China and the UK: Enhancing Exchanges and Mutual Learning Between Civilizations

Zhu Yihao (Majorin Computer Science and Technology)

While in Oxford, we used to make direct comparisons between China and the UK. With little observation and analysis, a considerable number of differences can be enumerated between the two countries. But even a 10-year-old child could do this, and as college students, we should think more deeply. The objective and well-founded comparison between China and the UK made by Professor Jessica offers an appropriate direction.

I have not conducted decades-long research on bronze ware and I am far from well-versed in Chinese culture. Therefore, I could only make a few points based on my observations of China in the past twenty years or so and my stay of nine days in the UK, mainly in Oxford.

In my opinion, many of the differences between China and the UK are caused by the fact that the Chinese prefer changes while British people prefer constancy. This phenomenon can be found in many aspects, concrete and abstract.

The UK has a history significantly shorter than that of China, especially when it comes to being a country with an independent culture. However, Oxford and London, the capital of the UK, gave me a sense of involvement in history, stronger than the sense given by most Chinese cities. This is not entirely dependent on the number of preserved ancient buildings, but more on the extent to which people perform the same activities as in the past.

However, ancient buildings do make people feel as if living in historical periods, and the buildings in Oxford are perfect examples of this. These castle-like buildings, built to defend against bandits, bear the imprints of 13th-century history. Nowadays, students in Oxford still walk up the creaky steps to attend lectures or visit their tutors to exchange ideas and seek advice. Although the matters taught and discussed have changed, the practice in itself is still very similar to what people did hundreds of years ago.

It is unnecessary to discuss which approach of historical site preservation is better between China and the UK but it should be pointed out that China's historical sites are indeed separated from modern life. Nevertheless, China already doing its best to protect its historical sites and cultural heritage. It reduces modern human activities in areas in need of preservation mainly by building ancient towns, a practice very different from the UK. Though people are allowed to enter the grand palace of the Tang Dynasty (618–907 A.D.) and get close to the past glories of the emperors, it is not a part of their daily life.

Let us analyze the respective advantages of the two different historical site preservation approaches. The approach adopted in the UK helps to form a deeper sense of cultural identity and thus leads to a stronger sense of belonging. At the University of Oxford, people can visit the old workplace of Robert Hooke in the Department of Physics, sit on the lawn that was frequently visited by J. R. R. Tolkien in Merton College, or enter the Middle Common Room often frequented by Bill Clinton. People living and studying at Oxford may feel more "involved" in history and find inspiration from the greats of the past. Even if they cannot, they will be given a sense of pride for belonging to the same group, thus letting them become more involved in the local life. In China, however, the combination of ancient towns and modern cities can save historical sites, especially those that can never be duplicated, from man-made destruction. This way, they can remain well-preserved for a long time. At the same time, people can enjoy the convenience brought by social progress and development in the most modern communities.

China and the UK's methods have their own advantages when it comes to preserving buildings. In terms of revering cultural heritage, however, the UK is more persistent. The first lecture we attended at the University of Oxford was about the UK's first epic poemBeowulf. To be honest, the narrative of the poem is so simple that it can hardly be called linguistic art, and it is even not worth mentioning compared with the two bestyuefu(Chinese poems composed in a folk song style), thePeacock Flies Southeastand theBallad of Mulan. To be frank,Beowulfdoes not need much analysis, although the professor reciting the poem in Old English was still quite impressive. Meanwhile, the University of Oxford has opened a major of classics, which joins hands with the major of literature to train new generations of poets to inherit the literary tradition. Under the guidance of a professor, we discussed a work created by a modern poet who became well-known about thirty years ago. This poem contains profound elements of Western classical culture.

Interestingly enough, China and the UK are absorbing each other's characteristics. British people have obviously had enough of the life in these old buildings and have begun to pursue a more modern lifestyle. The transition has been completed in metropolises like London but it is still underway in Oxford; the buildings in some parts of the University of Oxford, including the Department of Physics, have been equipped with modern and practical facilities.

The Chinese are highly adaptable to the new trends of the times. That is why China has become a world leader in many areas and created a civilization characterized by colorful elements. However, in its stable environment, the UK has puzzled together historical fragments of the country's thousand-year history to create a whole.

We Chinese have always prided ourselves on living in a country with a wide variety of traditions and customs but through this visit to the UK, I have learned about cultural traditions of social groups, which is different from that based on ethnic groups in China. In terms of cultural inheritance, people in Oxford are more proactive and earnest than the Chinese. During our visit, an international student introduced an interesting tradition about the examinations at Oxford to us. There is a separate venue for their examination. Besides, students need to wear robes of different lengths, which are determined by their scores. They also wear different accessories depending on what colleges they are from and what subjects they study. At first, we felt that this tradition was a bit silly, but what he said next surprised us. He told us that a referendum was held two years ago on whether to keep the tradition, and the overwhelming majority voted for its retainment. In his opinion, this tradition makes the University of Oxford special, and even though he himself said that it is a quite comical tradition, he still liked it.

China has a long-standing culture of ethnic groups with shared traditions, while a culture of long-lived communities sharing the same traditions and featuring no consanguinity is rarely seen in the country. The UK embraces multiple ethnic groups, erasing the clear boundaries between them. However, every community with shared traditions in a country, as well as every independent country need to make itself easily identified. That makes the British actively create cultures for every community sharing the same traditions and persistently inheriting the cultures.

One thing worth noting is that the Chinese are more friendly to the Westerners than the British are to the Easterners. But exchanges require equality. In a sense, Westerners are as proud as we Chinese are but there are differences. They believe their values are universal, while we think Chinese culture is the best. Instead of only exchanging ideas on neutral issues, we need to show the British our understanding of our culture and let them know that other cultures, such as our Chinese culture, can be as excellent as their universal culture. If our visit to the University of Oxford could last a few more days, some of us would have loved to share our Chinese history and poetry with students there. I believe that there is a need for in-depth exchanges between the two civilizations rather than our unidirectional learning from the UK.

After all, all rivers run into the sea, and no mountain can stand forever.