A Burkean analysis of China Is Not Happy: a rhetoric of nationalism

Abstract

As a sequel to China Can Say No, China Is Not Happy is the bestseller of 2009 in China. The book praises China's post-80s generation for their act of patriotism, condemns the West, in general, and the United States, in particular, for exploiting the Chinese and for causing a global economic crisis. It also criticizes the Chinese liberal elite and overseas returnees for being Western-influenced mental slaves and traitors. The authors of the book call for an abandonment of “literary tone”, advocate a tough stand against Western countries, and envision China as the leader of the world through its economic and military power. This paper examines the major themes and belligerent rhetoric employed in the book through an application of Kenneth Burke's rhetorical concepts of identification, terministic screens, and representative anecdotes. The author of this paper contends that such use of rhetoric demonstrates the language habit of China's political discourse in its modern history, escalates blind nationalism, and widens the gap in intercultural understanding between China and the US.

Keywords:

• nationalism
• identification, terministic screens
• representative anecdote
• rhetoric of hatred
• Chinese political discourse

Notes

^1. On 14 March 2008, some Tibetan monks staged a protest for independence, which led to rioting, burning, and killing of Han Chinese. The riot was put down by the Chinese army. The Chinese government blamed the Dalai Lama for masterminding the riot, although the Dalai Lama denied any involvement. Western media supported the riot and portrayed China's crackdown as inhuman.

^2. Burke described five means of identification in his book Counter-Argument. They are (1) syllogistic progression, (2) qualitative progression, (3) repetitive form, (4) conventional form, and (5) minor or incidental form.

^3. The book is written in Chinese. The translations of China Is Not Happy in this article are mine.

^4. In China, right-wing politicians and intellectuals are viewed as liberals while left-wing politicians and intellectuals are viewed as conservatives, which is just the opposite of the situation in the United States.

^5. The Boxer Rebellion started in 1898 with the initial aim of attacking Western missionaries and churches. The Boxers then fought against the Western Alliance of eight countries until 1902.

^6. Calling someone a grandson when there is no blood linkage is a cursing word in Chinese.

^7. China's GDP per capita is $4,382, according to the International Monetary Fund report released in 2010. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28nominal%29_per_capita.