Know a Little About Chinese Literature (Volume 1 and 2)

Author: Jiang Yun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-08-01
Features: In the new century, citizens cannot completely abandon the cultural and historical background created by humanity in the past, yet they cannot let the past creations block today's creations. Therefore, there should be more trail markers and cable-laying workers. Only in this way can the magnificent historical culture truly become the property of the new century.
A group of young scholars from the Department of History and Department of Chinese at Peking University compiled a series of "Know a Little" books and invited me to write the preface. I was curious about the name of the series. Upon inquiry, I understood their intention and decided to write. It turns out that each title in the series starts with "Know a Little," such as "Know a Little Chinese History," "Know a Little Chinese Culture," and "Know a Little World Culture." The starting point seems grand, but the focus is humble, showing the wit of the young scholars.
Chinese and foreign cultures are like a range of towering peaks. We should not be frightened by their height and hastily avoid them, nor should we think we have a full understanding after a brief glance. What we can do is to respectfully gaze up from the foot of the mountain and eagerly inquire at the trailhead. In short, it is: "Know a Little."
First, not knowing is a pity. A mere five-foot body, without the cultural peaks as its backdrop, is merely a physiologically unaware and mediocre existence. People communicate with the outside world at different levels through culture and prove who they are through culture. Even those with limited education have a sense of honor and shame about it.
I remember last year, China Central Television held a national live-streamed talent competition for young artists, including a history and literature quiz. The results were unexpected. Hundreds of millions of viewers paid far more attention to this part than to the main competition. The audiences from all provinces across the country were not concerned about their representatives' shortcomings in artistic skills but were unable to tolerate their failure to answer the history and literature questions.
This shows that even today, many Chinese people still seek their personal and collective dignity through culture, which is very good. However, the immediate question is that we must also guard against people's obsession with history and literature. Obsession may seem profound, but in reality, it is a disaster manufactured in the name of culture. Since the Ming and Qing dynasties, there has been a group of celebrities in China who made a living by luring others into obsession, which is highly immoral.
Therefore, it is necessary to mark some simple routes among the cultural peaks and lay some floating cables in the vast sea of history, so that people can appreciate the beauty of the mountains and rivers without becoming lost. This practice, expressed in a colloquial manner, is to "know a little." "Know a little" does not mean lowering standards but raising them. Just as the trail markers must know the mountain better than ordinary hikers and the cable-layers must be more familiar with the sea than ordinary swimmers, they must also be more humane and culturally responsible.
In this sense, I believe that the young scholars at Peking University have undertaken a valuable endeavor in compiling this series of "Know a Little" books. In the new century, citizens cannot completely abandon the cultural and historical background created by humanity in the past, yet they cannot let the past creations block today's creations. Therefore, there should be more trail markers and cable-layers. Only in this way can the magnificent historical culture truly become the property of the new century.