Bertrand Russell;China and Japan

Abstract

　From 1920 to 1921, Bertrand Russell lectured in China at the Peking Government University, and came to Japan in July 1921.

　His thoughts were received enthusiastically by Young China. Russell also loved the Chinese character and culture deeply. On the other hand, he was ill-impressed by Japan, and had difficulties with the police and newspaper cameramen. Consequently, his contact with Japan was not as intimate as that with China.

　But doubts can be raised as to whether Russell’s relationship with China was as deep as it appeared, when it is noticed, first, that some progressive Chinese became angry about Russell’s admiration of the traditional Chinese culture. Secondly, Russell and his lover Dora, who frequently clashed over other points, found themselves in perfect agreement about China, perhaps because they failed to understand China properly.

　In short, Japan and China, seemingly quite different for Russell, lay equally outside the range of his sympathies. Russell wrote that the Chinese reminded him of the English in their merits. Thus it may be concluded that Russell simply read merits and demerits of his true object of interest, England or the West, into these two Eastern countries.