The Written Word | Jesse Ashcraft | TEDxNSFZ Youth

Key Concepts

• Written Word as a Connector: The central theme is the power of written words to bridge distances, connect people across time and cultures, and preserve history.
• Historical Narratives and Truth: The importance of accurate documentation and the struggle to establish truth, especially in the face of conflicting narratives.
• Personal Testimony and Historical Impact: How individual accounts and writings can contribute to collective memory and historical understanding.
• Reconciliation and Shared History: The role of written words in fostering understanding and acknowledging past wrongs, leading to reconciliation.

The Written Word: A Thread That Connects Us

The speaker, Jesse, emphasizes the profound significance of the written word, likening it to "keys to hearts and bridges to the past." This idea is illustrated through historical examples that demonstrate how written communication has connected continents, civilizations, and individuals across time.

Historical Threads of Connection

• Schuenzang and the Wild Goose Pagoda: The speaker references the historical figure Schuenzang, a monk who traveled from China to India in 635 AD to obtain Buddhist scriptures. Upon his return, the then emperor commissioned the Wild Goose Pagoda (Dayan Ta) in Xian for the translation of these texts. This pagoda, still standing after 13 centuries, serves as a monument to the importance placed on written knowledge and its preservation.
• Alawaban (Alipin) and the Xi'an Stele: Another significant historical figure mentioned is Alawaban, a missionary who arrived in Xian in 635 AD carrying Christian scriptures from Rome. A rubbing of the world-famous Xi'an Stele (Jingyun Bei), erected in the 8th century, commemorates Alawaban's arrival and the introduction of these texts to China. This highlights how written words, even from foreign origins, were deemed worthy of monumental recognition.

A Local Thread: Nanjing and the Sino-Japanese War

The speaker then narrows the focus to a more recent and personal thread, originating and ending in Nanjing, to illustrate how the written word connects people in the present.

• The Nanjing Massacre and Professor Miner Searle Bates: The narrative shifts to the 80th anniversary of China's victory over Japan in World War II. The speaker introduces Professor Miner Searle Bates, an American historian and Christian missionary at Nanjing University. Bates chose to stay in Nanjing during the Japanese invasion in 1937 and played a crucial role in establishing the Nanjing Safety Zone (Nanjing Gui'an Qu) to aid his community.
• Bates's Documentation and Testimony: Crucially, Bates began meticulously documenting the atrocities he witnessed. He managed to send letters past Japanese forces to international contacts, providing firsthand accounts of the crimes committed.
• Conflicting Narratives and the Power of Truth: The speaker contrasts Bates's truthful accounts with the Japanese efforts to disseminate their own narrative, which minimized or denied the crimes. Reverend J.C. McKim, a missionary in Japan, initially believed the Japanese version and wrote to the New York Times.
• Bates's Letter to McKim: Bates wrote to Reverend McKim, not out of animosity, but out of a belief in the importance of truth. He stated, "The only reason why I am writing this letter is that I believe that all friends of Japan should know the truth. It's part of the real friendship for the Japanese to let them know what is actually happening in China." He expressed hope that McKim would correct any misinformation.
• Enduring Impact of Bates's Writings: Bates's writings proved invaluable. He was called upon to testify at the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal eight years later, and historians continue to rely heavily on his accounts for understanding the events in Nanjing. His writings, therefore, wove a thread through the collective consciousness and historical narratives globally, contributing to a shared history between China and America.

Weaving a Tapestry of Reconciliation

The speaker further illustrates the enduring power of written words through a personal connection to a Japanese scholar.

• Dr. Takamitsu Muroka's Gesture of Peace: Dr. Takamitsu Muroka, a renowned Japanese linguist and former professor of the speaker, offers free courses to Chinese university students as a gesture of peace.
• Muroka's Reflection on the Sino-Japanese War: Dr. Muroka shared a transcript of a speech he gave at Nanjing University, expressing deep sorrow, despondency, and indignation when reflecting on the 15-year Sino-Japanese War. He stated, "As a Japanese, I am deeply ashamed of what was done to them, but not only of what was done to them in the distant past, but also of what should have been done since. And yet has not been done by my nation." He also expressed shame for recent wrongdoings by Japanese leaders.
• The Thread Continues: This personal account demonstrates how Bates's initial thread of written words, woven across continents and time, reached Dr. Muroka, who then shared his remorse and shame with the speaker and his classmates. The speaker, in turn, is now conveying this message, further extending the thread.

The Takeaway: What Will You Do With the Thread?

The speaker concludes by emphasizing that the written word is not merely an academic exercise but a powerful force with profound implications.

• The Stakes of Reading and Writing: The speaker urges the audience to understand "what is at stake" when they read and write.
• Capabilities of the Written Word: The written word possesses the ability to:
  • Move through time.
  • Pierce through hearts and minds.
  • Traverse oceans.
  • Transcend lives.
  • Connect us.
• A Call to Action: The final question posed to the audience is, "What will you do with the thread?" This serves as a powerful call to action, encouraging individuals to recognize the potential of their own written words to create connections, foster understanding, and contribute to a shared future.