Reunification bolsters cultural relations
By Teddy Ng (HK Edition)

Hong Kong can play a pivotal role in modernizing Chinese culture, former City University (CityU) president Chang Hsin-kang said.

Chang, also the chairman of the disbanded Culture and Heritage Commission, said the reunification had accelerated the interaction between Hong Kong and the mainland with more people crossing the border.

The former university head, who retired in May, had witnessed Hong Kong's strengths and weaknesses in developing Chinese culture during his 17-year stay in the city.

Chang, who was born in Shenyang in Northeast China's Liaoning Province and received education in Taiwan and United States, is well-versed in different cultures.

Chang would teach a course on civilization at Tsinghua University, Beijing, from September.

According to Chang, Hong Kong people take work seriously and have a strong motivation for improvement. He also said that the cultural level of the people has been raised over the past 10 years.

The enhanced cultural level was evident in the increasing number of university graduates in the past decades, enabling more people to appreciate arts and values.

After the reunification, Hong Kong people are more aware of Chinese traditional culture. At the same time the city has maintained its connection with Western countries and regions. Cultural exchanges with Europe, America, Australia and Japan have been stepped up.

"More exchange s - both with the mainland and overseas countries and regions - have taken place. That has resulted in the development of the cultural achievement and appreciation in Hong Kong," he said.

CityU, for example, had established Chinese Civilisation Centre and asked students to take Chinese culture courses. Other institutions had also stressed more on Chinese elements in curriculum.

Hong Kong's cultural root is deeply connected with the mainland, but the 155-year contact with the European countries has enabled the city to develop social and political institutions, combining both ancient and modern culture.

The key to the combination is education.

"It is because the inhabitants here all come from a very brilliant ancient cultural tradition, but they all receive a kind of modern education and have a modern outlook. This combination of ancient cultural tradition and a modern outlook makes the best combination," he said.

With Hong Kong people commanding both Chinese and English, the city can also absorb the fine elements of other cultures and introduce them to the nation. On the other hand, Hong Kong can introduce Chinese cultures to foreigners.

The interaction with the mainland and overseas places is a sophisticated process that could not be completed by merely having an interpreter, but by people who live in a "bi-cultural" environment.

Chang said that Chinese culture would evolve and develop into more branches under one root.

"With this root, we should bring more branches. The branches can come from different places. That is Chinese culture. Hong Kong can contribute even though its population is only 7 million. But the importance is much bigger than the numerical strength of our population. I am very hopeful that Hong Kong can play a pivotal role in the cultural development of China," he said.

Chang believed the interaction between Hong Kong and the mainland would increase in future. The artificial boundaries between Hong Kong and the mainland should not be the obstacle for the closer ties, he said.

Majority of students are also aware that their own future development - both in career and personal well-being - depends on China.

The exhibition of national treasures, including the cultural relics from Sanxingdui and Jinsha, and Northern Song Dynasty painter Zhang Zeduan's painting "Along the River During the Qingming Festival", reflected that the ties with the mainland have been enhanced.

(HK Edition 06/29/2007 page6)