The Maverick Mackerras – Forever Enthralled

In 2007, Professor Colin Mackerras received one of his country’s highest awards for his contribution to education and the promotion of Australia-China relations.

I was teaching here in 1964, I got an opportunity, well I was in England, in Cambridge, doing a degree about the Uyghur’s, a masters Degree. I had just got married the preceding year not knowing that we were going to come to China. And both my wife and I were invited to come to China to teach here at BeiWai (Beijing Foreign Language University. And she was pregnant already and so as it turned out our son was born here at the Friendship Hospital, here in Beijing. It’s still here, it’s down south of the Hepingmen, the Peace Gate.

His son shares the unique distinction of being the first Australian to have been born in the PRC and from the early days of becoming a father and completing his masters thesis in many ways China has become his life work - he’s visited almost 50 times, written dozens of books, and looking back he’s amazed at the changes.

The first time I came I had to get my passport – there was a sign at the front saying not valid for the PRC, Cuba, North Vietnam and North Korea, they were the four that it was not valid for. I had to get it especially made valid for the PRC. So it was much more closed off than it is now, much, much more. It’s a different world in that sort of way. The American’s for example, they refused to have any contact with the PRC. Even if you bought something in Hong Kong, you needed a certificate that it hadn’t originated in China- before you could take it into the US.

Yet amid the political constraints of the time there was something more essential that compelled Colin to persist. From an early age he had a passion for music and this was the aspect of China that drew him in.

I was interested in Chinese theatre, Chinese opera before I came to China. I increased my interest because in fact that was the main form of the music, it was considered in those days and to some extent still, that the regional opera is the music of the people. And so that got a lot of attention. I bought a lot of grammar phone records then, which I still have incidentally, so that’s why I got interested in Chinese theatre. I collected books about it and I wrote my PhD thesis on it. “On the rise of the Peking Opera”, it was called. Mei Lanfeng. I haven’t seen it yet. But I’m going to see it. I’m a great admirer of Mei Lanfeng.

And I’m sure Colin has many admirers here in China too. The week I spoke with him he was on his way to scale Anhui’s legendary Yellow Mountain, alone! Such jaunts appear normal for a man who is used to looking below the surface at society.

Well I think the Western images in essence are rather negative at the moment. I think they are much more negative than they should be. But over the 40 years I’ve been coming here I’ve seen improvements in economy, in the level of freedom, in the social interactions, in the relationships…

Well I first came here in 1964, lived here in this Youyi Binguan for two years, the Friendship Hotel. The students were so revolutionary. They were so enthusiastic about the revolution that was happening- but they were very polite, they were very hard working, they were very respectful to me, they were very cheerful. I mean I thought they were very good students. I liked them a lot

The first time a Chinese group came to Australia to study after the revolution, actually one of the people that I worked with here, a man called Professor Hu Wenzhong, very, very nice, a very distinguished man, he was one of the members of that group whilst that wasn’t until the late 70’s. In the 60’s you just didn’t think of such a thing as that.

Since this time almost 2 million Chinese have gone to study abroad and increasing numbers of foreigners are now also coming to the middle kingdom for work, study and travel. In many respects the beneficiaries of this situation today owe thanks to bridge building pioneers like Professor Mackerras.

Since this interview he’s returned to Australia though is already planning a study field trip to the remote regions of the Ancient silk road in the latter months ahead. And while he may be forever enthralled others like us are forever indebted.

I lived here in 1964, just over there, more than 40 years ago. Room #9343 it was on the 4th floor. I thought it was the same as before

You are looking for someone?

I’m looking for a room

I can take you to the …..

I told the room attendant …

Your Chinese is very good

You are very kind

You pronounce everything correctly. Even Chinese people could understand you

（英語點津 Helen 編輯）

About the reporter:

Brendan joined The China Daily in 2007 as a language polisher in the Language Tips Department, where he writes a regular column for Chinese English Language learners, reads audio news for listeners and anchors the weekly video news in addition to assisting with on location stories. Elsewhere he writes Op’Ed pieces with a China focus that feature in the Daily’s Website opinion section.

He received his B.A. and Post Grad Dip from Curtin University in 1997 and his Masters in Community Development and Management from Charles Darwin University in 2003. He has taught in Japan, England, Australia and most recently China. His articles have featured in the Bangkok Post, The Taipei Times, The Asia News Network and in-flight magazines.