RE: thanks for your insights

["Pee, David" <Pee@rvims.nci.nih.gov>]

Sept. 16, 2000

Dear Frank Wong:

Thanks for your kind reply and comments.  I did not mean to be critical of
your statement about our ancestors.  I also would like to make clear that I
am of Han Chinese descendant and not of the minority races.  Therefore,  I
have no problem with the present day Chinese national boundary.  I just
prefer calling a spade a spade.

Since I am an offspring of a high ranking Kuomingtang Officer, I will have
to disagree with you again (you must by now think that I am a very
disagreeable person) that it is just the Communist regime which will not
grant independence to the minority people, the Kuomingtang will not act any
more differently, even though the Kuomingtang is the party of Dr. Sun
Yat-sen.  You must realize that Dr. Sun was of the highest moral and
idealistic caliber.  He even gave up the Presidency to Marshal Yan Shik-kei
in order to advance the cause of national unity.  Even if the Communist had
lost the civil war, I would not expect any dramatic changes in the policy
towards the minority people.
  
For a short period during War of Resistance, my father was commander of all
Kuomintang land forces in Kansu with responsibility for Xinjiang.  And
believe you me he would have put down any uprising by rebellious tribesmen
posthaste during his tenure.  You will note that the map of the Republic of
China (not the Peoples Republic) includes "Outer Mongolia" within it's
boundaries.  And even though it was the Manchu (Chin) dynasty which
conquered a vast amount of territory for China, it was patriotic Han
Generals (Gen. Tsao Chung-tong),  with the goal of expanding lebensraum for
the Hans, who carried out the operation.  As an interesting tidbit, many
high ranking Kuomintang Officers praised the Chinese Communist Army when
they repulsed the Indian and Soviet forces during the border conflicts of
the 50's and 60's.  I heard these conversations personally, not second hand.

As for our blood being mixed with others, I agree with you 100 percent and
the fact that being Chinese is identifying with the Chinese culture.
Although I am proud to claim Han ethnicity, I am sure that somewhere alone
the line I have some Hun forefathers/mothers.  This is due to the fact of my
physical appearances (many people think I'm Korean, Koreans included), and
the fact that my family surname Pee ("Skin" in Chinese) can be traced to the
frontiers of Kansu province.  My ancestral temple however, is located in the
province of Hunan.

I am proud to be of Chinese (Han) origin, but I also believe that the Hans
must relinquish the chauvinistic attitude we hold towards the minority
races.  Only when we have captured the hearts and souls of all Chinese can
China live peacefully within it's present day borders.


Respectfully,

David Pee

p.s. Li Shiming was a blood thirsty fratricidal maniac, even though he was a
great emperor.  It must have been his inferior Turkish blood which made him
do it, since we all well know that a pure peace loving Han would never sink
to this degree of degradation (smile :)).

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Frank Wong [SMTP:fmwong99@hotmail.com]
> Sent:	Friday, September 15, 2000 8:32 PM
> To:	Pee, David
> Subject:	thanks for your insights
> 
> Dear David Pee,
> 
> I extend my thanks to your thoughtful insights and opinions.  The modern 
> China is really the same geographic territories of the previous Manchu
> Qing 
> (excluding Outer Mongolia and parts of Kazakhstan).
> 
> We (Han) did not conquer these lands (Mongolia, Tibet, and Xinjiang), it
> was 
> the Manchus although there were many Chinese bannermen and foot soldiers
> in 
> these campaigns.  Anyways, Xinjiang had an ancient linkage since the Han 
> Dynasty.  The local Iranian people there surrendered to Gen. Ban Chao with
> 
> few armed struggles because they also sought Chinese help against the Huns
> 
> (Hou Han Shu-Annals of the later Han Dynasty).
> 
> Modern day Tibetan, Uigur and Mongolian hatred towards Han Chinese is in 
> some ways a misunderstanding.  First of all, they should hate the Manchus 
> who conquered them.  Second, First Father Sun Yat-sen had promised these 
> peoples liberation and independence if they chose to.  It was only after 
> World War II, that Mao Zedong and the communist regime "retook" these 
> regions.  Many instances, there were communists agents among those
> minority 
> people who colloborated with Chinese communists for the take-over.
> 
> Chinese concept of a separate and unique "Han ren and Han culture" only 
> developed during the Qing Dynasty due to Manchu racism towards the native 
> Chinese.  Before that, there was no term as Han ren, or Chinese.  It was 
> only a cultural term (middle kingdom-Zhong Yuan). Throughout our history,
> we 
> did conquer and absorb others.  Many times, we also received their
> voluntary 
> inclusion.  The greatest emperor of our history (Li Shimin of Tang
> Dynasty) 
> was half-Turkish on his mom's side.  Yes, our blood does also include
> Turks, 
> Tatars, Tibetans, Thais, Miaos, Manchus, Iranians, Arab Muslims,
> Vietnamese, 
> etc.  We absorbed others but it was the culture that we identified with.  
> That's my view and I'm sure others will disagree.
> 
> Actually, in China today there are efforts to preserve the minority 
> languages, religions and culture.  They are exempt from the one-child
> policy 
> and have some benefits that Han Chinese do not.  Surprisingly, many people
> 
> who had identified as "Han" for centuries are coming up with old family 
> records to point out their minority origins (esp. in southwest provinces).
> 
> Regards,
> Frank
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