Sino-Japanese Cultural Conflict And Its Impact On Sino-Japanese Relations

It is an indisputable fact that Japan and China, which are separated by a narrow strip of water, have many similarities in surface culture. However, in the deep level of culture, China and Japan have great differences. Sino-Japanese relations have been politically cold and economically hot. The conflicts between these two countries, such as visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, modifying textbooks and historical awareness, are greatly due to the deep-seated cultural differences in the cultural structure of both sides.Chinese culture has long-term leading position in the world, particularly, Han and Tang Dynasties for the most. For about2,000years from Qin to Qing Dynasty, China has been a protagonist on the stage of Asia history. Chinese culture influenced the whole Asia by its advanced superior attitude. It’s just like the water which flowed to the lower place nourished East Asian countries. Of course, the Japanese culture has also benefited a lot from this. Chinese culture has formed a complete system, since the Spring and Autumn Period and it was really profound, so that later people have no idea of going beyond the traditional Chinese culture. As a result, the traditional Chinese lacks innovative spirit. Since modern times, along with the strong attack of Western civilization, the weak sign Chinese traditional culture became obvious. The Opium War crushed China’s arrogance as a celestial state. Especially after the Sino-Japanese War, China was completely awakened and science and democracy became acceptable to Chinese culture, which was gradually improved and then formed the contemporary Chinese culture. However, Confucian culture centered morality and political outlook contained in the Chinese culture came from the same origin since ancient times to the present, and its "firmness" and "arrogance" cultural concept have never been abandoned. Seemingly in contrast, Japanese culture lacks originality. In the initial stage, it absorbed nutrients from the prosperous Chinese culture, but as Western civilization became increasingly powerful, it immediately changed direction, greedily absorbed the nutrients of the Western culture. And then Japanese culture with double contradiction was shaped. This also laid foundation for the uniqueness of Japanese culture which can transit along with the situation. In this respect, it is completely opposite from the "firmness" philosophy that Chinese traditional culture has promoted. Confrontation is bound to conflict, and to resolve the conflict, we must firstly find the root of the problem. Therefore, this paper will start from a comparative study on Chinese and Japanese cultural differences to deepen two peoples’understanding on each other’s culture and then analyze the causes of Sino-Japanese cultural conflict. Through the analysis of the root, causes and other aspects of the Sino-Japanese cultural conflicts, timely reflect and make a deep understanding, thereby promote the elimination of unnecessary barriers between the two cultures.With the acceleration of the globalization process, interdependence between the countries in the world became closer. Conflicts between different cultures do exist, but through the strengthening of cultural exchange, the possibility of such conflict resolution will become increasingly larger. Therefore, different countries should cooperate sincerely and make efforts together. Sino-Japanese relations, though complicated, if only two countries can put prejudices behind and carefully make a deep research on each other’s culture have some further cultural exchanges on the basis of respecting each other’s cultures, the Sino-Japanese relations will be inclined to be improved because the maintenance of the two peoples’fundamental interests, and ultimately the realization of win-win is the final goal.