DavidJBlkASem2

 David Jeon's Wikipage for Asian Studies

Drawings




 * How are the Chinese soldiers portrayed in these prints? The Japanese soldiers?**

Firstly, the chinese soldiers are portrayed as weak, and losing figure. In almost every picture, the chinese are the ones with aghast expressions. More, the chinese soldiers are always losing to the Japanese soldiers. They are always running away from the Japanese. The chinese are portrayed as devil, and a loser in the picture as well. On the other hand, the Japanese soldiers are always portrayed as a confident and a winning figure. They always chase after the losing chinese soldiers. More, they never seems to get hit by any bullet! There faces are all described as brave, and confident as well. The Japanese soldiers were portrayed as compassionate hero as well.


 * Look at the weapons used by each side, are they different? How? Does this tell us anything about Japanese technological advancement?**

The weapons that Japanese use are both sword and a riffle. More, a fixed bayonets are also attached to their riffles. The Japanese are capable of riding horses in the picture, and it seems like only the generals could ride on it. The weapons that Chinese use are riffles, with bayonets attached, and they use swords as well. Additionally, they use long spears as well. Also the chinese seem to be capable of using horses, but not everyone is on the horses.

Ichiko's Baseball Club Rouser


 * Why do sports often become symbolic battlegrounds between nations?**

Sports contain a lot of nationalistic aspect today. Since players of sports are the official representatives of a country in a national league, sports are often symbolic battlegrounds between nations. //Why do we feel this sense of nationalism during international competition? Do the athletes embody something which we believe we also possess? That is, is their personal sacrifice and victory something we share with them? Or, simply, do we believe that they are the embodiment of the image we want the world to have of us, too. The strong, athletic and victorious person?//


 * Is imperialism/colonialism simply about militarily and politically controlling another nation, or is it also about proving one’s self-perceived cultural superiority over another?**

Imperialism tends to be proving one’s self-perceived cultural superiority over another. In order to colonize another country, the stronger countries always start or engage in a war against the nation. As you look at Europeans, specially during the Europe’s colonization over Africa, they always sparked the war first against the African countries they wanted to colonize. Then as soon as they fully achieved the land by winning the war, they usually input their ideas and belief systems to their new colony, which implies their superiority over the colony.

 **The Russo-Japanese War**


 * 1. Do artistic renditions or photographs depict the heroics of war better?**

The artistic renditions or photographs depicting the heroics figures of the Japanese soldiers were certainly perceivable. For instance, the photographs of the Japanese soldiers starring at the camera, resolutely determined to win the battle, showed me the the true heroic courage and love toward their nation. More, even in the picture, the heroics of war were visible. As you look at the picture, “Navy Commander Hirose Takeo” by Kobayashi Kiyochika, the captain Hirose is facing his final moments with pride and tenacity. His pose,tight-lipped with holding a strong fist, shows his heroic courage during the war.




 * 2. Do artistic renditions or photographs depict the horrors of war better? (Consider all photographs of war that you have seen, both historical and contemporary)**

The artistic renditions and photographs surely depict the horrors of war somewhat to the viewer, but those don’t give enough impact as much as motion pictures do. Motion pictures at the time gave the viewer more image of the horrible war, because they can actually see the motion of soldiers’ death, and bombs exploding. However, as you look at the soldier’s faces depicted on the picture and faces shown in the picture definitely differs. In the picture, all Japanese soldiers are described as bold and proud. However, in the photographs, not all soldiers are daring, and proud. Some look sick, and others look tired. Therefore, the contrasts that are shown in those two medium is not sufficient enough to depict the horrors of war better than the film.


 * 3. How does the medium affect the message? Can we say that, "[T]he medium is the message"?**

It is possible that the medium is actually the message itself. What Marshall McLuhan meant in his phrase was simply that medium conveys the message of the author. The medium in the assignment is given in two different forms; pictures and photographs. The pictures tend to exaggerate Japanese soldiers’ heroics, and bravery. Since the picture is drawn by a Japanese nationalists, they tend to put the “brave Japanese soldiers” in a life-threatening, and dramatic situations, such as the picture above in #1, and gives the readers the message of courage, or bravery. On the other hand, the pictures shows the true moments of the war. Some of the Japanse soldiers are hurt, and some look really tired. They are portrayed as a person, and a soldier fighting hard for their nation. Therefore, medium affects the message by conveying the message more clearly, and comprehensibly by giving the images.


 * 4. Why is 1905 such a turning point in Japanese and World history? How might history have been different had Japan lost the Russo-Japanese War?**

Year 1905 was the historic day for Japan, because they won the Russo-Japanese war on that year. The victory was a step toward Japan’s success as a toe-to-toe relationship with the world powers such as US, England, France etc. More, this gave Japan the chance to improve their economy and compete in world market at the time.


 * May 11, 2011**


 * Queen Min**


 * Reading 1.**
 * 1) **1851 Nobel family. Married @ 14. Queen of Chosun> Kojong King.**
 * 2) Taewon Gun felt she could be controlled.
 * 3) She made a lot of accomplishments. Balance the Russians, Japanese, Chinese against each other.
 * 4) Gain time to progress.
 * 5) Do whatever they can to reach their interest. Japanese knew that she had to die. October 8, 1895.
 * 6) 1882 Kapsin Rebellion.
 * Reading 2.**
 * 1) Isabella Bird.
 * 2) she is the traveler from

Timeline of Joseon

Partner: Michelle Bae

[|Joseon Dynasty Timeline] media type="custom" key="9405610"