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Contacting others for research

Totoro

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I'm just going to put this one out in the open forum because I want to see what others experiences are.

In doing my research, I've come across quite a few profiles and sites across a variety of sites and services. Most if not all of them are dead in the water, meaning as far as i can tell, they haven't been updated in years.

I seem to have bad luck with doing my research in trying to find an actual live person (or website) to talk to.

Maybe it's my particular area, I guess, as opposed to something like the American Civil war which no doubt is an active topic.

Anyone have any tips and tricks in general about historical research?
 
Hello Totoro,


I think you're right that it all depends upon what the subject is. I think that is really the 'main issue' when it comes to doing any research. I would imagine that even something like Ancient Egypt would be a bit more 'fruitful' as well.


When it came to doing my research, I just started somewhere - and one thing led to another.


My situation tends to be rather peculiar because, when I started out there wasn't anyone involved with doing U-Boat living history - to my knowledge I was the first one (and I'm really not saying that to 'toot my own horn'). So, unlike with some subjects concerning WWII - I had to go through the purely academic route whereas some folks might be able to get in touch with a living history unit and go through there. There are both Allied and Axis units that focus on the history of their said unit so they would certainly be able to help anyone who felt they served in that unit, but they also might be able to at least give 'pointers' in a direction someone might be able to go if they can't help.


I would be able to help others as far as WWII stuff - not all the way, but at least help give them 'a lead' in a direction - simply because of having been involved with WWII living history.
 
Ask members


Hi Totoro,


Have you tried contacting a University that has classes specific to your area of interest? History and culture?


One of my best confirmations came when a member - taking a University class in African American history asked his professor what I wanted to know. The professor confirmed things for me (unknowingly) and gave information I never would have found or would have thought to ask.


Put your questions to membership. You might be surprised. But be specific for what you need to know. $$


Let's keep this thread specific to Totoro's needs for information regarding Chinese culture.
 
Also - try a rare book library, or personal diaries recorded on line or in manuscripts.. For me they were much more informative than anything I have found yet. ;)
 
It's really hard to put my finger on what I need or want. What I've found in English, is quite limited and very biased. I've found a few sources in Chinese online, but the translation comes through pretty terrible.


I think what I need is a native Chinese speaker / reader that would help me do research. I just want to find out in general more about my family really.


And then on the other hand, I've found my portrait online in people's flickr account as in like, hanging on their wall. I'm not now Chinese, but I want to find out what I mean to them or what they are interested in from their own and cultural perspective. But then the accounts haven't been used in 5-7 years.


My particular problem is so much of what's out there has been censored or altered by the communist party and then from what I've seen on history forums, most of the people (young ones I would gather) simply believe the gossipy, internet version.


So I'm having a particularly hard time finding anything that's in the middle. Although, I'm quite thankful for what I have found.


I do have a particular question.. if anyone is really into old music. I played piano before and I do now as well. When I was younger I took piano lessons for a while and one of the songs I played was "Cockles & Mussels", except that I played it with a bit of a swing, much to my teachers dismay. She practically insisted that I must have heard the song from my grandmother or something and that I was playing it wrong!


Does anyone know how famous or widespread that song was in the early 1900's? I had an English tutor who became my close friend and it's possible she taught me the song or she had access to the sheet music and it made it's way to me.


And on the musical thing, is anyone here familiar with Chinese folk music? I just got a new keyboard thingy that has sounds on it and I found something that sounded like a Chinese instrument. I started playing and my hands jumped to a pentatonic scale and I played a very Chinese sounding melody. I'll have to record it and post the audio..
 
Hi Totoro


My son and I received this prehistoric bone. We did not know what it was from. And what I did was look online for fossils and found a website where there were some e-mails for professional paleontologist. I e-mailed one of them and then had a few respond to pictures I had sent. Found out it is a lower back vertebra from a Woolly Mammoth.


So maybe you could do something like that. There is information out there. But asking the search engine the right way is the frustrating part. Even if they haven't been updated in years someone might answer an e-mail coming from the site. I found an active e-mail on a dead website and got other info. I hope you get the answers you are looking for soon.


And as suggested by Deborah - posting the questions you have here might be fruitful.
 
Nearly all of my emails have gone unanswered :grr: I've emailed professors of Qing amd Chinese history , authors, artists, photographers, you name it.


I wont give up hope though, and I agree, learning to massage the info out of a search engine is the tricky bit. Transposing a word or even just changing one makes a world of difference.
 
I have a friend that plays in a small band and loves looking up information like this. I will e-mail him and see if he finds anything for you. He plays jazz/blues and a mixture of music.


Get back with you on this when I get response. ;)
 
How about seeking out chinese people on facebook? Many of the people are very open and love to share, plus they check in often.


There may even be groups. I can help with the facebook search if you need, my teen is great with it.
 
This is what my friend e-mailed me back with...


I remember this song being sung when I was a kid. I don't remember who sang it but it was very popular for awhile.


It originated in Dublin, Ireland back in the 1800's. It was about a woman who worked as a fish monger during the day and a prostitute at night. The name of the song was changed to "Molly Malone" which is what I knew it by.


Hope this helps :thumbsup:
 
it does thanks :D if it was the pop music of the day, there's no doubt that I heard about it from my friend.


The way I played it was more in line with the "ditty" versions I've heard online that were sung by Irish folk musicians. The one they teach in piano classes is a staccato um, bastardization of it. Most of the songs they use are and they have no life to them which is why i dreaded lessons. They were so boring..
 
I can help you some. I am chinese, speak chinese but do not really read or write.


You should watch the movie "1911" - jackie chan plays a historical role in which he aided Dr Sun Yat Sun in overthrowing the Qing dynasty . This movie is based on historical facts and how many Chinese sacrificed their lives in trying to overthrow the corrupted Qing dynasty. In the end, Dr Sun Yan Sun is victorious and basically ended the opium war . But also the beginning of the cultural revolution decades later. This movie was made in China therefore approved by the government. So.....


Technically, the movie "the last emperor" takes place after the "1911" movie on the time line of Puyi's life. I know "the last emperor" portrayed many facts of his life. I know he didn't have a great life as the "last emperor" of China and in the end, he retires to a very simple life as a gardener.
 
eh yea..........


hence my earlier comments. I'll watch it anyway.. :laugh: I'm waiting for it to be released here.. oh wait it's already out I guess? I'll probably get it on DVD. I don't have much time for the theater these days.


I've read though that after all the warlord in fighting and then later the communists, most of the average Chinese actually wanted a return to the Qing. It's easy though to get nostalgic for stability in hindsight though, no matter how undesirable the reality is. Many people in Russia felt the same way after the fall of Communism there.


If you wouldn't mind helping me and if you know, can you tell me what the common perception in modern Chinese cultural is about Puyi, his wife and his family and such?


As I said earlier, I'm curious to know what people think, on average. The events were well over 100 years ago and the opinions vary wildly.


I can't describe how odd it is to see your picture hanging in someone's house and I just want to understand these people what they think. I mean, i'm just a person, but what do they see? You know?
 
I took another chance today, I emailed Isabel Ingram's (my tutor and best friend's) grandson today on Flickr about her diary. He's pretty active online and made some of her official documents public. So we'll see what happens :thumbsup:
 
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