Military Museum

This past Saturday I went to the Military Museum, a hilarious recommendation from Bob Williams.  I was in the mood for doing something that wasn't a "must-see" and I'd be doing later with friends but still something uniquely Chinese.  Military Museum it was.

 

Usually when I walk out of the subway station in a new place, there's a good 90 seconds of turning in circles and repeated re-orienting of my rape me rob me kill me map, before I give up and walk up to someone and point to a place on the map and give them a puzzled look as I shrug my shoulders.  This time, it was easy.  It was that ridiculously huge nice mansion building looming over everything within 15 miles.  I got my ticket (I'm a little surprised it's not free...I would expect them to want anybody and everybody to come.  This idea is supported by the fact that it is the only subway stop that also has it's English name on the map.  Yes, "Military Museum" is the subway stop...wouldn't want anyone to miss it.), and went inside.  Inside was a three-story tall statue of Mao.  In talking to my co-workers since, these statues are in a lot of places; every University, etc.  I said to Manni, "Yup, you guys really love Mao."  She responded, "We respect Mao."  Jim tells me he was reading an interesting book in Germany before he came here about the true autobiography of Mao that I'm going to have to check out when I get back.  Jim decided it wasn't a good book to bring to China.

 

The museum was five stories of propaganda, but it was exactly because of that that it was interesting.  (For what it's worth, this is the one place I've been in China that wasn't packed full of people.)  It had all sorts of artwork, sculptures (you have never seen such happy soldiers), and paraphenalia from different military campaigns, mainly the revolution obviously.  I was so glad I got to see the belts, buttons, and binoculars they used during March 9-12 of 1943.  Right.  Anyway, interesting notes: World War II = anti-Japanese War, also, China has never been the aggressor but always been attacked (I need to study the history of this), there were no atrocities committed by the communists during the revolution, also, they put interesting Asian sauce on hot sandwiches in the gift shop on the 3rd floor that is delicious.  Suffice it to say that when I walked out of the building into the large square surrounded by inspiring music that made me feel like I was walking in a movie, I was thoroughly convinced of the sanctity of the Communist Party and about registered for it on the way out the gate.  No but really, speaking of registering for party, evidently most people are still registered for it (one English teacher I talked to said his class was 70% registered, and while I was surprised others in the group were surprised that number wasn't higher), but it really doesn't mean much to be registered.  Talking to my colleague Lei Wu yesterday, it's really a necessary social/status step for obtaining jobs, etc.  Also, students in China have to take a test before they go to grad school in China, with three choice sections and three required sections: Chinese, Math, and poliltics.  They want to make sure that their most educated and elite agree with their policies.  Honestly, that's what my colleagues told me about why the politics section was required.