'Amnesia of war spells disaster; war-mongering spells doom': A call for historical awareness

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning reacts during a regular press conference in Beijing, China, Nov. 18, 2025. [Photo/fmprc.gov.cn]

In Chinese diplomacy, certain concise expressions often carry profound historical significance and do not always find an immediate English equivalent. One example occurred on Nov. 18, when Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning responded to a question concerning Japan's reported plan of reinstating old Japanese military ranks. In cautioning against the revival of militarism, Mao delivered a line that quickly made headlines: "忘战必危、好战必亡." The ministry rendered it into English as: "Amnesia of war spells disaster; war-mongering spells doom."

At first glance, the English version reads as symmetrical and forceful. Yet understanding why this translation works, and what deeper meaning the expression carries, requires a closer look at the cultural and historical context embedded in the original Chinese.

The expression originates from the ancient Chinese military classic "Sima Fa," or "The Methods of the Sima," which was developed in the State of Qi during the 4th century B.C., in the mid-Warring States period (475-221 B.C.). The parallelism of "forgetting war" and "loving war" is followed by paired consequences of "danger" and "fatality." Such language frequently appears in traditional Chinese classics, and is often quoted in diplomatic contexts nowadays to connect history with present policy discourse.

Translating such lines is never a matter of simple equivalence. In Chinese political discourse, 忘战 refers to ignoring that war may one day come to oneself and failing to make the necessary preparations. Similarly, 好战 is not merely "being aggressive," but a willingness to provoke external conflict or war in pursuit of one's own interests, with little regard for moral or legal constraints. The consequences, 必危 and 必亡 implies that forgetting history brings about risks, while being aggressive with ill intention leads to destruction.

Building on this, the English translation, "Amnesia of war spells disaster; war-mongering spells doom," captures much of the classic's parallelism and moral significance. "Amnesia of war" reflects the notion of selective forgetting and deliberate erasure, which, in this specific context, refers to Japan's wartime history. "War-mongering" conveys the condemnation of militarism. The symmetry of "spells disaster" and "spells doom" preserves the seriousness of the original Chinese.

Nevertheless, the expression is not all about a geopolitical warning as most English-speaking audiences may perceive. It is rather rooted in the specific history of Japanese militarism in World War II. Mao Ning's full statement makes this explicit. Eighty years ago, the war of aggression waged by Japanese militarism inflicted profound suffering on Asia and the world, Mao said, adding that lessons from history must not be forgotten, distorted or even erased. "Eighty years on, militarism must never be revived in Japan, the post-WWII international order must never be challenged, and world peace and stability must never be ruined again." In this sense, the expression functions not as a threat but as a reminder that peace is first and foremost safeguarded by historical integrity.

In a time when brief diplomatic lines can be taken out of context in media narratives, careful translation becomes indispensable. Through precise translation, the Foreign Ministry ensures that the message China seeks to convey reaches the world as intended: a call for historical awareness and a reaffirmation of peace.