Zheng Peikai: The perspective of culture is related to happiness, happiness, and significance. It is impossible to measure with material, and it is difficult to "advance in progress" to evaluate.(Photo by special Wu Shuyong)
Visiting Professor Zheng Peikai is too much and too wide.He was invited by Singapore National University, Yunmao Chao China Cultural Research Center, and the China Cultural Center of Singapore to keep the new main lecture on the retain of the intangible cultural heritage.Scholars of well -known schools are also people of Chinese culture history, Ming and Qing culture, Chinese aesthetic culture, and classic translation.
In 1998, Professor Zheng Peikai founded the Chinese Cultural Center at the City University of Hong Kong and was the director of the Center. So far, he has the ancestor of Tang Xianzhu: Dream of Life and Culture Seeking in Arts: Cross -cultural Foods Watching Movies in New York: Movies and Chinese Culture Change Tea WineLater, Jin Ping Mei Ceramics and other books under Western series.Opera, movies, food, tea art, literature, ceramics, calligraphy and painting hellip; hellip; Professor Zheng is like a girl in the long river of Chinese history and culture in China.He recently accepted an exclusive interview with Lianhe Morning Post to talk about the current situation and future of East and Western culture in the 21st century.
Speaking of the establishment of the Chinese Cultural Center at the City University of Hong Kong in 1998, Professor Zheng Peikai talked about Zhang Xingang, then the then principal of the city, and a communication experience with college students.
Zhang Xingang was born in science and love culture.He met with the student representative and asked them if they liked ancient poems, which one do you like?The first one said quiet night thought, and the next 20 students only understood the quiet night thinking.He was shocked and found that the Chinese cultural foundation of young people in Hong Kong was poor, so he decided to set up a Chinese cultural center to turn Chinese cultural courses into a compulsory course of university.
Zheng Peikai believes that the Chinese culture of young people in Hong Kong is not good, which is related to the education system.During the British colonial period, Chinese history is considered to affect Britain's power in Hong Kong, and thus trying to avoid professors in middle schools.Although Chinese history was independent in middle school in 1965, it is generally believed that it is not valued. In 2000, it was canceled in a compulsory subject.
Zheng Peikai said that students were already in a hurry, and they could not immediately see the discipline that was used immediately.The consequences are that you have no cultural cohesion and society collapses.After more than 10 years, it really happened.The reason behind Hong Kong's political conflict is a complete gap in historical culture.
Without cultural feelings, choice can only be politics; political choices often look at it; you can't see anything else, not long -term.
It's a hollow person
Looking at the great history, Zheng Peikai said that over the past 150 years, the major problem of Chinese people was to lose the traditional moral outlook and value system in the process of attempting to modernize.
The change is not all lost.You are Chinese, not only the recognition of politics or national level, but feelings for culture.If you want to be a world citizen, you don't embrace the world.The most troublesome thing is that Hong Kong youth does not know about Western cultural traditions!
It is difficult to say that it is a hollow man, which is the same as American writer T.S. Eliot.When people are empty, the only thing that can fill is money and material desire.
Do not talk about social ambitions, talk about a person's sense of happiness and fullness; every stage of life will have challenges and choices, you need cultural literacy to face.
China ’s stable structure in 2000 has been broken
In comparison of East and Western culture, Zheng Peikai said that since the Renaissance, the West has developed rapidly in three or four hundred years, and it is also very clear. When China experienced the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the trend was open and the development was equally amazing.
The Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods laid the basically stable structure in China in 2000.In human history, it is basically stable in 2000, and this framework is not easy.
Because it is too stable, there is a later revolution.
China's 150 years of changes are fierce, and the changes are unclear.When we talk about the West, we are talking about a result of three or four hundred years of changes.The Chinese have to recognize this.
Everyone's historical task is to work hard to look forward; to understand the past, know the present, look forward to the future.There are many things that Chinese can do in this situation, don't just put their brains politically.
We often get involved in political struggles. We must stand side by side, stand, and strike differently from us. This is the case since May 4th.Entering the struggle, you can't calm down to look at the development of history and see the changes in the world.
Zheng Peikai believes that the Chinese who care about culture today are actually a mixture of culture.This reveals the trend of historical development and re -defines the identity of modern Chinese.
Thinking about the issue of Chinese culture, Zheng Peikai believes that there must be historical sympathy.Where are you like ancient Chinese, our thinking is basically the West.
If you don't understand traditional Chinese culture, it is easy to produce outdated and unrealistic.It was not unrealistic, it was practical in that historical environment, but now it is not practical.This is a question of historical concept.In the future, people will feel that our thinking is outdated.So people who study history will say lsquo; sympathy of historical rsquo; (Historial Empathy).Humans live in the living environment, not in literature, not abstract.
In addition, be patient.
China's cultural structure in 2000 has been broken.It's clear, it was broken.After the long -term religious, value system, and cultural beliefs of culture have been dispersed, they must be re -combined in the long run; no one knows how to combine it.Because the formation of cultural knowledge structure is not something that can be instructed.
The situation faced by the Chinese people was close to the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods at the time.In the 500 years of the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, we must be patient.After the revolution is fierce, there are no generations of cultivation, which is impossible (new structure).
Finally, there must be a spirit of knowing it.
Cultural people have to know that it is necessary
Based on historical experience, the strength of material power determines the ability of the country and individuals to survive.Zheng Peikai said that this reality is not satisfactory, but Utopia does not exist.
China's historical experience is that after being strong, we must take care of the spiritual realm of being small, respecting small countries, and reflecting human pursuit.As an overlord, the United States also expresses the values of democracy and respect for the world. Therefore, Trump's hooligan style will trigger domestic speculation and whether it will violate the spirit of the United States.
People who have expanded their desire for interests will think about a society that hinders long -term development and is worried about returning to a weak meat and strong food.
When it comes to the profit of Europe in the 19th century, Zheng Peikai said that even if Europe reflected today, it is impossible to spit out good things that swallow their belly.
I occupy a piece of land, and you told me to vomit my heartache!I participated in the rewriting of historical textbooks in New York State Middle School to deal with the aboriginal problems of the United States.In history, they were damaged and occupied by land.Do you want to spit it out?no way.
Reality involves too many interests.But we are teachers, how can we instill LSquo when educating children; what we grabbed from reality is your rsquo;.
I often say: we work hard.This world cannot be better.But we have to work hard to make this world worse.
Confucius: Knowing it.All cultural people have to do something. You know that it is impossible to reach your ideals, but you still have to do it.Because you will stop the worst situation.
However, do it on the basis of knowledge.Zheng Peikai said that every time college students say that they have the right to do this, he will say: You young people have no right to ignore.
Because ignorance not only hurts others, but also hurts themselves.When you are ignorant, you will make a stupid decision.Knowledge is extensive, not just professional knowledge, not just to narrowly find a job and earn a salary, you are also a member of the society.You are also important for life and people around the people.
Global spiritual value large shuffle
Zheng Peikai also reminded that the perspective of culture is related to happiness, happiness, and meaning. It is impossible to measure with material, and it is difficult to progress to assess.
He said that the progress of the Western spiritual realm will enter the self -questioning stage.
In the 19th century, the symbol of the statue of the American Liberty Statue was very clear, and the people from all over the country were welcome to come to this land.But now not only the United States, but Europe has also begun to question its thoughts.So what is the humanistic spirit?Is the spiritual realm began to be low?
The conflict brought by globalization has caused self -doubts of Western intellectuals.This strong critical questioning spirit originated from the historical process of overturning the regime in the 19th and 19th Century Revolution.Zheng Peikai believes that China has begun to have such a spirit now, but its development is much slower.
In this sense, in the 21st century, the global will face the re -positioning and discussion of many spiritual values.For young Chinese, you really need to understand the development of Chinese history and the great changes in modern times, and also understand the development and dilemma of the West in the past 300 years.
Zheng Peikai even believes that in the long run, China is in the status quo of different political systems and the distribution of Chinese society, which will help the exploration of cultural topics.
Now it is a good time for Chinese society to explore these topics.Chinese society is a different political system, and different values and ideas can be discussed.In the long run, this separation may not be bad, the 21st century will be a very interesting world!
The flow of social class should not have only one way
Professor Zheng Peikai is currently focusing on the study of Tao Yuanming, Su Dongpo, and Tang Xianzu.He said that after understanding some characters in Chinese history from Western thinking, the most respectful is these big writers.
Because they insisted, they were unwilling to follow the government with waves, but they were hit because they did not give them face.
Zheng Peikai told a story: Tang Xianzu was a drama writer and poet in the late Ming Dynasty. Prime Minister Zhang Juzheng asked him to go home, and he refused.I don't want to be your doorkeeper, and I don't want to become your group of people.This attitude paid a lot.The same is true of Su Dongpo.
In the 21st century, you have to talk about them. The great personality.However, most Confucians have entered the government.Because the interests are there.
He talked about a very interesting point that the biggest change in China is the change of imperial examinations.Chinese society is no longer imperial examination and officials, and can be rich and rich.Chinese society is changing.China, Hong Kong and Taiwan are gradually getting away from this way.
He said that the escalator that traditionally leads to success in Chinese society has only one way MDash; MDash; imperial examinations.This single successful way has created a strong sense of self -protection of the elite.
In the 20th century, China began to fall apart. Originally, Chinese businessmen were very rich, but there was no social status (taxi industry).Affected by the West, China gradually changed in the 21st century.This is still worrying for the politicians, and this conflict has always existed.
Zheng Peikai said that there are different, independent fields in the United States, and will not be directly affected by the regime.In this 100 -year development of China, changes are emerging, but where the degree of independence will go, we don't know.
History is not over, and humans will not end.When most people are discussing the prospects, they are limited to economy and politics; there are fewer people who discuss historical and cultural outlook, and there are fewer people with value reconstruction.But this needs to be discussed and educated.
Swift milk to save the whole family
Zheng Peikai, who was born in Rizhao, Mainland China, was born in Qingdao in 1948. It was not until he was studying in elementary school in Taiwan that he knew that the family had lost his life in the Taipinglun shipwreck incident.
Several relatives and family in the family went down.When you are upset, your mother will say: If it wasn't for you, there would be no trouble later.When you are happy, your mother will say: We are really lucky.
In 1949, Zheng Peikai's father went to Taiwan first. His mother took him 4 months old and finally bought the Taiping wheel ticket on January 27th.The day before decided to change the plane.
Due to overloading and not setting off the lamps, the Taiping wheel collided with a freighter on the way from Shanghai to Keelung, Taiwan. Both ships were sunk, and more than 900 people on the Taiping wheel were killed.
My friend laughed at me lsquo; vomiting to save the whole family rsquo;.Every time Zheng Peikai talked about, he still lamented the manipulation of fate.
Father and son did not meet for 20 years
There are big times in the Great Era.
Zheng Peikai's father was an official office in his early years. He worked as a chemical industry in Xi'an and was also responsible for the fisheries and aquatic products of Huanghai. After arriving in Taiwan, he hoped that his son would develop in the science and engineering science.poet.
At that time, he was in a rebellious adolescence. He applied for the Department of Foreign Language of Taiwan University and asked his father to make three chapters: I do n’t need a penny at home in college.In fact, Zheng Peikai's father wrote a good word and collected calligraphy and painting; his mother loved to take him to watch the Beijing opera, soaked in a strong cultural atmosphere from an early age.
In 1969, Zheng Peikai stayed in the United States and became the first doctoral student in Yale, the master of Sinology, and Yu Yingshi, the teacher of the dissertation.During his stay in the United States, the bloody Zheng Peikai participated in many political activities and went to the Japanese Embassy to demonstrate outside the Japanese Embassy. In 1976, he went to the mainland with his classmates in 1976.Can't return home for 20 years.
Zheng Peikai recalled at the time: Parents asked me to write from Bai Shu to come back.But I think nothing wrong, why do you apologize?Why write from Bai Shu?Haven't you taught us to be patriotic from a young age?
My parents think I am disobedient.This incident stimulated me a lot.There must be a choice in a person's life, and you have to pay the price; you have to have a control at this price.
My father did not like to travel.Father and son did not meet for 20 years.In 1990, after Professor Yu Yingshi dredged many times, Zheng Peikai returned to Taiwan and saw his father nearly 80 years old.
The old man is really interesting.He only said: Oh, I came back to Hello; hellip; (stop, contemplative) I think it is far -reaching.
