In the local business community, “hitching a ride” from China and gaining a better understanding of the emerging economic powerhouse are now both much-talked-about topics. The focus, however, tends to be on present-day China, with hardly any interests in its past.
As I see it, it is impossible to understand today‘s China without knowing its history.
Many do not buy this. Well, good luck to them. When they have had enough of banging their heads against the wall - they will become smarter and humbler. For one thing, when the Chinese ask, out of politeness, for “guidance”, they will be less prone to rush into offering advice.
Is an insight into China‘s history really so important？ Let me cite a real-life example to convince the sceptics.
I have interviewed several Singaporean businessmen who have invested in China‘s western region in the course of my work. They told me an instance when the local government of a remote and backward part of China became really excited with some Singaporean investors who pledged to pump in money and management expertise.
All was fine until these Singaporean businessmen proposed that “since you like Singapore so much, shall we develop a mini-Singapore？ Everything will be the same as in Singapore except for the national flag. What do you think？” The suggestion, of course, put an end to the conversation.
Well, the Chinese still regard such Singaporeans as friends - “l(fā)ittle friends” who know nothing about China‘s past or “children who do not understand what they say”。 But they have also decided to be totally frank with these friends. “Your proposal reminds us of the territories that the foreign powers used force to ’lease‘ from us. That is part of a long and sad history that still hurts us,” they said.
This is a good example of how ignorant some Singaporeans can be. Of course, we have plenty to boast when it comes to corporate management or computer literacy. But what we do not even have an inkling of is the history of China, especially after the 1840 Opium War.
Not knowing the past of the Chinese people makes it difficult to understand their present and their sensitivities. Just a little carelessness on our part may be enough to hurt their feelings.
The point I am trying to make is hardly profound. Don‘t we know that to truly get to know another person, we would need to know something about his past？ The same goes for a country.
China is fast catching up with us in terms of standard of living, yet many Singaporeans have not shed their outdated view - quite a number still have a condescending attitude towards the rapidly growing economic dynamo.
One reason for this, I think, is that these Singaporeans have not studied （or have never studied） the history of China, in particular, its modern history.
If they are willing to make a serious effort to learn the history of China, they would come to know how since the Opium War, China had been bullied, trampled, looted and carved up by Western powers and Japan. By putting themselves in the shoes of the Chinese to empathise with them, they could attempt to appreciate the burning desire of Chinese to rise again in the world stage. This could be the beginning of a new understanding of China.
Besides knowing how to “hitch a ride” from China, we need to be more knowledgeable than what we are now about the roaring economy - we need to know both where the juggernaut comes from and where it is heading.
（The writer is a correspondent of Lianhe Zaobao. Translated by Yap Gee Poh）
應(yīng)當(dāng)了解昨天的中國(guó)● 韓山元
現(xiàn)在大家在談趕搭中國(guó)的順風(fēng)車(chē),認(rèn)識(shí)中國(guó)成了熱門(mén)話題,談得較多的是認(rèn)識(shí)今天的中國(guó),談得較少的是了解昨日的中國(guó)。
美麗的上海外灘,當(dāng)年曾經(jīng)有一段傷心的歷史。
我認(rèn)為,不了解昨日的中國(guó),根本就無(wú)法深入認(rèn)識(shí)今日的中國(guó)。
很多人不信,只好讓他去碰壁,鼻子碰扁了,學(xué)費(fèi)也交了,就會(huì)學(xué)得聰明一點(diǎn)。謙虛一點(diǎn),去到中國(guó),人家客客氣氣地請(qǐng)我們“指點(diǎn)”,我們就不會(huì)動(dòng)不動(dòng)對(duì)人家“指指點(diǎn)點(diǎn)”。
了解昨日的中國(guó)真的那么重要嗎？這里講個(gè)實(shí)際情況。過(guò)去我采訪過(guò)好多位到中國(guó)西部地區(qū)投資的本地商人。他們說(shuō),有些新加坡人在跟中國(guó)人接觸時(shí),說(shuō)是要在中國(guó)那些不發(fā)達(dá)的地方搞開(kāi)發(fā)區(qū),要投入多少多少資金,說(shuō)得眉飛色舞,中國(guó)人聽(tīng)了心花怒放。
中國(guó)好多邊遠(yuǎn)地區(qū)的政府是求“財(cái)”若渴,他們要把自己管的那一大塊落后地方的經(jīng)濟(jì)搞起來(lái),第一缺錢(qián)財(cái),第二缺人才,新加坡人能把“財(cái)”和“才”都帶來(lái),還能不高興？
但是,接下來(lái)一番話有如一盤(pán)冷水潑下來(lái)：“你們那么喜歡新加坡,我們就在你這個(gè)地方搞個(gè)小新加坡怎么樣？這里除了升中國(guó)國(guó)旗之外,什么都跟新加坡一樣好不好？”此語(yǔ)一出,舉座無(wú)歡 ！
中國(guó)人還是把這些新加坡人當(dāng)朋友,而且是對(duì)中國(guó)的過(guò)去一無(wú)所知的“小朋友”,童言無(wú)忌嘛。既然是朋友,當(dāng)然要坦誠(chéng)相待,中國(guó)人說(shuō)了：“您的說(shuō)法使我們想起了當(dāng)年列強(qiáng)強(qiáng)加在中國(guó)身上的‘租界’,那可是一段很漫長(zhǎng)、很令中國(guó)人傷心的歷史?！?BR> 不是常常聽(tīng)到人家說(shuō)“新加坡人無(wú)知”嗎？這只是一個(gè)例子。所“無(wú)”的是什么“知”？現(xiàn)代企業(yè)管理、電腦知識(shí)嗎？有的是?！盁o(wú)”的是中國(guó)的歷史知識(shí),特別是對(duì)1840年鴉片戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)后的中國(guó)無(wú)知。
你不知道人家的過(guò)去,就無(wú)法了解人家的現(xiàn)在,也無(wú)法了解人家的心態(tài),一個(gè)不小心就會(huì)傷害人家的感情。
其實(shí),這不是什么深?yuàn)W的大道理,誰(shuí)都知道,要真正了解一個(gè)人,就必須知道他的過(guò)去。為什么要了解一個(gè)國(guó)家就不需要知道它的過(guò)去呢？
今天,我們跟中國(guó)人在物質(zhì)水平上的差距越來(lái)越小,但在心理上的差距卻沒(méi)有多大的縮小,新加坡還是有不少人瞧不起中國(guó),看輕中國(guó)人,我認(rèn)為,其中一個(gè)重要原因是,這些人沒(méi)有好好學(xué)一學(xué)（或根本就沒(méi)有學(xué)）中國(guó)歷史,特別是中國(guó)近代史與現(xiàn)代史。
如果他們肯認(rèn)真學(xué)習(xí)中國(guó)的近代史與現(xiàn)代史,知道中國(guó)自鴉片戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)以來(lái)被西方列強(qiáng)及日本百般欺負(fù)、踐踏、掠奪與宰割的史實(shí),如果他們?cè)冈O(shè)身處地為中國(guó)人想一想,嘗試?yán)斫庵袊?guó)人振興中華的強(qiáng)烈愿望,那么,他們對(duì)中國(guó)就會(huì)有新的認(rèn)識(shí)。
我們要趕搭中國(guó)的順風(fēng)車(chē),除了要曉得去哪里買(mǎi)車(chē)票之外,也應(yīng)該知道這部車(chē)是從哪里開(kāi)來(lái)的,要開(kāi)到什么地方去。否則,我們就是既不聰明、精明,也不高明。
As I see it, it is impossible to understand today‘s China without knowing its history.
Many do not buy this. Well, good luck to them. When they have had enough of banging their heads against the wall - they will become smarter and humbler. For one thing, when the Chinese ask, out of politeness, for “guidance”, they will be less prone to rush into offering advice.
Is an insight into China‘s history really so important？ Let me cite a real-life example to convince the sceptics.
I have interviewed several Singaporean businessmen who have invested in China‘s western region in the course of my work. They told me an instance when the local government of a remote and backward part of China became really excited with some Singaporean investors who pledged to pump in money and management expertise.
All was fine until these Singaporean businessmen proposed that “since you like Singapore so much, shall we develop a mini-Singapore？ Everything will be the same as in Singapore except for the national flag. What do you think？” The suggestion, of course, put an end to the conversation.
Well, the Chinese still regard such Singaporeans as friends - “l(fā)ittle friends” who know nothing about China‘s past or “children who do not understand what they say”。 But they have also decided to be totally frank with these friends. “Your proposal reminds us of the territories that the foreign powers used force to ’lease‘ from us. That is part of a long and sad history that still hurts us,” they said.
This is a good example of how ignorant some Singaporeans can be. Of course, we have plenty to boast when it comes to corporate management or computer literacy. But what we do not even have an inkling of is the history of China, especially after the 1840 Opium War.
Not knowing the past of the Chinese people makes it difficult to understand their present and their sensitivities. Just a little carelessness on our part may be enough to hurt their feelings.
The point I am trying to make is hardly profound. Don‘t we know that to truly get to know another person, we would need to know something about his past？ The same goes for a country.
China is fast catching up with us in terms of standard of living, yet many Singaporeans have not shed their outdated view - quite a number still have a condescending attitude towards the rapidly growing economic dynamo.
One reason for this, I think, is that these Singaporeans have not studied （or have never studied） the history of China, in particular, its modern history.
If they are willing to make a serious effort to learn the history of China, they would come to know how since the Opium War, China had been bullied, trampled, looted and carved up by Western powers and Japan. By putting themselves in the shoes of the Chinese to empathise with them, they could attempt to appreciate the burning desire of Chinese to rise again in the world stage. This could be the beginning of a new understanding of China.
Besides knowing how to “hitch a ride” from China, we need to be more knowledgeable than what we are now about the roaring economy - we need to know both where the juggernaut comes from and where it is heading.
（The writer is a correspondent of Lianhe Zaobao. Translated by Yap Gee Poh）
應(yīng)當(dāng)了解昨天的中國(guó)● 韓山元
現(xiàn)在大家在談趕搭中國(guó)的順風(fēng)車(chē),認(rèn)識(shí)中國(guó)成了熱門(mén)話題,談得較多的是認(rèn)識(shí)今天的中國(guó),談得較少的是了解昨日的中國(guó)。
美麗的上海外灘,當(dāng)年曾經(jīng)有一段傷心的歷史。
我認(rèn)為,不了解昨日的中國(guó),根本就無(wú)法深入認(rèn)識(shí)今日的中國(guó)。
很多人不信,只好讓他去碰壁,鼻子碰扁了,學(xué)費(fèi)也交了,就會(huì)學(xué)得聰明一點(diǎn)。謙虛一點(diǎn),去到中國(guó),人家客客氣氣地請(qǐng)我們“指點(diǎn)”,我們就不會(huì)動(dòng)不動(dòng)對(duì)人家“指指點(diǎn)點(diǎn)”。
了解昨日的中國(guó)真的那么重要嗎？這里講個(gè)實(shí)際情況。過(guò)去我采訪過(guò)好多位到中國(guó)西部地區(qū)投資的本地商人。他們說(shuō),有些新加坡人在跟中國(guó)人接觸時(shí),說(shuō)是要在中國(guó)那些不發(fā)達(dá)的地方搞開(kāi)發(fā)區(qū),要投入多少多少資金,說(shuō)得眉飛色舞,中國(guó)人聽(tīng)了心花怒放。
中國(guó)好多邊遠(yuǎn)地區(qū)的政府是求“財(cái)”若渴,他們要把自己管的那一大塊落后地方的經(jīng)濟(jì)搞起來(lái),第一缺錢(qián)財(cái),第二缺人才,新加坡人能把“財(cái)”和“才”都帶來(lái),還能不高興？
但是,接下來(lái)一番話有如一盤(pán)冷水潑下來(lái)：“你們那么喜歡新加坡,我們就在你這個(gè)地方搞個(gè)小新加坡怎么樣？這里除了升中國(guó)國(guó)旗之外,什么都跟新加坡一樣好不好？”此語(yǔ)一出,舉座無(wú)歡 ！
中國(guó)人還是把這些新加坡人當(dāng)朋友,而且是對(duì)中國(guó)的過(guò)去一無(wú)所知的“小朋友”,童言無(wú)忌嘛。既然是朋友,當(dāng)然要坦誠(chéng)相待,中國(guó)人說(shuō)了：“您的說(shuō)法使我們想起了當(dāng)年列強(qiáng)強(qiáng)加在中國(guó)身上的‘租界’,那可是一段很漫長(zhǎng)、很令中國(guó)人傷心的歷史?！?BR> 不是常常聽(tīng)到人家說(shuō)“新加坡人無(wú)知”嗎？這只是一個(gè)例子。所“無(wú)”的是什么“知”？現(xiàn)代企業(yè)管理、電腦知識(shí)嗎？有的是?！盁o(wú)”的是中國(guó)的歷史知識(shí),特別是對(duì)1840年鴉片戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)后的中國(guó)無(wú)知。
你不知道人家的過(guò)去,就無(wú)法了解人家的現(xiàn)在,也無(wú)法了解人家的心態(tài),一個(gè)不小心就會(huì)傷害人家的感情。
其實(shí),這不是什么深?yuàn)W的大道理,誰(shuí)都知道,要真正了解一個(gè)人,就必須知道他的過(guò)去。為什么要了解一個(gè)國(guó)家就不需要知道它的過(guò)去呢？
今天,我們跟中國(guó)人在物質(zhì)水平上的差距越來(lái)越小,但在心理上的差距卻沒(méi)有多大的縮小,新加坡還是有不少人瞧不起中國(guó),看輕中國(guó)人,我認(rèn)為,其中一個(gè)重要原因是,這些人沒(méi)有好好學(xué)一學(xué)（或根本就沒(méi)有學(xué)）中國(guó)歷史,特別是中國(guó)近代史與現(xiàn)代史。
如果他們肯認(rèn)真學(xué)習(xí)中國(guó)的近代史與現(xiàn)代史,知道中國(guó)自鴉片戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)以來(lái)被西方列強(qiáng)及日本百般欺負(fù)、踐踏、掠奪與宰割的史實(shí),如果他們?cè)冈O(shè)身處地為中國(guó)人想一想,嘗試?yán)斫庵袊?guó)人振興中華的強(qiáng)烈愿望,那么,他們對(duì)中國(guó)就會(huì)有新的認(rèn)識(shí)。
我們要趕搭中國(guó)的順風(fēng)車(chē),除了要曉得去哪里買(mǎi)車(chē)票之外,也應(yīng)該知道這部車(chē)是從哪里開(kāi)來(lái)的,要開(kāi)到什么地方去。否則,我們就是既不聰明、精明,也不高明。