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China's recent "cultural fever" -- what aspects of the classic Chinese culture does it seek to revive? Wu Yilong, one of China's most famous political dissidents, tackles various problems he has found in the ways "Chinese culture" has been perceived throughout the Chinese history. In Studies on Issues of Chinese Culture, he first argues "culture" as a concept should always focus on people, that it should focus on freedom and egalitarianism while promoting tolerance, creativity and sustainability. He then analyzes the similarities and differences between Chinese culture and its Western counterparts, and explores issues such as the disruption, colonization, protection and revival of culture. Finally, he investigates a series of issues of Chinese culture from economic, political, intellectual, behavioral, perspectives, individual, academic and social perspectives.
In Wu's view, one has to cultivate and strengthen one's culture for the pursuit of a better life, not just purely in the name of culture itself. As he points out in Studies of Issues of Chinese Culture, not all the things created by the Chinese are good, but neither are them all bad. "While we do not carelessly abandon our riches, we shouldn't pretend our own ulcers as blossoms, either." |