Asian Studies

China, both as a race and as a geographical place, is a something that the world cannot ignore. The ebbs and ties of Chinas economy have been directly related to the sociological changes that it has been going through, particularly in its more recent history. As such, this paper intends to look at how communism has been a churning force in the shaping of China and how their communist past informs their character and sensibilities. These sociological events have been instrumental in creating the China that we know today and how its history as a nation continues to shape its peoples collective and individual destiny. This paper seeks to understand Chinas modern history framed within the realities of the times and circumstances with which communism came to power. This will be accomplished by using the book Dragons Village to account for the realities of China during the 1950s, at the height of communist rule.

Chinas Dynamic Past
During the 19th century, the world was on the brink of change. Reforms were sweeping much of Europe and the humanity was on the precipice of the industrial revolution. However, while much development was going on in the Western world, much of Asia, particularly China and China lagged behind because of their policy of isolationism which kept foreign trade at bay. This policy of reclusion was enforced during the early 1800s during the latter years of western imperialism, when European powers focused on Asia for trade, diplomatic ties, and colonial conquests. This sudden ruling left many merchants and traders without a source of livelihood as most of their income came from trade with neighboring Korea and Japan. Prior to the imposition of the isolationist decree, much of China was enjoying relative prosperity from trade. The decree came in direct collision with the interest of Chinas merchant class, whose income would surely suffer because of the lack of foreign trading partners. This reclusive policy was in conflict with trends during that time as other countries were beginning to open themselves to foreign interaction. As a result, China was plunged into an economic depression which saw the Chinese people revolting against their government even as they faced the daily difficulties of making ends meet.  The sudden hardships of the 19th century after years of relative comfort sowed the seeds of discord among the Chinese people. (Chen, 1980, p. 7)

By and large, it was the backwards and conservative leadership of the ruling dynasty that precipitated the internal strife that characterized 19th century China. It was at this time that China made its first attempts towards self-determination. The lack of a strong, central leadership resulted in a barely functional military and an inefficient financial system, which then led to the stagnation and slow corrosion of the peoples confidence in the Chinese government. The success of an isolationist policy presumes the existence of a strong leadership. If there are sound economic policies in place, China would have emerged from reclusion unscathed, but as it stood, China did not stand a chance against its own weaknesses. In the same vein, a country with a strong sense of identity and purpose can withstand any form of foreign encroachment, be it in trade or culture or independence. The weaknesses of 19th century China were inherent to its leadership which should have been its source of strength in the first place. More and more, China became vulnerable to foreign penetration in spite of its policy of isolation due primarily to internal flaws.

The social and political upheavals of 19th century China was the direct result of a deep and lingering financial crisis. No other force or issue such as poverty and hunger can unleash a cascade of events and processes that can irrevocably change a country. It causes a profound unrest that shakes the foundations of any society to eventually bring about change. (Chen, 1980, p. 7) Because the Chinese government at that time was unable to address the persistent economic problems of its country, it became defenseless against external pressure and manipulation, including influences from Western thought.

The worsening economic situation of China eventually gave rise to the unrest, an era of upheavals which defined the struggle and unrest of rural China in the 19th century. This uprising led by rural peasants and farmers was staged in protest of the government, the upper class, and foreigners who did nothing to improve the situation of the poor.  (Chen, 1980, p. 10) This saw the culmination of discontent against the corrupt, inept, and oppressive rule of the Qing dynasty, and the increasing involvement of foreigners in shaping Chinese policy. The uprising was precipitated by a growing displeasure over the upper class domination. (Chen, 1980, p. 48) In the early 19th century, the weather wreaked havoc on Chinese rice farmlands, whose alternating seasons of flood and drought cause widespread poverty and famine among the peasant folks. The farmer class expected the government to aid them in their suffering. Instead however, the ruling upper class, upon prodding of foreigners made matters worse by imposing higher taxes and unpaid labor on the already starving farmers. Without anything left to lose, the peasants staged their biggest and most violent uprising which eventually led to the fall of the Chinas last imperial dynasty and the beginning of Chinas modern history.

The Boxer Revolution was the one, singular definitive event that best captures the rural unrest that pervaded 19th century China. The uprising was a long time coming. The rebellion was immediately suppressed. However, while the initial armed rebellion failed, there were uprisings and violent disturbances everywhere in 19th century China as peasants revolted against the oppression of the government and the upper class who owned the land they tilled. After five decades since the first revolt, farmers from many provinces took up arms and protested against provincial officials and landowners. As is the case in all other places, this uprising was the result of the exploitation and oppression of farmers by the government and the aristocracy. (Chen, 1980, p. 48)

Dragons Village
This book, written by Yuang-Tsung Chen is partly historical and autobiographical as it takes into account the lives of Chinese peasant and farmers during the 1950s, a period generally regarded as the zenith of communism in the country. Yuang-Tsung Chen breaks the myth of the idyllic peasant life, and thus exposes their lives at a time when they are facing one of the greatest social upheavals in all of history. (Chen, 1980, p. 3)

Reading through The Dragons Village, one begins to understand why reforms and rebellion became the only viable option for the peasant folks. These choices were not easy to make, as shown in the internal conflict being suffered by the main protagonist, Ling-ling, who is torn apart by her conservative Chinese values and the communist ideals that so appeals to her and to many like her. Ling-ling symbolizes the farmers who forced to make a difficult choice in order to fight for their rights. Ling-lings journey to the Dragons Village symbolizes the difficult journey towards reform. On her journey to reform, she discovers a lot of harsh truths and realizes that reformers and the conservatives are all the same  each with good and bad people. The key is to balance ideals with aspirations and to not be blinded by ideologies. (Chen, 1980, p. 56)

Dragons Village is a poignant book that captures the rending of ones soul, when one is caught between the need to change and the desire to cling to the old and the familiar and to fight for the innate need for freedoms. The encroachment of the West first took place within the context of the communism. Clearly the hand of the Western world influenced much of the lives of the main characters while growing up. Remnants of imperialism in the form of abuse of power and oppression of the native continued with tyrant and corrupt rulers from both sides. More than a book about how oppression and war and reform changes a life, the story is about how Ling-ling, and the Chinese peasants as a whole straddled the East and the West and how they managed to keep themselves whole and survived. Chens Villages is an implicit exploration into the shards of oppression that people in the world still struggle with today.

The lives of the peasants are constantly being pulled and their loyalties were constantly shifting and the people were under constant threat of violence and threat to their lives. While the influence of the communists is not so direct in this case, it can actually be seen in the civil war that has long been going on in her country.

The search for voice and the need to be heard is universal in every individual, and that is what the book is all about. While Ling-ling was entrenched in a political world, her story is about humanitys universal need to find our personal voice in a largely oppressive world. Indeed oppression and poverty, and its many forms and variations go against the very nature of humanity. The rules of conformity suppress the need to be able to express ones self in an individual manner, and thus find expression in other ways. That is why communism, while seeking homogenization, is inherently anarchic because the very people that it seeks to homogenize are inherently different and free. This can be seen with the consistent fate of oppressive political leaders and colonial rulers. Eventually, people rise up in arms to fight for their right to self-determination.