Know a little about Chinese literature (two volumes)

Author: Jiang Yun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-08-01
Features: A group of young scholars from the Department of History and the Department of Chinese Language and Literature 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 turned out that the title of each book in the series begins with "Know a Little," such as "Know a Little About Chinese History," "Know a Little About Chinese Culture," and "Know a Little About World Culture." The goal seems grand, yet the focus remains humble, reflecting the playful spirit of the young scholars. Chinese and foreign cultures are like a vast mountain range. We should not shrink away from their towering heights in panic, nor should we think we have mastered them after a brief glance. What we can do is to gaze up respectfully at the foot of the mountain and inquire eagerly at the trailhead. In short, it is about "knowing a little."
First, not knowing is regrettable. A mere five-foot body, without the cultural peaks as its backdrop, is merely a lifeless, oblivious, and mediocre existence. People communicate with the outside world at different levels through culture and prove who they are through it. Even those with limited education feel a sense of pride or shame about this. I remember last year when China Central Television hosted a national live-streamed talent competition for young artists. One of the competition's segments was a test of historical and literary knowledge, and 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 losing in artistic skills but were unable to tolerate their failure to answer the historical and literary questions. This shows that even today, many Chinese people still seek their personal and collective dignity through culture, which is quite good.
However, the immediate question is that we must also guard against people becoming overly immersed in historical and literary knowledge. Immersion may seem profound, but in reality, it is a disaster manufactured in the name of culture. Since the Ming and Qing dynasties, there have been famous figures in China who made a living by luring others into such immersion, which is highly unethical. Therefore, it is necessary to mark some clear paths among the cultural peaks and lay some buoys and cables in the vast sea of history, so that people can appreciate the beauty of mountains and rivers without becoming lost or overwhelmed. This approach, expressed in plain language, is to "know a little." "Knowing a little" does not mean lowering standards; rather, it means raising them. Just as the path-setters 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 knowledgeable, more experienced, and more humane, with a stronger sense of cultural responsibility. In this sense, I believe that the young scholars at Peking University have undertaken a valuable endeavor by compiling this "Know a Little" series.
Citizens of the new century cannot completely abandon the cultural and historical background created by humanity in the past, yet they must not let those creations obstruct today's creations. Therefore, there should be more path-setters and cable-layers. Only in this way can the magnificent historical and cultural heritage truly become the property of the new century.