The Past and Present of Guangdong

Author: Chen Zhaohua, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-01-01
Features: A humanistic perspective in urban geography, achieved through describing the relationship between urban natural landscapes and human activities, as well as the connection between spatiotemporal changes and local conceptual systems, to gain a deeper understanding of the theme "City and People." The recently published book The Past and Present of Guangdong by Huacheng Publishing House provides readers with extensive descriptions of Guangdong's landscapes. Under the seemingly detached label of "natural science," although we attempt to maintain an "objectivist" attitude, in practice, we have consistently conveyed a "subjectivist" sentiment through columns like "Reviving Souls" and "Glossary of Figures." The abundance of and images on the page is not merely to describe the spatiotemporal changes of modern and contemporary Lingnan history but also to attempt to influence the public's attitude toward Guangdong's culture.
The pragmatic perspective in urban geography, on the other hand, seeks to transform a city's history into isolated, exploitable tourist "attractions." Its ultimate goal is to inflate the city's superficial prestige and increase financial revenue. As tourists wander from one historical site to another, lost in a maze filled with the scent of historical rust, we attempt to find something deeply connected to the contemporary soul within the gaps of these historical landscapes. What we crave is not a cold, factual historical topographic map, but the elusive spirit of wisdom lingering over the city's historical ruins.
Narrating Guangdong's cultural landscape cannot be separated from Guangzhou. It is a city with over two thousand years of history. On the bricks of its ancient walls, deep within the ruins of history, lie the wisdom and spirit of generations of its citizens. In the first half of the 20th century, Guangzhou gave birth to countless "killers" of traditional culture, contributing a series of brilliant names to modern Chinese cultural history. These names rewrote the course of a nation's history. Using the most popular term today, Guangdong in the early 20th century was truly a "cultural powerhouse." Its most typical manifestation was not urban architecture or the cultural industry but the galaxy of outstanding figures it produced (Sun Yat-sen, Kang Youwei, Liang Qichao, Pan Damwei, Zhang Jingsheng, and so on). Whether they were born and died in this city or merely held temporary residence permits, they all shared an inseparable spiritual bond with it. Was it the city that shaped them, or did they shape the city? How to break free from the entanglement of documents and seek a more authentic urban spirit is an urgent issue for regional cultural studies.
At a time when "building a cultural powerhouse" has become a buzzword from officialdom to the public, raising these questions becomes particularly important. We firmly believe that Guangdong's cultural spirit needs to be retold. The purpose of this retelling is not to remain at the level of "reciting familiar stories" or to foster regional cultural narcissism, but to awaken a sense of self-awareness in urban culture. The so-called "commoner spirit," "pragmatism," and even the narrow understanding of "Lingnan culture" must all be reexamined here. For example, the Guangzhou "native" Pan Damwei embodies another aspect of the city's spirit. He was both a brave revolutionary and a pioneering avant-garde artist; a social philanthropist and a monastic who had transcended worldly desires. With his talent, he could have achieved great things (whether in social politics or cultural arts), but he chose to shun fame and fortune and cut ties with the world. The strong worldly concern and transcendent religious sentiment, the grand social ideals and the delicate artistic sensibilities—how could they be so seamlessly combined in one person, reflecting the long-lost essence of Lingnan culture.
If The Past and Present of Guangdong is a stage, then the "heroes" about to appear are the actors we have cast for it. The theme of the performance is both historical and contemporary. Perhaps our retelling is intertwined with a certain aesthetic imagination, but this is merely to find a way for the truth of the heart to approach the truth of history. However, publications are after all just media for mass communication, and what can be staged is only a short play on the streets. We hope it can attract more attention and allow us to move from being a humble "spectator" to becoming an "actor" on the stage of cultural construction.
The book The Past and Present of Guangdong is a rare publication of cultural heritage in our province, with a fresh perspective, broad themes, detailed historical records, vivid narration, and high readability. It is a "delicious feast" for readers to understand Guangdong and interpret Lingnan culture. The book is accompanied by numerous precious historical photographs, making it highly valuable for appreciation and collection.