Editor’s note: this article was translated and edited from Sohu and comments on the recent wave of violent attacks that have occurred on the streets of China. Of late, there have been numerous stabbings and an airport bomb among other incidents, and it has led many to question whether Chinese society has become truly malicious. This article looks at this apparent maliciousness, and analyzes what the motives are for the attacks and what the government and Chinese citizens should do in the future to prevent such attacks and on a wider scale, heal what appears to be a broken society.

Stabbings outside malls, stabbings in supermarkets, explosions in airports, a two-year-old child being thrown to the floor in a parking dispute... recent news reports involving torrid acts of violence in China have left many shocked. It seems that for some, acts of extreme violence have become a means of expressing emotion and facing problems thrown at them in life. But what’s the real underlying reason for all these recent attacks? How can they be prevented from happening again? When the busy streets of China become a hotspot for acts of violence, it means everyone is a potential victim.

Successive attacks in a short time

July 2013 has seen several successive acts of indiscriminate violence shake the country. The first came in the form of stabbings outside the Joy City Mall in Beijing’s Chaoyang District on July 17, where one foreigner was killed in the attacks. On July 20, a man detonated a homemade bomb at Beijing Capital Airport, and on July 22, the capital saw its third tragic act in just a few days when a man went on a stabbing spree in the Maliandao branch of Carrefour. On July 23, reports came of a Guangxi man who killed two family planning officials; and another tragedy (again based in Beijing) came on the same day when a man threw a woman’s two-year-old son to the ground following a parking dispute. The aforementioned attackers, as well as the victims, were all ordinary people, and for many, it seems that a wave of intense anger is currently spreading throughout China.

Upon further analysis of the attacks, it was found that some of the perpetrators had different motives for their actions. Beijing airport bomber Ji Zhongxing was found to have suffered injustice at the hands of Dongguan security officers, while the Guangxi stabber was said to have been incited for fines related to the fact that he had four children. The two Beijing stabbings have been put down to mental illness, while the baby-throwing incident is the only one which seemed to have little back story behind it save for a quarrel over parking spaces.   

Ostrich policy no longer an option

For a long time throughout history, Chinese people have generally shown characteristics of restraint and docility, with their ostrich policy (ignoring the existence of such problems or dangers) being key to their survival. However, this way of living is starting to fray at the ends. Even if one was to completely ignore all these issues and think that as long as they aren’t in the wrong place at the wrong time, there’s still always a chance of encountering danger in the future. Almost every public place is susceptible to danger – kindergartens, supermarkets, hospitals, buses, airports, bridges and even normal roads can be places were innocent people become victims to such deadly attacks. Whether it be jumping off buildings or self-immolation, many people these days use extreme measures in order to get their messages of their troubled existence across.

As people’s ways of thinking are changing, Chinese society is also becoming more ruthless. This is reflected in institutional policies and the distribution of benefits, the way in which the economy has grown, food production, interpersonal relationships, peoples’ behavior and the multi-faceted sides of peoples’ psyche. One policy which is particularly ruthless is the fact that government officials don’t need to pay for pensions when they’re working but once they retire, they receive pensions that are much larger than the average company employee. Producing tainted foodstuffs for the masses to eat, beating people in the “name of the law” and sexually abusing underage girls are even more despicable examples. People who live in such a society have to find ways in their minds to survive. As a result, people are becoming more defensive and are adapting their personalities to the society they live in. However, when these personalities clash with the structure of society, the reaction is becoming increasingly extreme.

Nasty circle of withdrawal and neuroticism

In a time like this, survival has suddenly become very difficult. Right now, most Chinese people’s energy is focused on ensuring the safety and protection of themselves and their families. In a society where cruelty and neglect to other peoples’ lives is the norm and where morality has reached new lows and where there is no respect for human life, maliciousness runs rampant. Also, if somebody isn’t willing to adapt to such a cruel society and behave ruthlessly themselves, then they will have difficulty protecting themselves and their own interests. Such ruthlessness also means that people have become very jumpy and oversensitive, and when they become embroiled in society’s games they will feel the need to actively harm others just as they themselves are harmed. However if everybody resorts to violence to solve these problems, then the basic order of society will be compromised.       

One the other hand, another reason behind the increasing violent tendencies of Chinese citizens is some people’s lack of awareness of the rule of law and the concept that violence can be used as a way to have their demands met. When they encounter certain injustices all concept of law is thrown out the window. They act rashly, and embark on acts such as the murder of random people to gain some twisted form of revenge against society.    

Maliciousness present not only in the attackers

After such acts of violence are committed, the maliciousness of some Chinese people is also prevalent in the public opinion of the masses. Regarding Beijing airport bomber Ji Zhongxing, many have praised his actions and see him as a product of an unfair society and believe that others should also take responsibility for the incident. Many stated that the victims of the Nanping school massacre in March 2010 (where eight children were stabbed to death) weren’t innocent, as their parents were either government officials or members of the wealthy elite. Some commented that since these children enjoyed more social resources, they should also bear greater social risks. These views, all of which lack reason and a concept of the rule of law, shows further the ruthlessness which is present in China’s society today.    

When these incidents occurred, the government were quick to respond with various measures to deal with them. However, these measures have only really been dealing with the surface of the problem and often don’t look at the underlying issues. For example if schoolchildren are killed, police and security guards are sent to the school and everything possible is done to catch the killer. The foreigner that was killed at the Beijing Drum Tower during the 2008 Olympics simply led to increased security at subsequent international events such as the 2010 Shanghai Expo. This is however a typical example of using pressure to ensure stability, which is in fact only helping to prevent further incidents from occurring rather than looking at their roots.   

Final word

In order to really look into solving the issue of violence in today’s Chinese society, focus on these incidents must continue even after they have been dealt with, and the source of the issues must be investigated. Furthermore, allowing people to have the courage to believe in the existence of rules and regulations is the most urgently required goal that needs fulfilling. The government should start by ensuring that a fair and just society with rule of law is built and to limit the violation of private rights by the state authority. Citizens should also actively contribute to society to ensure that their legal rights are protected. The moment one becomes a “spectator” or holds contempt towards society, there is really nothing you can do. If everyone were to become malicious, then that would be akin to a collective suicide. No winners can emerge from a society where everyone is at war with the other.

Source: Sohu

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Keywords: violence in China acts of violence in China