John Hart

We in America really hope Kamala Harris wins so that we can avoid packing up and moving. By international standards you can see our 'Nationalist' party is corrupt and out of control.

If it's not personal, where did they move to? Just curious. Or where are you now?

I'm 60 years old. From America Western propaganda, I was taught to see the Chinese with great suspicion. If someone rips you off in America, you were 'Shanghai'd'. Anything 'Made in China' was 'cheap crap'.

Hell, and forgive me, 'slitty' eyes means Asians are 'dishonest' people because honest people let you see their eyes. Oh yeah: Chinese restaurants don't really serve anything but pork, but some of it might be unspeakable meat.

So I watch these C-Dramas. And what do I see? Human beings. A proud people, with ugliness and beauty just like all of humanity. And I've seen history that boggles my mind. There's so much to take in about it -- it's ENDLESS.

At first the Mandarin was so foreign it hurt my ears. My lips couldn't begin to say a word of the language. It was like Martians talking. But with continued exposure I find the language to be beautiful. Sometimes my wife and I replay a few lines of dialogue, just to listen to the words. It can be like poetry.

I live in a town with a white male military history. So many residents are old and Anglo. A few houses up a neighbor passed away and who moved in? A Taiwanese family. The Dad's a Doctor that speaks English but half of his family doesn't.

I welcomed them with a hand and a big smile. I know more about them as a people than they'd imagine. A Grandmother eyed me with a big smile in her eyes and said 'Hello' in perfect English.

She knew I wasn't afraid of them. She knew I was glad they would be my neighbor.

We need this attitude globally, because I believe China and USA would make great allies.

If you're talking about the American PEARL HARBOR film, a little side trivia of interest.

1. Before 9/11, a bunch of American Extreme Conservatives had a semi-secret meeting about how to get their fascist goals achieved in America. They concluded they'd need a 'Pearl Harbor' event to make it happen.

2. The PEARL HARBOR movie was released in the summer of 2001.

Ahem

Thank you for your replies. Here's the first missing piece I was lacking --

"And these westerners at their appointed territories, they are given high ranked government positions, such like the chief police, high judge, customs officers, port officers. And the Chinese people worked under them. Because of these not "suppose authorities", these westerners misused their authorities, they received bribings, unlawful acts, bullied the Chinese and raped any ladies as they liked. The Chinese was coolie to them. That was the main reason after many years the Chinese been bullied by the westerners, then later was forced out of Shanghai.
But these unlawful authorities wasn't granted by the Communism party, it was granted by the Nationalist party, because they too are equally filthy."

I watched THE GREAT CRAFTSMAN and -- despite being a great soap -- it touched upon this era in great detail, but it avoided making a political statement about the Americans, Brits, French. It just sort of acted like they were 'of course' there, and so I felt the Chinese welcomed them there. Like how America has 'Chinatowns', these were 'Ameri-towns."

But if they weren't welcome that changes everything.

For anyone who sees this, I'm desperately seeking a brief history of how China went from being an ally with America to fight Japan -- to -- America being relatively chummy with Japan but considered an enemy to China. We were not taught a drop of this shift in American high schools.

Let me tell you what I am already guessing. You can find the error in my conclusions unless I'm got it by accident.

I understand that Japan had its own Mein Kempf and simply wanted to take over the world, first exploiting China for slave labor, slave soldiers, and absorb all its glorious land and resources. I also get that China was kinda like the United States except not the least bit united, so Japan could pick off 'state' after 'state' to gain power. I now know China retreated to/created Chun King and united as one China in resistance to Japan. And I know the US, Britain, the French and maybe others joined forces with China to end Japan's attacks. Us dropped nukes, the war ended.

(That's likely mangled history but I believe that's the general idea.)

So this is where I get lost. Why didn't China and 'The West' become fast friends with China, especially in lieu of Russia? How and why did it fall apart? Yes, I understand Communism in China pushed the Nationalist party out, but I'm guess this is where I need details.

What's dubbed as the Republican era makes me wonder if lots of China didn't like Western occupants, nudging them towards an industrial nation? That the West may have wanted some slave labor of their own, via 'Capitalism'. And that the Chinese were so sick of outsiders they became Communist to make sure we stayed out?

Was it racism? Did the West simply not offer enough respect as a people for China to remain allies?

I can't quite place what happened. Does anyone have a better picture than I do?

I'm 5 episodes in and it's not bad. I'm just a little disappointed that the reason I'm here -- Xin Zhi Lei -- is having trouble with her character solidifying. The ML is now compelling but Xin Zhi Lei isn't a draw to this series. Yet.

Indeed. But you see it, right? It's so comical I wonder if it was intentional.

Is it worth watching to the end? Yes.

Wallace was worth the wait.

So they have a BIG argument in the cave. I think he tells her to beat it. She stomps off crying. He then meets her at a peak later, realizing he can't be without her. WOW

Her arc was to not dive in so deep so fast. To be less about 'being in love' and more about feeling loved

She's an artist. At shoplifting.

Not long after I completed WISH, Netflix offered THE SANDMAN. It's a fun series (based on the classic graphic novels) but they took liberties. One was casting a black woman as DEATH, who just didn't have Death's vibe from the comic. I saw Gia Ge on YouTube doing some dancing and she looked just like Death, except Chinese. I'm like THAT'S the girl!

GOOD DOG! This discussion is longer than the dang series itself. It's like 4 hours, lol

I disagree. You're being vague here. You're saying Nature positions very young girls to get pregnant. Correct.

But then you imply that the social construct of "adulthood" or "being of age" goes against nature.

It's natural to fart. Society asks us not to casually fart when we like. Society does so for a reason. Just as --

-- society says a young lady should reach a certain age before any male should try to have sexual relations with her. Perhaps this series will explore/demonstrate why, or perhaps it will be creepy.

Unlike certain commenters, I can't tell yet.

This is true.

"Your notion of casting a present day 16 year old"

My notion? YOU are confused. I didn't produce this C-Drama. It is the 'notion' of the production to cast a "16 year old against a much old man".

A friendly reminder of when I said, "Well this raises an interesting question. If historically a girl was allowed to be romanced at 16-17 years of age in this period -- and with older men -- is it wrong to cast that age?"

See how I don't take a position? Instead I invite others to comment, as you have. Thank you for your comments.

Of this, " If historically a girl was allowed to be romanced at 16-17" understand I have no idea of the actual history, hence " You don’t even try to present in the fact that girls and women had NO CHOICE" doesn't apply.

I'll grant my wording was vague. I guess I was trying to say "if this was thing back then" if that helps you calm down a little.

History is rife with cruelty to all sorts. My avatar is based upon Pu Yi from THE LAST EMPEROR, a boy who was told he was King, trapped inside his Palace, separated from his Mother, was assigned a wife, was made powerless -- and was basically robbed of life.

Cruelty in ancient cultures is common, and so the idea of applying modern standards to history becomes tricky. Hence why I asked a question instead of taking a stand on it.

IF THIS HELPS -- I was absolutely disgusted by the countless Christian families in America that loved Brittney Spears -- who rose to fame as a minor playing a sexy minor singing, "I'm not that innocent." I literally looked around waiting for so many parents to 'get' what this crap was. Nobody cared, because she was 'hot' and 'blonde'.

Thank you

Interesting. Because no subtitles I haven't seen it yet, but what if it could be cut into a trilogy?

The Opening Theme reminds me of this one -- https://youtu.be/YnzgdBAKyJo

I agree, but my only problem with this series are the pop songs that come and go. They're not bad songs, and I'm confused why some are in English -- but this series feels too classy for emotionals to be spelled out in song.