There is a saying among the people now: If you want to learn about the culture of the Tang Dynasty, you can go to Japan; if you want to learn about the culture of the Song Dynasty, you can go to South Korea; if you want to learn about the culture of the Yuan Dynasty, you can go to Mongolia; if you want to learn about the culture of the Ming Dynasty, you can go to Myanmar; if you want to learn about the culture of the Qing Dynasty, you can go to Hong Kong; if you want to learn about the culture of the Republic of China, you can go to Taiwan.
This means that the essence of Tang Dynasty culture was inherited by Japan, the essence of Song Dynasty culture was inherited by South Korea, and the essence of the Republic of China culture was inherited by Taiwan.
So, what did the Chinese people inherit
When it comes to foreign cultures, we should take the essence and discard the dross. However, when it comes to our own cultural heritage, some Chinese people do the opposite, taking the dross and discarding the essence.
It is precisely because some people forget their roots that the Chinese people are often despised and ridiculed by foreigners.
Fujino Saburo is an expert in the field of Chinese culture, so he naturally agrees with this statement. Therefore, he raised this question to Fang Yan in front of everyone, intending to embarrass Fang Yan.
You teach Chinese, or you could say Chinese studies. Your poems are so beautiful and your knowledge is so rich, so why are there such words circulating
Isn't it a great irony that the cultural essence of China can only be appreciated by traveling to other countries
"I've heard this saying too." Fang Yan said frankly. It's useless to deny some things blindly, which only shows that the person is shallow and stupid. "Since Mr. Fujino is a researcher of Chinese culture, he must have heard this saying: Where there is a well, there are Liu's poems."
"Yes, I know where this sentence comes from." Fujino Saburo smiled and nodded, saying, "This is to describe the widespread spread of the works of a Chinese poet named Liu Sanbian. Wherever there is a well, you can hear Liu's poems being sung. It must be said that the ancient Chinese culture is indeed profound and makes people yearn for it."
There was something else behind Fujino Saburo's words. He only said that the ancient Chinese culture was profound and extensive, which made people yearn for it. However, what kind of culture does China have today that is worthy of people's admiration
Fang Yan naturally understood the deep meaning behind his words, smiled, and then said: "Mr. Fujino, you have heard of the saying 'Where there is a well, there is Liu's poem', do you know there is another sentence behind this sentence?"
Fujino Saburo knew that Fang Yan would definitely refute his point of view, but Fang Yan did not make his point clear, so he could only shake his head and said, "I don't know for now."
"Chinese civilization can be found wherever there are human beings. The culture of the Tang Dynasty is in the East, and the culture of the Ming Dynasty is in South Korea. This just shows that Chinese culture is well developed and passed down, and the whole world is learning and recognizing it. Chinese culture belongs to the country and the world. This is the pride and honor of us Chinese people."
"Really?" Fujino didn't expect Fang Yan to be so shameless in misinterpreting his attacking argument. He was secretly angry and said, "As far as I know, the understanding of this sentence is completely opposite to Teacher Fang Yan's explanation. As a researcher and cultural inheritor and disseminator, we should be modest and cautious and seek truth from facts."
Fujino Saburo looked around the room and said, "Teacher Fang Yan, lying in front of your students is not a good habit. You are a teacher, and if you lie, your students will be negatively influenced. Not only me, but all of us know that the real meaning of that sentence is that we feel sorry for the Chinese people for not being able to protect and pass on their excellent culture."
"Yes, Teacher Fang Yan just said something very good. It belongs to the country and the world. We admire Chinese culture, you discard the dregs, and we are willing to preserve it intact. It will be passed down from generation to generation, honing our muscles, enriching our knowledge, and improving the personal qualities of the entire nation."
Fujino Saburo looked at Fang Yan with a smile, and at the same time at the many Suzaku students present, and said: "An old gentleman in China once said that people today do not like to be corrected when they have faults. If they hide their illness and avoid seeing a doctor, they would rather die than learn. Why should they hide their illness and avoid seeing a doctor? Frankly admit their shortcomings, correct them when they can still be saved, and work hard from this moment on - isn't this a better way to solve the problem?"
"It's not that we don't want to admit it. We just can't admit it." Fang Yan said with a smile. "Mr. Fujino Saburo keeps accusing us and telling us that what you said is the truth - but is the situation really as Mr. Fujino Saburo said? I have doubts, and my students also have doubts."
"Why do some people think that the essence of Tang Dynasty culture was inherited by the East, and the essence of Song Dynasty culture was inherited by South Korea?" Fang Yan said with a gentle expression and a calm voice, with a faint smile on his face: "Since Fujino Saburo is an expert on China, he must have heard of such a fairy tale, right?"
"In an abandoned well, there lived a frog. One day, the frog met a giant turtle from the East China Sea by the well. The frog boasted to the turtle proudly, "Look, how comfortable I am living here. If I feel like it, I will jump and play in the well, and when I am tired, I will rest in the stone caves on the well wall. Sometimes I will soak my body comfortably in the water, and sometimes I will happily take a walk in the mud. Look at the little insects, crabs and tadpoles around, who can compare with me? I occupy this abandoned well all by myself, so free and unfettered. Sir, why don't you go down to the well to have a look and have some fun?"
The turtle was not impressed by the frog's invitation and said, "Have you seen the sea? The sea is vast, more than a thousand miles, and the sea is deep, more than a thousand feet. Well water can dry up, but the sea never has an end. I would rather live in the sea, because there is the real world. How can you know the vastness of the world if you sit in the well all day long?"
After Fang Yan finished telling his fairy tale, the classroom became noisy.
The students of Class 9 were naturally excited and delighted. They were very unhappy when they heard Fujino Saburo attacking the inheritance of Chinese culture. However, they could not stand up and oppose it. Because the Wu Ren delegation was a guest from afar, if they were too excited, the school might punish them.
However, Fang Yan was not afraid of the school's punishment, nor did he ignore the fact that the leaders and teachers of Suzaku Middle School were right in front of him. He said what he should say and fought for what he should fight for. He was not cowardly, did not evade, had opinions and stories, and his sharp words made people feel comfortable.
Who would be willing to put their face close to someone who is slapped in the face in their own territory
"Teacher Fang is really supportive-----"
"Teacher Fang tells a great story, it's so exciting-----"
"That is, how can a frog in a well know the vastness of the ocean?"
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Unlike the students' performance, the leading teachers of Suzaku Middle School looked a little unfriendly.
Jia Siting, the head of the first-grade Chinese language group, whispered to the teacher beside him: "You don't know how to behave. How can you talk to guests like this? I'm afraid things will get worse."
"That's right. If the guests get angry and cancel the friendly school with our Suzaku Middle School, it will be a huge embarrassment."
"Principal Lu, you have to stand up and say something------"
Lu Chaoge sat next to Matsushima Ji, expressionless and silent.
If the reaction of the students of Suzaku Junior High School was joy and the reaction of the Suzaku teachers was panic, then the reaction of the Takehito delegation was anger.
Those who were familiar with Chinese culture or could understand Chinese had already turned gloomy when Fang Yan was telling the story.
This is a story of sitting in a well and looking at the sky. In Fang Yan's mouth, they became the frog sitting in the well leisurely. How could they be willing to accept such a verbal attack
After listening to the translator's explanation, some members of the delegation who did not speak Chinese looked at Fang Yan with hostility. This was a shame and an insult.
Fujino Saburo looked extremely embarrassed and said, "This is a very unfriendly behavior. If Suzaku Middle School cannot give us an explanation, we will immediately end our inspection trip and sever all school cooperation with Suzaku Middle School. In addition, we will ask for justice from China through the Japanese Embassy."
The classroom was noisy and bustling, clearly divided into three opposing emotions.
When Fang Yan told this story, he already knew the reactions of all parties.
He waved his hands with a smile and said, "Don't get excited, Mr. Fujino. I just told you a fairy tale. I didn't say you were the frogs at the bottom of the well. Please don't make such unnecessary associations. If you insist on putting yourself in this role, it will affect the friendship between the two schools."
"So who is the frog in the well?" Fujino Saburo said in an evil voice. I thought, if you care about the friendship between the two schools, you won't tell such an insulting fairy tale.
"The frog at the bottom of the well is the frog at the bottom of the well." Fang Yan answered seriously. "Why does Mr. Fujino insist on pursuing this boring question? What we should focus on is who is the abandoned well and who is the sea."
"Then please tell me - who is the abandoned well and who is the sea?"
"Chinese culture is naturally the ocean." Fang Yan said.
"-------" Fujino Saburo felt a tightness in his chest and felt like he was about to faint. Chinese culture is the ocean, and the East is a waste well. The East is a waste well-----isn't it still the frog sitting in the well and looking at the sky? Going around in circles just to insult them again
"Whether it's Japan, South Korea, or some other civilized countries, the culture they inherited is just a tributary of the ocean." Fang Yan said. "Without the accumulation of small streams, there is no river or sea. The reason why the river and the sea can be called a river and the sea is because it has many tributaries and a vast water area. Mr. Fujino will not object to my saying this, right?"
"Is that really the case?" Fujino Saburo said with a face full of sarcasm. "Dodging and hiding can only prove that you are guilty. If a tributary is wider and broader than the ocean, then is the tributary still a tributary? Is the ocean still the ocean? You can be complacent and ignore such questions. But you can't stop the gossips and the eyes of the world."
Fang Yan also laughed and said, "Then, how do you prove that the tributaries are broader and more extensive than the ocean?"
"We'll know after a comparison," said Fujino Saburo with a sneer. (To be continued)