I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand. -- Confucius

I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand. -- Confucius

Sources of Ignorance1. China’s denying free access by the media, especially

the western media, does not add to the mysteries of the country more than it does to cause misunderstanding and chance of distortion of its image

2. We often do not have much chance to get to know this country due to various barriers, such as language and geography

3. Most people thus rely their information about China on a few experts, or/and the media, whose main purpose is to sell and may not have a reporter that even know the Chinese language well.

2008 Tibetan unrest & the Western Media

Our "knowledge" of China-- How much truth?

Our ideas about China is much influenced, and often distorted by the media:

• Example 1: 2008 Tibetan unrest

• Example 2: 2008 Summer Olympic Games

The Tibetan Unrest in 2008

• More information is available at http://kadfly.blogspot.com

• Nonetheless, the unrest isn’t directly related to our program, not even to today’s topic.

Kadfly blogspot, the source of the picture, told a different story.

《印度论坛报》网站 3 月 30 日报道，达赖 29 日在印度新德里召开了记者会，反击中国一再指责他是西藏暴力事件的“幕后策划者”。消息说，“达赖暗示 中国本身可能在支持暴力事件，因为他说：‘我们听说数百名中国军人拿到了僧侣的服装。他们扮成僧侣。所以，在旁人来看，他们看似僧侣。’” 　　国外的某些非主流媒体 31 日报道了达赖的这一说法。有的在报道达赖言论的同时，还配发了这样一张图片。在照片中，有数十名武警手里抱着喇嘛的僧袍，幷有不少穿着衬衣等单薄衣物的路人在观看。

In a news conference in New Deli, Dalai Lama denied his involvement with the unrest in Tibet, accusing that “We heard that hundreds of Chinese soldiers had acquired monk uniforms and dressed up like monks. Thus, they looked like monks to other people”. To support the remarks of his holiness, the picture in the next slide was used.

这样的言论和照片一发出就引起了人们的质疑。记者围绕这张照片进行了调查。确认这张照片是 2001 年 9 月 , 武警西藏总队官兵在拍摄电影《天脉传奇》过 程中，充当群众演员，分发演出服时拍摄的。记者找到了照片中的两位战士。他叫刘鹏勃，当年是一级士官，现在已经提干担任武警拉萨支队某中队副指导员 .

However, some pointed out that this was taken when mass actors were dressing up for the movie “A Legends of the Heavenly Mountains”

BBC, a trustworthy source?

BBC, a trustworthy source?

It all started in August 20 and August 26, 2000 in BBC News

BBC, a trustworthy source?

BBC, a trustworthy source?

BBC, a trustworthy source?

BBC, a trustworthy source?

BBC, a trustworthy source?1. The Chinese police has changed their uniforms

several times through the years, why the west still remains the same about their idea about China?

2. It is true that Chinese police monitors the internet, which every nation does, and may do so more vigorously than some other countries, but would they really monitor the average visitor and each of its own citizens? (You can check it out!)

3. Even if they want to, can they possibly afford it with so many visitors every year?

The double harms• We are denied the truth about a country that has never

before been so eager to join the family of nations of the world, a country that has become so closely tied with our own, economically, politically, and in many other global issues

• The Chinese, especially the young generation, used to believe in the western media while had little trust in most Chinese media. Now they think the western media is no better than their own!

Forget about the media…

Now you are going to see China with your own eyes!

What you see is truth -- Chinese Proverb