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China is a Turtle and Japan is a Carp
Throughout their military history, Ancient China and Japan have both been
compared to an animal. China has been compared to a turtle and Japan has been compared to a
carp. I agree with this zoomorphism and will explain why I believe these are the best animals to
compare them to throughout their ancient times, but also how they acted like these animals
metaphorically during more recent conflicts with the United States during World War II and the
Korean War.
China throughout their entire military history can be compared to a turtle. Metaphorically
speaking of course, a turtle is slow, has a shell that it can hide in, and is deliberate in what they
do. The Chinese view the world as in our out. Safety is within their borders like a turtle pulling
their head into their shell. But like a turtle shell, China has protected their northern steppes
region like the shell but have a terrible vulnerability on their southern costal areas like the soft
under carriage of said turtle.1 Historically, China had dealt with a vulnerability from the north but
have been able to secure this area. Have you ever heard of the Great Wall of China? This has put
pressure on the Chinese to force their population down to the south which is now vulnerable and
a security concern. How did acting like a turtle affect their conflict with the United States during
the Korean War?
With the Chinese trying to come out of their shell so to speak, they had promised to
support the North Koreans in the event of a war against South Korea. As the new world police
force, the United States wanted to rid of all communism, thus bringing them to the Korean War,
pitting them against Chinese forces once the United States crossed the 38th parallel. The Chinese
were no slouch when it came to battle tactics. The 7th Marines from 1st Marine Division came
1 Robert F. Ritchie IV, “Week 1 China Supplementary Reading” (paper presented for the course
HIWD 375 Korean and Vietnam Wars, Lynchburg, VA, January 2012).
3
face to face with the Chinese Communist Forces at Sudong on 2 November. The fighting was
said to be fiercer than it was with the Koreans as the Chinese mainly fought at night and utilized
better tactics. Momentarily rocked by the Chinese onslaught, the 7th Marines regained its
balance and mounted its own offensive and in five days of fighting, the Marines virtually
destroyed the enemy division, and continued up the road to Chosin Reservoir.2 Although the
Korean War didn’t end in an outright victory, history shows that the United States were pushing
the Chinese back to their border and back into that turtle shell.
Japan has a long history of animals in their folklore. Japan’s military in my perspective
most symbolizes a carp. Ancient Asian lore tells of carp that fight their way upstream against the
rapid currents of the Yellow River, one of the longest and most dangerous in China. Along the
way, they must leap the falls called the Dragon Gate. The few that succeed are transformed into
mighty dragons. Carp thus came to represent strength and perseverance, and in Japan “carp
leaping the waterfall” symbolizes success in life, particularly in the military. Japanese warriors
ate carp before battles and at festivals celebrating victories so that they could absorb the heroic
qualities associated with these fish.3 Why so carp-like during World War II?
Before World War II, Japan was coming out of a depression of their own. After this they
simply wanted to redeem themselves and became power hungry. Their emperor-based ideology
were created to unite their nation in response to the Western challenge of who could become the
most powerful the quickest.4 The carp symbolism of strength and perseverance got too much in
2 “New Equation: Chinese Intervention into the Korean War.” Naval History and Heritage Command.
Accessed May 30, 2022. https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-
alphabetically/n/new-equation.html.
3 “Carp and Kintarō: Perseverance and Strength.” Animals in Japanese folklore. Accessed May 30, 2022.
https://www.nga.gov/features/life-of-animals-in-japanese-art.html.
4 “Japan's Quest for Power and World War II in Asia: Asia for Educators: Columbia University.” Japan's
Quest for Power and World War II in Asia | Asia for Educators | Columbia University. Accessed May 30, 2022.
http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/special/japan_1900_power.htm.
4
their head to where they became power hungry with invasions throughout the 1930s then in 1940
of French Indochina. This invasion brought then President Roosevelt to order a trade embargo on
American scrap steel and oil, on which the Japanese military depended on.5 At first the United
States did not want to engage in war with Japan but their metaphorical carp needed to jump that
river gate to become a dragon, so they bombed Pearl Harbor, bringing them to war with the
United States. What a tremendous gamble they took, which was a bad miscalculation as the
United States would later drop two atomic bombs on the Japanese people, ending the war with
Japan.
It is interesting to view military strategy and tactics through history as a zoomorphism. I
believe that the turtle and carp are well represented metaphorically for China the turtle and Japan
the carp. China today can still be seen as a turtle. They are methodical and deliberate in what
they do. The north is still a strong point, and the south is still a weak point as we see now with
the concerns of Taiwan. I think the Japanese carp finally made it up the river and turned into a
dragon as Japan is now a strong ally to the United States and considered a decision maker on a
global scale.
References
Ritchie, Robert F IV. “Week 1 China Supplementary Reading.” Paper presented for the course
HIWD 375 Korean and Vietnam Wars, Lynchburg, VA, January 2012.
5 “Japan’s Quest for Power and World War II in Asia: Asia for Educators: Columbia University.”
5
Naval History and Heritage Command. “New Equation: Chinese Intervention into the Korean
War.” Accessed May 30, 2022. https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-
reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/n/new-equation.html.
Animals in Japanese folklore. “Carp and Kintarō: Perseverance and Strength.” Accessed May 30,
2022. https://www.nga.gov/features/life-of-animals-in-japanese-art.html.
Asia for Educators Columbia University. “Japan's Quest for Power and World War II in Asia:
Asia for Educators: Columbia University.” Accessed May 30, 2022.
http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/special/japan_1900_power.htm.
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