Shanghaiist: Shanghai Education Bureau: Mum's the word on new books

TW

Mon, 25 Sep 2006 11:07:42 +0800

I don't think the point was that the new books are covering up any naughty things that Mao may or may not have done. As you rightly say, no nation's school history books focus on the less attractive periods of their own pasts. British school history books hardly cover British history at all. As I remember, we studied international medical history, the second world war, and the American West. Surprisingly enough we didn't talk about the Mau Mau rebellion or the concentration camps of the Boer war at all! What does seem odd is that, in a country so obsessed with national identity, the key elements of that identity are being supressed. This is particularly interesting since these elements (Mao, the Dynastic succession) were until recently the foundation of the official national identity. This revisionism suggests that the powers that be are trying to forge a new, less jingoistic, national identity. Which is a good thing, surely?

usagi

Sat, 23 Sep 2006 08:45:10 +0800

so is any other government in the world there are things been covered up how come you are so critical toward the chinese government? puzzled .......

nanheyangrouchuan

Fri, 22 Sep 2006 10:39:03 +0800

"Revolutionary" Mao, as well as many, many periods in chinese history tend to be full of visionary, bold heroes rallying the common people and military elements to overthrow corrupt and disfunctional chinese governments, with two corrupt, ineffective chinese governments being overthrown between 1911 and the late 1920s. That is not the kind of history that todays chinese government wants the kiddies to learn about.