CHAPTER 1 A Trip to a Faraway Place Winter in Wancao Valley Recollection of Past Visits A Trip to Australia with Blue Sky and Red Soil Cultural Inscription Guizhou Inscription Come Back to See Tianjin from Far Away CHAPTER 2 Broad Swords Rattling in the Box of My Study Room See the Taoist Tradition from the Perspective of SARS Do Not Let the Long Holiday Age the Autumn Thank you， Xiaoping— Some Thoughts on the Entrance Examination Comparison of the Western Regions of China and America Sounds and Colors of Spring Festival and Christmas The Terracotta Warriors and the Statue of Liberty Mobile Phone Culture and Car Culture Dangerous Anti-traditional Tide What Is an Advanced Culture Eliminate the “Cultural Exchange Deficit” between China and America The Disappearance of Cross-cultural Masters in the Process of Globalization CHAPTER 3 Idle Talk about Patriotism Bridge between Chinese and Western Cultures— Interview with Qiguang Zhao The Master Has Died— Interview with Qiguang Zhao Qiguang Zhao: Telling Westerners about the Real China
Sample Pages Preview
Dangerous Anti-traditional Tide This article was written in 1988.Although living abroad,I could still see that the anti-traditional tide was getting very strong in China.This was best represented by the TV play the Tragedy of the Yellow River.Before the publication of this article, the domestic situation changed.The TV play was subjected to public criticism.Therefore, I thought I should not add to the trouble at that time.This article was never published before now.Maybe,l hope I can talk about related cultural issues in the future.Time flies, and 20 years have passed. When I wrote this article, no criticism of the Tragedy of the Yellow River had been offered either at home or abroad.This article was my reflection on some cultural hot topics aroused by the Tragedy of the Yellow River After reading through some old works and reviewing the prevailing tides of domestic and foreign ideas for a few dozen years,l suddenly came up with a short verse: A new country does not necessarily exclude ancient cultures, A wise person should cherish the past. I just feel confused about the debates of intellectuals,A light boat has passed thousands of mountains. The specter of anti-traditionalism was hovering in China.In recent years, the specter has grown into a surging tide.On the one hand, there are a group of scholars who.advocate "washing traditional Chinese culture in a sea of Western culture."'Ihis is the sound tide.On the other hand, at an early stage, those who succeed in the primitive accumulation of wealth come to dispise the sciences, arts and education.This is the soundless tide.Under the impact of these two tides, Chinese tradition is thrown into crisis again.In case of changes to production relations,the superstructure will always be without order.The impact of commerce upon culture is a common problem encountered by many developing and developed countries.However,intellectuals bear a responsibility to protect the culture. rlheir social status is closely linked with tradition, so the sound tide should not cheer when the soundless tide bumps against the traditional edifice.What,s more important is that many people cannot distinguish negative and positive elements when they criticize tradition, but rather mix everything together.Some people want to make us believe that now is a critical time for China to choose between the modern and the traditional.In addition, various real life problems also make the speechless tradition become a target of public attack again.The tradition becomes the scapegoat for a variety of undesirable phenomena.
