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Wan LixinOpinion deputy editor of Shanghai Daily
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Confucius evokes world of harmony
Source: Xinhua |
November 14, 2009, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
TO the elderly American woman, Confucius is more like a symbol.
"Confucius says, a boy, a girl and moonlight make wedding bells ring out in month of May," said Eunice Brock, 91.
In fact, the sentence was not from Confucius, but another way of saying that moonlight can inspire romantic feelings.
"There was a period when it was very popular to invent brief statements as sayings of Confucius in the United States," Brock said.
To many foreigners, understanding of Confucius was just limited to his name or maybe the adage chanted at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, though, the Chinese ancient wise man was definitely one of the greatest philosophers in the world.
On October 28, the US House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to honor the 2,650th anniversary of Confucius' birth.
"Although the bill was symbolic, it reflected the American politicians' respect for Chinese culture," said Guy Alitto, associate professor in the University of Chicago.
Brock, who settled down in Liaocheng City of east China's Shandong Province, is a fan of Confucius and the Confucian Analects.
"I admire the character of Confucius because he dedicated his life unselfishly to the welfare of his people," she said.
The most impressive part to Brock was Confucius' desire to abolish war, which she believed set China on a very different historical past from the Western world.
"The Great Wall is a symbol of peace as it was an attempt to prevent warring tribes from entering China necessitating war in defense of China," she said. "I wish every visitor to the Great Wall was given a pamphlet explaining how Confucius wanted China to be a peaceful country."
Brock has traveled in China among various ethnic groups.
"It seems to me there is far less prejudice in China than in America where there is still much prejudice against blacks, Mexicans and others," she said.
"Confucius taught that ethnic people should be respected and their differences valued.
"We are now in the information age and great changes will occur.
"War must be abolished if mankind is to survive and other changes made to preserve our planet."
"Confucius says, a boy, a girl and moonlight make wedding bells ring out in month of May," said Eunice Brock, 91.
In fact, the sentence was not from Confucius, but another way of saying that moonlight can inspire romantic feelings.
"There was a period when it was very popular to invent brief statements as sayings of Confucius in the United States," Brock said.
To many foreigners, understanding of Confucius was just limited to his name or maybe the adage chanted at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, though, the Chinese ancient wise man was definitely one of the greatest philosophers in the world.
On October 28, the US House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to honor the 2,650th anniversary of Confucius' birth.
"Although the bill was symbolic, it reflected the American politicians' respect for Chinese culture," said Guy Alitto, associate professor in the University of Chicago.
Brock, who settled down in Liaocheng City of east China's Shandong Province, is a fan of Confucius and the Confucian Analects.
"I admire the character of Confucius because he dedicated his life unselfishly to the welfare of his people," she said.
The most impressive part to Brock was Confucius' desire to abolish war, which she believed set China on a very different historical past from the Western world.
"The Great Wall is a symbol of peace as it was an attempt to prevent warring tribes from entering China necessitating war in defense of China," she said. "I wish every visitor to the Great Wall was given a pamphlet explaining how Confucius wanted China to be a peaceful country."
Brock has traveled in China among various ethnic groups.
"It seems to me there is far less prejudice in China than in America where there is still much prejudice against blacks, Mexicans and others," she said.
"Confucius taught that ethnic people should be respected and their differences valued.
"We are now in the information age and great changes will occur.
"War must be abolished if mankind is to survive and other changes made to preserve our planet."
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