"In the way of others, they will also govern their bodies. In the midst of the great earthquake in Turkey, the compassion of the Japanese people crossed thousands of mountains and rivers, and they donated a large number of paper cranes in the hope of conveying their condolences and blessings to the Turkish people in this way. However, when Japan itself was hit by the earthquake, the thousand paper cranes became the last thing they needed to donate items, which was a transnational misunderstanding and a deep reflection on the culture of donation.
The paper crane, an object that symbolizes blessings and condolences in Japanese culture, is regarded as spiritual sustenance by the Japanese people, who believe that it can take away disasters and bring hope. However, when the earthquake struck Japan, the Japanese media made a list of "the most unwanted donated items in the disaster area", and it was very surprising that the thousand paper cranes came out on top.
The supplies needed in the disaster areas in Japan are tea bags and food, not paper cranes. Because in the face of disasters, people need more practical assistance than spiritual comfort. This change in concept has fundamentally changed the Japanese people's perception of the thousand paper cranes.
However, this shift in perception has not been understood by other countries. In the aftermath of the earthquake in Japan, many countries, including Turkey, donated a large number of paper cranes to Japan as a way to express their sympathy and support for the Japanese people. However, these paper cranes were ruthlessly rejected by Japan, which is undoubtedly a deep misunderstanding.
This misunderstanding was not only confusing for the Turkish people, but also embarrassing for the Japanese people. They did not expect that the thousand paper cranes that they once regarded as blessings would become a burden to the disaster area. Under these circumstances, the Japanese people began to reflect on their own culture of donation and began to re-examine the meaning of the thousand paper cranes.
In this process of reflection, the Japanese people realized that although the thousand paper cranes symbolize blessings, in the face of disaster, it does not solve anything. On the contrary, it diverts resources from the affected areas and hinders relief efforts. Therefore, they decided to refuse the paper crane in favor of more practical materials.
This cross-border misunderstanding has made the Japanese people rediscover the essence of the donation culture. In the face of disaster, people need more practical assistance than spiritual comfort. At the same time, this misunderstanding also made the Japanese people realize that they need to better convey their culture to the world and let the world understand them better.
Overall, this cross-border misunderstanding not only reveals the cultural differences in the face of disaster, but also makes people re-examine the essence of donation culture. In the process, the Japanese people learned from their mistakes and rediscovered the importance of practical assistance. For other countries, they have also learned how to better understand and support Xi people in the affected areas.
