Hu On Sino-Japanese Relations Know The Track

It is known to all that Hu Shi was a typical liberal intellectual in modern China. Thoughhe was not an expert on Japanese studies, he paid attention to the China-Japan issue after thesigning of “21Articles”. Japan was in the Chinese cultural circle for a long time. After MeijiRestoration, Japan took in the advanced Western culture in great number, and finally becameone of the powerful countries. After the Sino-Japanese war, Japan turned more arrogant, andcoveted China’s sovereignty and territory. At that moment, Hu Shi realized that China’sscourge lay in Japan. Because of the contrast in power between China and Japan, Hu Shianalyzed the circumstances calmly and objectively, even though China was under the emotionof anti-Japanese after the Mukden Incident. He advocated negotiating with Japan, and tookthe route of peace. However, with the aggravation of the Japanese invasion and thedisappointment with the Japanese liberal intellectuals, Hu’s original proposal started to shake,and at last, he moved to the side of the war hawk.The thesis studies the changing process of Hu Shi’s view on Sino-Japanese relation from1915to1937. It takes the year1935as a main cut-point, respectively discusses Hu Shi’sattitude to Japan from1915to1935and the reason for that attitude, and the changing processof Hu’s attitude to Japan and its cause. The thesis adopts the original empirical researchmethod, which is, researching and collecting the paragraphs relating to China-Japan issuesfrom Hu Shi’s first-hand materials, translates these parts into Japanese according to theauthor’s own understanding and analysis, and exploring the transition of Hu Shi’sunderstanding about the Sino-Japanese relation.After the analysis of the first-hand materials, two main views are concluded as follows:1.From1915to1935, as a rational patriot, Hu Shi mainly advocated “prepare inlong-term, strengthen the country and fight against Japan”, and the peace course with Japan.While from1935to1937, Hu Shi’s attitude of fighting against Japan took advantage, andadvocated for “take the diplomatic route and get ready to fight the invasion”. The shift notonly reflects the change of Chinese liberal intellectuals’ attitudes towards Japan, but alsoreflects the intenseness of the Sino-Japanese friction and the contradiction.2. In nature, Hu Shi is a gentleman who believes in pacifism. Even a man like this losesconfidence in Japan, then leaves the group of advocating the peace course with Japan. We cansee the consistency of the Japan’s policy of aggression and its cruelty, and the serious damage Japan causes for China and Chinese people. Meanwhile, it verifies pacifism is no room forsurvival under the condition of the strength inequality.3. Through the analysis of the change of Hu Shi’s attitude towards Japan, we shouldthink the tension between China and Japan still exists today. On the issues of Diaoyu Islandand others, our two countries should know the historical responsibility, consider from theaspect of the nation, keep calm, affect people by their words, and then work together for abetter future.