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After the Vietnam War, large numbers of refugees from countries such as Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos moved to the Tenderloin. Some of these refugees and their families were the authors of a book I read for my Streetwise Sociology class called, Stories of Survival: Three Generations of Southeast Asians Share Their Lives. Originally published in 2002, Stories of Survival is a compilation of oral histories by Southeast Asian residents living in two Eddy Street apartment buildings owned by the Indochinese Housing Development Corporation (IDHC). The stories span three generations: immigrant parents, their American-born children and the "1.5 generation," young people who were born in an Asian country, but grew up in the United States. The 10th Anniversary Edition includes an update on the original participants as well as a bonus story. I liked reading about the mass immigration of Chinese to parts of Southeast Asia in Chapter 15 because it helped me realize why many of the contributors to Stories of Survival were ethnically Chinese, but were also nationals of other Southeast Asian countries.

Bunny Wave 

One of my friends really loves ukiyo-e art and the Japanese woodblock printmaker, Hokusai. She’s also a fan of the kozyndan version of Hokusai’s “The Great Wave” so I thought I’d include a picture of both for comparison. I liked that this week’s reading including more information about Hokusai. I did not know that was not his real name and that his real name is unknown. In my Modern Times class, we learned about French Impressionism. So, I found it interesting that after his death, his work influenced French impressionists. I like that Meiji Japan and the West effected each other simultaneously.

I also thought it was interesting that the woodblock papers were used in order to PACKAGE exports! It reminds me of when I use Bay Area newspaper to pack and ship car parts I sell.

The Manchurians from...

Manchu.

The Manchurians formed the Qing dynasty. One of the most recognizable and probably the last dynasty before "modern 19th century China." 

The Manchurians thrived, almost doubling the population of the Chinese. However, this same civic pride that the Manchurians had for their accomplishments would soon drive them into a plateau that they could not come out of. The Manchurians had found a way to double food production, following the increase in food production, naturally the population increased due to the abundance of resources.

The Manchurians were a proud people and did not allow intermarriage with the Han Chinese, in order to maintain their bloodline. This pride grew with their success with their success as the Qing and their pride grew in tandem. They believed they were the best civilization in the world and that no one could top them. Not visiting embassies from the west, nor any other culture that came into contact with them to trade or offer their wares.

This pride hurt them. As the population grew their food production slowed. It plateaued as the population growth swelled. When they finally met at their top of production the population stagnated and eventually their food cultivation only allowed for meager portions of food. This created a poor economy, banditry and like all other dynasties this lead to rebellions. 

Hongwu

Reading the short section in our textbook about Hongwu was a great read for me. I never think of myself as a rooting for the underdog kinda guy, but Hongwu sounded like a great leader for China when they were in dire need.

The book just jumped him from rebel leader to king so I read up a little more on him on Wikipedia.

Reading about his meager beginnings really helps to understand how he became such a great leader. It also outlines to me how important it is to have a leader that came from nothing. Because the leaders that aren't born into royalty know how hard it is to earn to succeed instead of having the world handed to them on a silver platter.

Hongwu was orphaned raised in a monastery until it burned down. Then he was a beggar, then joined a rebel band. This is where he rose through the ranks to become the leader of the rebel group and then the emperor.

It said that through the joining of other groups while trying to overthrow the Yuan dynasty, Zhu eventually joined a subfaction called the Ming (Ming dynasty). By establishing himself as the leader of the Ming group and building up resources and a larger force he eventually was able to over throw the Yuan. Becoming the first emperor of the "Ming Dynasty"

Japan and Korea

I always knew that Japan and Korea were related in ways more than China to Japan. I however did NOT know that the Japanese and Koreans descended from the same group.

My friends always told me that the Japanese and the Koreans harbored some negative feelings for each other. I would say more similar to the British and the colonists shortly after the American's established their independence.

The most interesting part of the chapter I took away was how amazing how unsupported the Japanese islands were when it comes to cultivating and sustaining early life. The Japanese islands are highly mountainous, have acidic, thin, infertile soil, and swift current streams do not sound like a place anyone would want to try to create a new place to live. But somehow the Japanese did it.

The introduction even tells of more interesting facts like, despite having one of the smallest regions to grow rice in, the Japanese have the highest rice yields in the world. More interesting than that is their success is thanks to their ability to adapt and their perseverance.

I've always been into Japanese culture and history and learning this about early Japan makes them remarkable to say the least.