Classical poems carry ‘genes of Chinese civilization’
Author :  Zhang Jie Source : Chinese Social Sciences Today 2014-09-26
Ye Jiaying,winner of the first Chinese Poetry Lifetime Achievement Award granted by the Chinese Poetry Society.
Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed his objection to the practice in some provinces of removing classical Chinese poems from textbooks during a visit to Beijing Normal University on September 9, the eve of Teachers’ Day. He emphasized that these classics should be memorized by students because they are rich with the “genes of Chinese civilization.”
Xi’s speech reflects strong public sentiment, but how should we value classical poems in keeping alive traditional culture? What should we do to embed “cultural genes” in students’ minds? And what role should scholars play in the mission of popularizing classical poems?
Morality and wisdom
Nowadays, many people are reluctant to study classical poems amid the belief they are antiquated. But Cheng Jie, a professor at Nanjing Normal University, said such a view is misguided, arguing classical poems contain both natural scientific knowledge and spiritual inspiration.
Their tone advocates harmony between nature and man, helping readers solve problems by coordinating relations within society and between man and nature.
“Chinese poems have powerful functions. They have become a cultural pattern lodging themselves in people’s minds,” said Mo Lifeng, a professor at Nanjing University. Classical poems are frequently employed to commemorate noble deeds of those who were dedicated to lofty ideals, said Mo.
Classical poems also influence people by fostering their aesthetic feelings, shaping their artistic tastes and cultivating their temperament, he added.
Poetry for education purposes
It was reported in August that eight classical poems had been deleted from elementary textbooks in Shanghai, but this wasn’t the first time such controversy had been stoked. Zhang Haiou, a professor at Sun Yat-sen University, said the phenomenon of “de-Sinification” in colleges and universities has been increasing in recent years.
Courses in Chinese literary history have been cut and others in traditional poem writing have been rendered to elective courses only, said Zhang.
Scholars say that on one hand it can be attributed to the fact that people nowadays generally value more economic ability than literary and humanistic accomplishment, while on the other hand it shows people consider poems only for recreation and neglect their educational value.
Classical poems manifest the basic sprits and core characteristics of Chinese civilization in a vivid and specific pattern. However, their values have not been fully realized, especially their conducive role in boosting cultural and ideological progress in modern society. Research should be carried out into how people can achieve enlightenment from classical poems.
Inheritance of classical poems
Academic research and classical poem inheritance are closely related to each other. The more academic achievements there are in the field, the higher the starting point of inheriting and popularizing classic poems, according to scholars. As many materials on the market for appreciating poems are beyond most people’s cognitive level, scholars and experts should conduct more research into extracting the connotation and charm of poems and offer more reader-friendly books directing people to appreciate classic poems.
In recent years, many scholars have integrated academic knowledge with personal interest and experience to deliver a series of speeches to the public. In colleges and universities, scholars are also exerting their efforts to promote classical poetry education.
The Chinese version appeared in Chinese Social Sciences Today, No. 646, September 15, 2014.
The Chinese link: http://englishtest.cssn.cn/topstories/201409/t20140916_1329344.shtml
Translated by Du Mei
Revised by Tom Fearon
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