Il ne faut pas croire que le dialogue est possible, mais il faut que vous réagissez en Europe, soyez avides d'informations car la situation est terrible pour les tibétains, le ménage a déjà bien commencé.

Faîtes circuler ce mail,

J'espère que tout le monde va bien

My more or less accurate translation of the french part:

Hello

Here in China, in Chengdu, Sichuan, we don't have any informations, just rumours. For example the tibetain district of Chengdu is involved every day in riots, and clearly the cops and the army have occupied down-town. In case we had forgotten, the government reminds us: the government polices and they take radical actions in the tibet. We are now almost sure that a bomb exploded in the bus 92 in Chengdu two days ago. But here we are, these are only rumours, three deadly victims and two severely injured persons. The news don't tell anything about that, but everybody has seen it, the rumours coincide...
I'm in contact with a journalist from France Info and the consul of France, and the foreign journalists don't even know that the situation in Chengdu is seriously escalating, that two bombs have without doubts already exploded.
One shouldn't forget that Tibetains aren't only located in Tibet and the revolts are happening almost everywhere in China. The gouvernment is out of date and reacts with violence, the dialogue is impossible.

I'll join a report written by an anonymous tourist who was in Lhasa last week. It's an testimony that you should make circulate.

Thank you for informing the people you know who are in China and who can't have any access to those informations.
This censure of information is very frustrating, especially when you are used to having them en masse.

You mustn't think that dialogue is possible, but you have to react in Europe, be anxious about informations as the situation for the Tibetains is terrifying, the cleansing has already started.

Make this email circulate

I hope everyone is fine.

(Please tell me if the translation is fine, I'm not doing this everyday after all and I don't want to give a wrong impression in my translation...)

Download of the attachment via Megaupload
Yousendit
Sendspace

Tell me if you don't like Megaupload and I'll find something else, that's no problem at all.

[edit] Feel free to share as much as you can!

Koreans and Chinese in Japanese pop culture

2008-03-19T01:42:54Z

Hi all,

I'm currently writing my thesis on minority representation in Japanese popular culture (i.e. Ainu, Okinawans, etc.), and I've just started a section on Zainichi Koreans and Chinese. Right now I'm still in the researching part, looking at my primary sources. Today, I realized, looking at my list, that while I have plenty of films to look at, several musicians to read up on, and some good older manga (like Tatakae!! Ramenman and Ranma 1/2), I don't really have anything in the realm of anime or recent manga.

So! I ask you: what recent anime or manga have featured Korean and Chinese characters or issues? This could either apply to Koreans/Chinese in Korea/China, or Zainichi (second- or third-generation children of immigrants living in Japan), although I would prefer anything on Zainichi issues.

Thanks!

Cross-posted -- sorry if you see this more than once.