How Harmonious Public Opinion Is Constructed

The first half of 2005 witnessed a constant emergence of Sino-Japnese conflicts, which aroused increasing Chinese anger against Japan. The irraional hatred towards Japan became so strong that it posed a great threat to the stability and harmony of domestic social order. Under such circumstances, it is compulsory, on the one hand, to guard against Japanese militarism and criticize the defiance of the Japanese Right Wing, and on the other, to guide and control public opinion, and educate people to deal with history and reality in a rational way and to demonstrate their patriotism legally. Meanwhile, China needs to make clear its principle"to learn from history, and to look forward to the future"to the international community including Japan, and try to gain international opinion's support and favorable international environment. All these are trialing the wisdom and strategies of the Chinese government and media.This paper investigates reports by"People's Daily"during Sino-Japanese conflicts. Based on quantified analysis of the reports, it concludes that:1. By the treating of the sub-agendas setting in the reports of Japan , reports about Japan by"People's Daily"in the first half of 2005 successfully carried out a Rational Patriotism education movement , and endued patriotism in the new era with"lawful","rational"and"deal with concrete matters relating to work".2. The image of a nation relates to its international developing space,and affects not only its current interest but also its development in the future. But at present the comments from Western World about China are full of bias and unfair. The reports of"People's Daily"build up the image of a peaceful and responsible nation in the international society by Rational Patriotism education,meanwhere,The Chinese Government tries to encourage its people to form a rational,open,self-confident and magnanimous mentality.3. China is making great efforts to construct Socialist Harmonious Society whenSino-Japanese conflicts break out,and threaten the stability and the harmony of the society seriously. Reports of"People's Daily"successfully set an agenda of Rational Patriotism education,which on the one hand made the passion and the ultranationlism calm down,on the other hand,promoted the idea of Socialist Harnomious Society with the topic of"development","lawful"and"stability"in a big way.The agenda-setting of the media guides the people's thinking and behaviors into a rational and lawful orbit , and towards a goal of making progress for the country's development.