Teaching Chinese or Nationalism?
April 7th, 2006 by MarkAnother blog in Taiwan caught my eye today. It was so funny, I had to link to it. Ryan Whalen’s talking about the ridiculously nationalistic/Taiwan-aggrandizing maps in every classroom at Shīdà. Ryan ridicules the side by side placement of the flags of Taiwan and the UN (which doesn’t even recognize Taiwan). Further confusing matters, is the fact that these maps adhere to the “One-China Principle”, but rename Bĕijīng to Bĕipíng and label Táibĕi as the capital of all of China. I noticed those same weird maps back when I was a student there, and often chuckled when I saw them. I’m sure glad that somebody blogged about them, though. Here’s an excerpt of Ryan’s rant:
Cartographer: Right, so here’s your map. As you can see I’ve put Asia in the middle, that’s standard for maps around here. Anything else you want before I send this puppy to the printer?
Publisher: Well, we were thinking we could have, I dunno, flags all around the outside. So like, if you want to know what a country’s flag looks like, it’s right there.
Cartographer: Sure we can do that. Lots of people like flags on their maps. Makes sense really. You want ‘em alphabetical or what?
Publisher: Well the order really doesn’t matter. But we want a box in the middle for the Republic of China, OK?
Cartographer: Sure thing. You’re the boss.
Publisher: No make the box a bit bigger. Let’s put two flags in there.
Cartographer: Ummm…OK. Who else? America? They’re a good friend and ally, plus they’ve got a really pretty flag. I like stars.
Publisher: We were thinking the United Nations.
Cartographer: You mean that pasty powder blue thing with the weird laurel leaves?
Publisher: That’s the one.
Cartographer:: What the hell? They kicked us out! We’re not even a member country! Why would we put their flag in the box of honour? That doesn’t make any sense.
Publisher: Yeah, but you know…maybe…well, maybe they’ll see on the map that our flags are friends, then they’ll wanna be friends too. Then we can be a member country again.
Cartographer: What the hell is wrong with you?…
Be sure to see Ryan’s blog for the rest.
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April 7th, 2006 at 5:16 pm
Mark-san,
I am now looking at the map of China on the wall. Taiwan is naturally a part of China and labeled as Taiwan Province “台湾省” on it. All the Spratly Islands are indicated as Chinese territory. I can accept them because the map was published for Chinese, not Tiwanese.
But frankly speaking, I can not help laughing at the map in my office. Where is the Chinese governer of Taiwan Province? I only know that Taiwan has its own president elected directly by its own people. Is there a nominal Taiwan governer somewhere in Beijing or Fuzhou?
I can see the same logic behind both the maps mentioned in today’s post and the ones in China. That is just like asking for the moon. I guess that the Chinese government may be pleased with the maps in the classrooms saying, “You are right! Taiwan is surely part of China.”
October 5th, 2006 at 10:27 pm
um, this is sad
Yup we were kicked out of UN and Taiwan is not recognized internationally as a country… although we do technically function as a country;
Taiwan? what Taiwan? Thailand?
etc etc..
and then there is the issue of whether we should conform and “go back to the loving arms of motherland china” ??
I am not sure whether you have sensed this during your stay on the island.. but the “uniting with China” is a v. complicated/painful issue :S
In the beginning Taiwanese ppl believed they were “the true china” and that they “own” mainland china. Decades later ppl on the island believe that they are not anymore Chinese than Singaporean/HKers etc and they are just Taiwanese. But China (PRC) thinks otherwise…
…Really confusing situation, it’s an unfinished business and Taiwan (and PRC) has not gotten-over this yet…
…which is probably why the map is not updated (deliberately lying/comforting?) and may appear amusing to you.
October 6th, 2006 at 12:07 am
Yes, Amy, I’ve noticed what a painful and complicated issue it is. Believe it or not, Taiwan wasn’t “kicked” out of the UN. Taiwan chose to leave. Also, it was Taiwan that cut relations with the US and Japan, not the other way around. Somehow, people back then thought that they could make the whole world see 台北 as the capitol of all of China… just like it is on the map.