On China
a review of a book by Henry Kissinger
A falcon hovers at the edge of the sky, two gulls drift up the river.
Wrote the Chinese poet Du Fu, who lived at a time – in the late 700’s, when China, the Middle Kingdom, was the world’s first complete civilisation and superpower. That same falcon, the Middle Kingdom, now hovers at the edge of our sky. We must ask ourselves, in my humble opinion, how to respond to their ascension. The situation is arguably both good and bad for us; physically good, like a dog when fed everyday by a kind master is happy – one is cared for in China today, psychologically bad, like one who cannot express themselves suffers – life never again truly our own, freedom always incomplete.
In his book “On China”, written when Kissinger was 88 years old, we are reminded of a vast Chinese cultural landscape unfolding along historical lines for as far as memory and poetic mastery unmatched in literature and visual arts and then great technology prowess, the compass, gun powder they invented and much more. Then when reading one is transported by each page, words crafted by a true master and insightful scholarship in every sentence, into the mindset of the elite rulers of the first Middle Kingdom, and the new Middle Kingdom, the falcon now in our darkening sky.
He clearly explaining why they believe in their mandate: to rule all under heaven, and now why they wish to return to their right place. To rule again, be at the centre, on the world throne. In their mindset the barbarism of the outer world briefly won, a dispiriting and despicable outcome, a inferior race taking advantage of their domestic turmoils during the 1800’s.
Kissinger tells us of his experience with that Chinese mind, a carful study over fifty years. He explains how that mind is clever beyond our understanding, such patient mindfulness is foreign to click bate connected westerners. Minds of the Middle Kingdom produced works of military teachings like Sun Tzu’s “Art of War” (5th century BC), scholarly courtiers minds, who, one imagines, worked in incense laden air behind the lacquer dark walls of Beijing’s forbidden city and then debated the art of strategy, how to win in conflict, which they have mastered. They have skill in psychology of battle and know how that is prosecuted, one must not draw a sword until victory is assured, that is prudent, saving coin and blood. Playing the long game, is a Chinese art, defeating not the body but mind of any enemy massing at the gates of the Middle Kingdom.
I was left wondering, after reading Kissinger, why great cities disappear and other rise in their place, one’s even more spectacular where educated landed gentry live in a golden age, that was the Song Dynasty. Their was the Norther Song, and after trouble with northern barbaric nomadic tribes a Southern Song. Was it then when their elite start to plan their return? So many down trodden psyche licking open wound, who dreamed the rise to power that we now see manifest and subtly articulated. All victims of bullying wish retribution. Now it might have started then and then later the boot kicked a bit more, put in during the humiliating Opium War, when they were bullied by British people into handing over Hong Kong, at gun point I believe. An armada of cannon powered by gun powder they (Chinese) invented, to trade a drug to enrich the immoral trader and addict their own people. Did that vow then to return to glory, or much earlier, possible a thousand years ago, as the golden age of the Song was lost we will never know. I doubt it was as late as the dawn of communism. People who taste the elixir of greatness always wish to drink from that challis again. No matter why it was lost, they want it again, it defines one, generation upon generation, as the sun rises and then sets.
In his notes at the end of the book, that were added after the book was printed, he asks us to contemplate how will these two giant economies coexist in a turbulent world. But like the rest of us he hesitates to commit to a vision too bold, after all he has no crystal ball, only a brilliant mind. For the few who don’t know him, Kissinger studied and then taught at Harvard as a professor before becoming President Richard Nixon’s Secretary of State. Then as the world diplomat, during the 1970’s, encouraged a Sino-American dialogue.
A relationship that had ceased while Chairman Mao and his communist party poked the Uber resilient Chinese into revolution. Mao made revolution like no one before or since. Revolution and then more revolution in an anarchism of madness until he hoped nothing of the old way remained, Confucius a stain and his harmony a myth, order and bureaucratic power an evil was destroyed. But I don’t think it all worked.
The throne of the Middle Kingdom is cast in iron and the ghost of Confucius stands behind. Anarchy is expensive, that you can ask the Norman’s who built cathedral after cathedral to quell the folk, alter gold cheaper than a standing army. Political expediency wins over ideological reasons every time, and good religion is the cost effective opioid of the masses.
Now Kissinger could only cleverly speculate on the next phase of the Sino-American relationship and then when you put down his book you have questions. What we all want to know, is not answer exactly. Will they fight? He does not say! After all he is a responsible diplomat and highly trained scholar and not one for conspiracy theory and wild agitation and instead is scholarly and understands why facts are needed before publishing a warning. But I read one in his book. Not a prophesy but one so wise can read situations.
Officially we are left to form our own opinions. I think he said, this is how I read it, my opinion. Americans will also see second place, when it inevitably happens, as humiliating and then as there own historically divided people squabble break into fight, fighting Chinese better than each other, that unites them and everyone who has a stake throws punches like people do in a bar room fight in a movie. Americans fight like only they know how, fight to regain lost ground and numero uno dignity. He fell short of predicting that war that way and I don’t Blame him, so don’t conclude that I did predict it either. We are just throwing it around, instinctive uniformed speculation.
In conclusion, I found the book terrific. The main theme, that the Middle Kingdom intends to regain its rightful position at the centre of our world, as the most important learning explained elegantly. A good read for anyone engaged in business, engineering or trade, fighting climate change or raising a family. Thoroughly necessary to understand. Is conflict inevitable? you can decide that and if one was a student of the art of warfare, one must conclude serious preparations are beyond sensible. That means global free trade is problematic – manufacturer’s should come home and in my field technology, we might not wish to so freely share our ingenuity. My last word is that a harmonious and prosperous world run by the Middle Kingdom, might be compensation for defeat.