Introduction to Contemporary China  Introduction

Background readings  1. Lieberthal, Preface  2. Saich, part of Ch 1(pp. 1-11).  3. R. Peerenboom, China Modernizes: Threat to the West or Model for the Rest, Ch 1 (particularly, pp. 1-10)  #1 in Reading Packet.  4. Fairbank and Goldman, Introduction (reference on the Chinese history)  #2 in Reading Packet (reading for next topic, too).

Country (Area) Study  Traditional (and academic) approach:  Focus on the language, history, and culture of the area (country).  Perspectives of history, anthropology, etc.  Practical approach:  Focus on socio-political, and economic aspects of the country. eg. study of Soviet Union during cold war era., study of China nowadays.  This approach is based on the traditional approach (particularly, in China study).  This course (an introductory Sinology) follows this approach.

Why study China?  A large (most populous) country in the world.  A country with long history of civilization.  Probably, the most advanced country in the world upto the 18 th century.  Advanced technology (supporting large population), sophiscated governing institutions (maintaining a large unified nation), advanced culture, etc.  Recent economic & political resurgence.  Possibility of becoming a superpower.  Return (rise) of China in the center stage of the world?

Key characteristics of China  (1) Diversity and Complexity  China is not a monolithic country, full of diversity, peculiarity, and complexity.  Due to many reasons, such as large size, multi- ethnic population, long history, system transition, rapid economic growth, etc.  (2) Rapid Changes and Continuity  “The more things change, the more they stay the same”  Key reason for understanding its history and culture to understand contemporary China.

Key difficulty in China Study  Key question: “How unique is China?”  Applicability of modern (Western) social sciences and their limit.  Theories (models) of political science, economics, internaitonal relations, etc. Are useful framework to understand China.  Need to admit their limits due to China’s uniqueness (discussed in previous slide).

Two opposing views of China (among casual outside observers)  (1) A rising superpower.  Remarkably rapid economic growth. Modern urban centers (Shanghai, Beijing, etc) with skyscrapers. Emergence of wealthy people & professionals.  Potentially challenge the US dominance, with self- assertive posture.  (2) An undemocratic, developing country.  Authoritarian regime ruled by Communists.  Strongly self-centered, nationalistic tendancy.  Export cheap & shody products.

Two opposing views of China (in academic circle)  (1) China as a paradigm (model)?  For succesful economic development of developing countries? A progmatic approach with a rather strong (developmental) state intervention. (Some people call it as) Beijing Consensus. Negate neoliberal (market fundamental) approach (called, Washington Consensus). A variant of East Asian development model. Not clear whether it is fully successful, and it can be copied by other developing countries.

Two opposing views of China (in academic circle)  (2) China as problem?  “Market economy” without democracy. Weak in “the rule of law.” Limited political participation of the people.  Human right abuses. Political, social, religious, etc.  Potential threat to (existing) international order & the world peace? Conflict between rising power and existing power. (historical observation).

Country Profile  Official Country Name: People’s Republic of China (PRC) <cf: ROC (Taiwan)  National Flag  Emblem  Size: 9,600 thousand km 2 (N-S 5500km, E-W 5200km) – the 3rd largest in the world.  U.S. 9,400 thousand km 2 Similar size, latitudes, climate with the US.  Bordered with 14 countries, with more neighboring countries (eg. South Korea, Japan).

(country profile- cont’d)  Population: over 1.3 billion-  No. 1 in the world (about 20% of world population)  27 times of South Korea, over 4 times of US.  Rather concentrates in eastern coastal areas (high population density).  low rate of population growth (about 0.6% per year)- strong birth control policy. <cf: India

Geography  A visual contrast of North and South.  Divided by Huai River ( 淮河 ) and Qinling ( 秦嶺 ) mountains.  Different in soil, rainfall, temperature, life style, etc.  Dry (cold in winter) plain of North China with coarse grain (wheat) as staple food: origin of Chinese civilization.  Wet (with summer monsoon) & intensively cultivated rice paddy field of South China.

Geography  Entire landmass tilts from West to East.  Broadly, three “steps” in elevation.  Major rivers flow from west to east  Eg. Long (Yangzi) River ( 長江, 揚子江 ) in the South, Yellow River ( 黃河 ) in the North, Pearl River ( 珠江 ).  Western part: high, dry, sparse population  West (Northwest) of Aihui-Tengchong line  Eastern part: low, wet, densely populated, having a coastline.  Central part: roughly in-between East & West

Geography  Quality of land: poorer than the US.  Just 25% of land lower than 500 meters above sea level. (60%- US, 80%- Europe)  Inhabited area of China is as half as that of US with more than four times of population.  Relatively small cultivatable land  Hilly and complex terrain with scattered fertile plains (eg. Lower Yangtze area, Loess plain 黃土高原 in the North).  Little unexploited land remain for cultivation.  Adverse condition to support such a large population.

(Geography- continued)  Only one coast (East, Southeast) with inhospitable access.  Few good harbors. (exception- H.K.)  China- basically inland (continent) civilization, lacking oceanic orientation. Exception- Guangdong ( 廣東 ), Fujian ( 福建 ), part of Zhejiang( 浙江 )- Hometown of most overseas Chinese.  Have over 6000 Islands larger than 500m 2  Taiwan: largest with 36 thou. Km 2  Hainan ( 海南 ): second largest with 33 thou km 2

Regions  Administrative regions  31 Province( 省 )-level regions.  4 centrally administered municipalities ( 直轄市 ; Beijing 北京, Shanghai 上海, Tianjin 天津, Chongqing 重庆 ).  22 Provinces.  5 Autonomous Regions (provincial level): Tibet, Xinjiang (Uygur), Guangxi (Zhuang 壯族 ), Inner Mongolia (Monggol), Ningxia (Hui 回族 ).  Hong Kong, Macao: Special Administrative Region, Taiwan  Large Provinces  Population: Henan ( 河南 94 mil.), Shandong ( 山东 93 mil.) Guangdong ( 广东 93 mil. ）, Sichuan ( 四川 82 mil.) <cf: Tibet 2.1 mil.  Size: Tibet (Xizang), Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Qinghai

Administrative Regions (cont’d)  Prefecture ( 地區 ) level Regions: 333  Prefecture level City (283), Autonomous Prefecture Major cities; Shenyang (Liaoning), Guangzhou (Guangdong), Nanjing (Jiangsu), Hangzhou (Zhejiang), etc eg. Yanbian( 延邊 ) Korean ( 朝鮮族 ) Autonomous Prefecture  County ( 縣 ; 县 ) level Areas: 2859  County-level city 368, City district ( 區 ), County, autonomous county  Township/Town level Areas:  Township ( 鄕 ; 乡 ; Xiang), Town ( 鎭；镇 ; Zhen), (City) Street ( 街 道 )  Below Township/town level: not official administrative body  Village (Cun 村 ) in rural area, Neighborhood or Community ( 社 區 ) in urban area.

Macroregions  Economic macroregions: 8(9) macroregions  (G. W. Skinner) each region centered around a river with different characteristics. Composed of core area and periphery.  Across the administrative division.  Other classification also exist.  6 macroregions (traditonal)  10 macroregions (by PRC government)

Natural Environment  Major rivers with some importances.  Yangzi River (Long River 長江 )- the longest with 6300km with abundant water flow  Yellow River ( 黃河 )- over 5000km long, but waterflow only 7% of Long River  Pearl River( 珠江 ) – flow to the south thru Guangdong ( 广东 ) province.  Water control of major rivers has been key task of national government. Irregular rainfall pattern and repeated flood and drought. Maintaing irrigation system is key for agriculture (rice). North lacks water, while South has relatively abundant water resource.

Language  Chinese- one of 5 official UN languages- Han language ( 漢語 ) <cf: national language  Spoken Language:  Mandarin Chinese( 普通話 ) and many dialects (eg. Cantonese- 廣東話, etc.)  Written Language: Chinese Character- Traditional form, Simplified form  Simplified Form Introduced in 1956 for people to learn easily * example: 東（东） 論 ( 论 ) 豊（丰） 個（个）  Pinyin( 倂音 ): A romanization method for Chinese. characters. Eg. Beijing ( 北京 ), Deng Xiaoping( 鄧小平 ), Qing ( 淸 )

Population Composition  China- multi-ethnic country composed of 56 nationalities (officially).  Han ( 漢 ) people: majority (92%) of total population  Includes diverse people, like already assimilated minorities. (eg. 客家 - historically well-known minority in South China, Northern & Southern people different racial origin).  Ethnic minorities: officially 55 nationalities with total population over 100 million (about 8%)  Zhuang ( 壯族 ) with 15 million, Man(chu), Uygur, Mongol, Tibet, Korean (about 2 million), etc.  Long-term assimilation policy, with short-term protection and favor.  Some ethnic minorities have conflict with Chinese government, with (potential) separation movement.