Feng Kuei-Fen, On Self-Strengthening
Self Strengthening - building up China’s military through Westernization, while keeping Chinese culture in tact.
“. . . Yet we are shamefully humiliated [in war] by the four nations [England, Russia, U.S., France], not because our climate, soil, or resources are inferior to theirs, but because our people are inferior . . . Now, our inferiority is not something allotted us by Heaven, but is rather due to ourselves. . . Since the inferiority is due to ourselves, it is a still greater shame, but something we can do something about. And if we feel ashamed, there is nothing better than self-strengthening . . .
Why are the Western nations small and yet strong? Why are we large and yet weak? We must search for the means to become their equal, and that depends solely upon human effort . . . The remedy . . . is to seek the cause in ourselves. They can be changed at once if only the emperor would set us in the right direction . . .”
Directions: Write a POV statement for the quote above on the back of using the following format as a guide.
The point-of-view of [author’s name] is influenced by [personal characteristic]. [Author’s name] describes/desires/ [their main point] in [adjective] manner/tone/way, because their [characteristic] leads them to [motivation].
Example: “The point of view of Kermit the Frog is influenced by his ethnicity as a green frog. Kermit describes the hardships he encounters because of his skin color in a frank manner that openly discusses the issue because the difficulties of his life lead him to desire change within society that can only come through increased understanding.”
Feng Kuei-Fen, On Self-Strengthening
Self Strengthening - building up China’s military through Westernization, while keeping Chinese culture in tact.
“. . . Yet we are shamefully humiliated [in war] by the four nations [England, Russia, U.S., France], not because our climate, soil, or resources are inferior to theirs, but because our people are inferior . . . Now, our inferiority is not something allotted us by Heaven, but is rather due to ourselves. . . Since the inferiority is due to ourselves, it is a still greater shame, but something we can do something about. And if we feel ashamed, there is nothing better than self-strengthening . . .
Why are the Western nations small and yet strong? Why are we large and yet weak? We must search for the means to become their equal, and that depends solely upon human effort . . . The remedy . . . is to seek the cause in ourselves. They can be changed at once if only the emperor would set us in the right direction . . .”
Directions: Write a POV statement for the quote above on the back of using the following format as a guide.
The point-of-view of [author’s name] is influenced by [personal characteristic]. [Author’s name] describes/desires/ [their main point] in [adjective] manner/tone/way, because their [characteristic] leads them to [motivation].
Example: “The point of view of Kermit the Frog is influenced by his ethnicity as a green frog. Kermit describes the hardships he encounters because of his skin color in a frank manner that openly discusses the issue because the difficulties of his life lead him to desire change within society that can only come through increased understanding.”
An American merchant in Canton (the one port open by the Chinese for trading into their territory).
While the opium trade was going on, discussions often occurred as to the morality of it, as well as to the effect of smoking on the Chinese . . . As to its influence on the inhabitants of the city and suburbs at large, they were a healthy, active, hard-working, and industrious people, withal cheerful and frugal. They were intelligent in business, skillful in manufactures and handicrafts . . . Amongst the wealthier classes, no doubt it was more or less common, this we knew; but I myself, and I think I may safely say the entire foreign community, rarely, if ever, saw any one physically or mentally injured by it.
Directions: Write a POV statement for the quote above, using the following format as a guide.
The point-of-view of [author’s name] is influenced by [personal characteristic]. [Author’s name] describes/desires/ [their main point] in [adjective] manner/tone/way, because their [characteristic] leads them to [motivation].
Example: “The point of view of Kermit the Frog is influenced by his ethnicity as a green frog. Kermit describes the hardships he encounters because of his skin color in a frank manner, because the difficulties of his life lead him to desire change within society, and more understanding for those with green skin.”