World's View of Qiao Feng, Correct of Not?

[jiang bao]

It was pretty stupid. If they fear that he would become a foe of the Song, then don’t teach him martial arts!

It’s also funny how QF’s aggression on his Khitan heritage as if being Khitan naturally made someone more prone to violent behavior.

[timeless]

However, if you meant antagonist as a cunning, deceitful, "villainous" character rather than someone whose cause is opposed to that of the patriotic groups, then I think the answer is probably no. My opinion is that his character wouldn't change that much even if the side he fought on was different.

Things might be different if that baby was handed over to the Khitans, as guilty for their stupidities, those wulin leaders did the right thing to bring him up as their own. While they make disgraceful examples of the Han peoples for all their patriotic acts of stupidity, the one thing right was to give him a Confucianistic upbringing that centers on being upright and staying righteous. I do not wish to throw any stones at the less civilised Khitai because a slightly less advanced civilisation has the simplicity of having less human deceit and evils aside from the same political aspirations and wants.

The greatest irony though is that it took a non-Han to be the best living example of living out the Chinese ethics honorably.

[thesoothsayer]

Things might be different if that baby was handed over to the Khitans, as guilty for their stupidities, those wulin leaders did the right thing to bring him up as their own. While they make disgraceful examples of the Han peoples for all their patriotic acts of stupidity, the one thing right was to give him a Confucianistic upbringing that centers on being upright and staying righteous. I do not wish to throw any stones at the less civilised Khitai because a slightly less advanced civilisation has the simplicity of having less human deceit and evils aside from the same political aspirations and wants.

The greatest irony though is that it took a non-Han to be the best living example of living out the Chinese ethics honorably.

This will probably lead to things like:
1. Is Confucianism better than the philosophies of the Khitan?
2. What is real righteousness, and being upright? How do you define these two characteristics?
3. Are people in less advanced civilisations more simple and straight forward? Or do they only seem simple and straight forward when transported into a more "civilised" environment?
4. Nature versus nurture angle. Was XF's character a result of his upbringing or was it innate?

On a side note, what's the reason why Xiao Yuanshan did not kill all the attackers at the pass? I seem to recall it was because he had some Han Chinese benefactors, and he swore that he wouldn't harm any. Is this right? If so, was he influenced by Confucian "righteousness", or is it Khitan "righteousness"?

[timeless]

This will probably lead to things like:
1. Is Confucianism better than the philosophies of the Khitan?
2. What is real righteousness, and being upright? How do you define these two characteristics?
3. Are people in less advanced civilisations more simple and straight forward? Or do they only seem simple and straight forward when transported into a more "civilised" environment?
4. Nature versus nurture angle. Was XF's character a result of his upbringing or was it innate?

On a side note, what's the reason why Xiao Yuanshan did not kill all the attackers at the pass? I seem to recall it was because he had some Han Chinese benefactors, and he swore that he wouldn't harm any. Is this right? If so, was he influenced by Confucian "righteousness", or is it Khitan "righteousness"?

Excellent points. You just answered your own questions.

Confucianism has its merits as a great moral philosophy but goodness still depends on the individual, whether the absence of such moralistic teachings or not, i am sure the Khitans had their own moral codes and teachings even before they eventually embraced Confucianism by mixing with the Hans.

[Guo Xiang]

Excellent points. You just answered your own questions.

Confucianism has its merits as a great moral philosophy but goodness still depends on the individual, whether the absence of such moralistic teachings or not, i am sure the Khitans had their own moral codes and teachings even before they eventually embraced Confucianism by mixing with the Hans.

Your comments reflect the bigotry attitude of the Han Chinese present in the novel.

[timeless]

Your comments reflect the bigotry attitude of the Han Chinese present in the novel.

There wasn't no bigotry but in respect of the moral virtues embodied in Confucianism in light of the historical fact that Han China was the central superpower in the East for all much of the ancient time. If not for China, there would be very slim chances of any upward climb for its northerly neighbours if not for the civilising influence from the Han culture.

[Ken Cheng]

There wasn't no bigotry but in respect of the moral virtues embodied in Confucianism in light of the historical fact that Han China was the central superpower in the East for all much of the ancient time. If not for China, there would be very slim chances of any upward climb for its northerly neighbours if not for the civilising influence from the Han culture.

I'm not sure the other tribes and ethnicities really needed Han culture, however. As suitable as it was for the Central Plains, much of Han culture wasn't very useful for the living realities of the people of the steppes.

[timeless]

I'm not sure the other tribes and ethnicities really needed Han culture, however. As suitable as it was for the Central Plains, much of Han culture wasn't very useful for the living realities of the people of the steppes.

As true as it was, the neighbours from their exchanges with the Hans, via trade, picked up ideas, bad ones like monetary value, cheating, greed, power,...things that they don't really need indeed.