Second, "Hundred Sons Essay" is a cultural exchange platform for human beings to seek common ground while reserving differences and coexist harmoniously among diverse cultures.
A popular best-selling book in modern international society is called "The Clash of Civilizations", which was written by the famous American scholar Samuel Huntington in the early 1990s. This book believes that the essence of competition among modern countries is cultural competition. Culture is the element that constitutes national competitiveness, the most important social capital for economic development, the spiritual basis for participating in international cooperation and political alliances, and the key to governing the international political landscape. Basic strength. Future conflicts are likely to be conflicts between the West and non-Western countries. He particularly emphasized the threat of Confucian civilization and Islamic civilization to the West, especially the possibility of Confucian civilization and Islam joining forces.
It should be said that many of Professor Huntington’s views, especially his methodology for studying international politics, are academically unique. The views he expounded are an issue with significant potential impact that deserves attention in real international relations. Some of Professor Huntington’s views may have been adhered to by some modern so-called elite groups in Western countries, and are having a huge impact on our era. This is a fatal flaw in modern international culture, which is leading mankind into a dangerous abyss. It is likely to plunge the world into endless confrontations, conflicts and wars, and may even lead to catastrophe. How terrible is the danger of wrong knowledge and wrong views. It can deceive the rulers of big countries to take advantage of their countries, causing irreversible consequences. This is what the Western philosopher Plato predicted long ago in "The Republic".
Huntington’s opinion is a typical portrayal of the intellectuals of this era. Their vision is limited to the material world, and they know nothing about the spiritual world as Plato calls it. They only see the differences between civilizations. Without seeing the fundamental unity, this one-sided consciousness has led to wrong methodology, promoted irreconcilable contradictions between cultures, and made contradictory items the theme of human politics. Dr. Toynbee of England, the world's greatest historian of the 20th century, believed that scientific and technological progress is beneficial to material civilization, but it is detrimental to improving people's goodwill, conscience, and improving relationships between people. He is worried about the moral void created by technological civilization.
The traditional Chinese concept has always been that harmony is precious, gentlemen are harmonious but different, villains are the same but not harmonious, one is many, and many is one. Now the Catholic Pope in Rome has also instructed archbishops around the world to study seriously. How can the elites in Christian-based Western countries turn a deaf ear to these ideas of Confucianism and Buddhism?
So the mission of "Baizi Thesis" is very important, because the modern world situation is too severe. In the face of such mainstream cultures as the clash of civilizations, if there is no large public opinion group to point out correct, specific and wise opinions, it will be another tragedy in today's world. If we are indifferent to this, it can be said that the door to disaster in human society has been opened.
The "Hundred Sons Essay" will organize aspiring people to seriously study the origin and development of various cultures, understand and promote their harmonious and friendly nature, convene knowledgeable people from all over the world to discuss together, and summarize and release Real information requires people to realize that various human cultures are highly unified, succeed and complement each other, and resist the one-sided theory of clash of civilizations.
Third, the "Hundred Sons Essay" aims to cultivate true masters of human culture in the world.
A cultural phenomenon, no matter how lively its scene is and how big a sensation it has caused, if no outstanding figures emerge, it is destined to be low-level and will not go down in the history of mankind. Make deep marks.
Because history has always belonged to heroes. Times create heroes, and heroes create history. This is what Liu Yuxi of the Tang Dynasty said in his poem "The Inscription on the Humble Room": "If the mountain is not high, it will be famous if there are immortals; if the water is not deep, if there are dragons, it will be spiritual." Mr. Mei Yiqi, the former president of Tsinghua University, also believes that the so-called university does not mean that he has a building. It is said that there is a master.
In his speech when he took office as the president of Peking University, Cai Yuanpei clearly explained to the students: "Everyone who comes here to study must have a purpose. If you want to know whether the purpose is upright or not, you must know the nature of the university. Today's people are busy with their careers. In a technical school, it is inevitable that you will be able to work after learning, but this is not the case in a university. A great person is one who studies advanced knowledge."
So, what can be called profound knowledge, and who can be called a master?
A few days ago, Mr. Ji Xianlin, a leading figure in modern Chinese academic circles, announced his resignation from the title of Master of Chinese Studies, sparking discussion about the title of Master. A master, the most brilliant teacher, who is a teacher of others, and who behaves as a model for the world. There is nothing that he does not understand, there is not a thought that is not compassionate, and there is not a line that is not magnanimous. Mr. Ji understands this fixed standard, but of course he does not dare to accept it. If he accepts it, he will overstep it. , is to deceive the world and steal the reputation. I advise people to learn more knowledge and not to give others random hats and embarrass them when they want to praise others.
To be profound and profound, to unite knowledge and action, Confucianism calls it sage, Zen Buddhism calls it knowing one’s mind and nature, Christianity calls it “being with God”, Plato calls it metaphysics, this is what modern people call a master. Bar.
The famous former president of Peking University, Mr. Cai Yuanpei, inherited the spirit of Confucianism and Western Plato, divided the world into two parts: the phenomenal world and the physical world. He believed that the ultimate goal of education is not for happiness in this world, but for happiness in this world. To reach the physical world that "cannot be named", if "it has to be named", it "may be called Tao, or Tai Chi, or the consciousness of darkness, or the will of ignorance". No correct human education can deviate from this purpose, and deviation from it would be evil, just like modern Western education.
Mr. Cai put forward the concept of aesthetic education and believed that aesthetic education is the most important way to educate the world and is the bridge that people must pass from the phenomenal world to the physical world. The importance of aesthetic education stems from its characteristics. In Cai Yuanpei's view, the obstacles for people to move from the phenomenal world to the physical world are nothing more than two kinds of consciousness, one is the difference between people and myself, and the other is the pursuit of happiness. "There is a self, so there are various boundaries in the phenomenon, which are inconsistent with the reality. If there is a pursuit, it will be unsuccessful, which is the pain of selflessness. And it is a tunnel, an excessive need, following the phenomenon, And separated from the entity. "Therefore, in my opinion, the desire to seek is the key to moving from the phenomenal world to the substantial world, and the characteristic of aesthetic education lies precisely in this. He said that in the phenomenal world, everyone has it. Emotions of love and hate, fear, joy and anger, sadness and joy, but these emotions change with people's separation and separation, life and death, misfortunes, benefits and other phenomena, but aesthetic education enables people to "have no distracting thoughts except beauty." , when people enter this realm, they "have come into contact with the concept of the physical world." Mr. Cai later made the characteristic of aesthetic education more clear in his article "Replacing Religion with Aesthetic Education": "Pure aesthetic education cultivates our feelings, makes us have noble and pure habits, and makes people's self See, the selfish thoughts of benefiting oneself and harming others will gradually disappear. "It is precisely because aesthetic education has the characteristics of cultivating people's emotions and making people's moral qualities noble and pure. Therefore, Cai Yuanpei believes: "Therefore, if educators want to lead from the phenomenal world to the concept of the physical world, they must use the education of aesthetics."
Now let’s analyze it. Mr. Cai’s aesthetic education is actually to restore people to their pure nature. The innocent heart mentioned by Mencius and the original face mentioned by Zen Buddhism are possessed by everyone and lost due to greed. . If you don't be selfish and greedy, talking about true wisdom is just trying to catch fish. Therefore, Mr. Cai Yuanpei hates the vulgar concept of students using knowledge as a stepping stone to gain fame and fortune. He believes that this original intention has restricted the development of people's wisdom. He sincerely taught Peking University Students: "If you fail to establish your foundation at this time and study diligently, if you are forced to take up a job or hold a lecture in the future due to livelihood constraints, you will be a disgrace to the students; if you are in politics, you will be a disgrace to the country. This is a mistake. How can people mislead themselves and others, so their purpose cannot be unfair?"
It can be seen that saints and sages in ancient and modern times have earnestly taught people to seek true wisdom. The study of memorizing questions is not enough to be a teacher. It must be truly helpful to one's own spirit, and it must be able to truly benefit oneself and benefit the world. This kind of wisdom cannot be learned from books. It is said that one can point to the moon and catch the rabbit but forget the trap. Books are just a tool for acquiring knowledge, just like a boat crossing a river, abandoned once it reaches the shore.
So the bearer of true wisdom is a human being, that is, a master. If a nation or an era lacks masters, it will be the degeneration of the entire era, representing the decline of human wisdom. This misfortune exceeds the lack of material life.
Why is there a gap among masters? It's because human beings have lost hope for this most precious phenomenon in the world, their minds have become dim, and they can no longer detect the light shining on it. They are indifferent and consistent with this!
Kyushu relies on wind and thunder for its anger. It is precisely because of this profound awareness that the "Hundred Sons Essay" issued an inspiring call, calling on every member of the human race to be self-respecting and self-loving, to pursue life with sincerity and integrity. The beauty and sublimation of life. I believe that with sincerity, the metal and stone will be opened, the human spirit will be lifted up, and talented people with lofty ideals will come out in droves.