The recent auction in Hong Kong of three precious antiques from the Yuanmingyuan
Antiques are peculiar stuff and their price tags usually exceed their real value. The worship and pursuit of antiques reflects a fetishism, or, in psychological terminology, narcissistic transference.
Antiques are symbols of social status and celebrity which is why millionaires like to show off their antique collections.
In the west, the merchant class prospered during the late middle ages. Dissatisfied with their social status, upstart merchants built luxurious houses and purchased antiques from impoverished aristocrats in order to fulfill a need for status. They bought antiques to show off their wealth and taste and to balance a psychological need for celebrity.
People in the post-colonialist age have mixed feelings about antiques. The symbolic celebrity and narcissism reflected in their feelings are consistent with a psychological need to resolve a perceived injury to the popular sentiment by seeking symbolic revenge.
Antiques are the instruments for people in power to justify their grand statements and orthodox ideologies. But they are also good material to use to educate people about the sufferings of the populace. Antiques taken away by colonialists represent the incompleteness of an entire nation and this psychological narcissism can only be satisfied after the missing valuables are retrieved amid a self-pitying hubbub.
This has happened in China as well as in other parts of the world. The exchange of antiques between Germany and Russia, as well as China's purchase of antiques, all signify a smoothing over of past traumas. This is a good thing. But China needs the wealth created by capitalism to afford such purchases, which shows that sometimes nationalism can not thrive without capitalist support.
Pu Ta-chung is the deputy chief editorial writer of the China Times.
Recently, China launched another diplomatic offensive against Taiwan, improperly linking its “one China principle” with UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 to constrain Taiwan’s diplomatic space. After Taiwan’s presidential election on Jan. 13, China persuaded Nauru to sever diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Nauru cited Resolution 2758 in its declaration of the diplomatic break. Subsequently, during the WHO Executive Board meeting that month, Beijing rallied countries including Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Belarus, Egypt, Nicaragua, Sri Lanka, Laos, Russia, Syria and Pakistan to reiterate the “one China principle” in their statements, and assert that “Resolution 2758 has settled the status of Taiwan” to hinder Taiwan’s
The past few months have seen tremendous strides in India’s journey to develop a vibrant semiconductor and electronics ecosystem. The nation’s established prowess in information technology (IT) has earned it much-needed revenue and prestige across the globe. Now, through the convergence of engineering talent, supportive government policies, an expanding market and technologically adaptive entrepreneurship, India is striving to become part of global electronics and semiconductor supply chains. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Vision of “Make in India” and “Design in India” has been the guiding force behind the government’s incentive schemes that span skilling, design, fabrication, assembly, testing and packaging, and
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s (李顯龍) decision to step down after 19 years and hand power to his deputy, Lawrence Wong (黃循財), on May 15 was expected — though, perhaps, not so soon. Most political analysts had been eyeing an end-of-year handover, to ensure more time for Wong to study and shadow the role, ahead of general elections that must be called by November next year. Wong — who is currently both deputy prime minister and minister of finance — would need a combination of fresh ideas, wisdom and experience as he writes the nation’s next chapter. The world that
As former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) wrapped up his visit to the People’s Republic of China, he received his share of attention. Certainly, the trip must be seen within the full context of Ma’s life, that is, his eight-year presidency, the Sunflower movement and his failed Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement, as well as his eight years as Taipei mayor with its posturing, accusations of money laundering, and ups and downs. Through all that, basic questions stand out: “What drives Ma? What is his end game?” Having observed and commented on Ma for decades, it is all ironically reminiscent of former US president Harry