Peking University, April 28, 2012：On April 16, the third "Hu Shi Humanistic Lecture" unveiled in Yingjie Overseas Exchange Center, Peking University (PKU). Professor Leo Lee from Harvard University gave his first lecture—“The Beginning and the End: Modern Socialist Cultural Background”. The theme of his serial lectures is “Relationship between Chinese and Western Culture and the discussion of Chinese Modern Literature”. As the host, Professor Chen Pingyuan gave the opening speech. Leo Lee’s wife Li Ziyu, and professors from Department of Chinese Language and Literature as well as hundreds of students attended the lecture.
Professor Chen Pinyuan pointed out that scholars should focus on their academic interests. In this aspect Professor Leo Lee is a role model. He has not only made prominent contributions in his academic field, but is also adored for his wide interest and essays on cultural phenomena. In a word, he makes the most of his talent, keeps reading and thinks freely to promote academic development.
The lecture
To begin his lecture, Leo reviewed the great cultural revolution of 20th century aroused by Nietzsche, Freud and Marx, which all reverse traditional western value system. Then from the perspective of painting, music, literature and other artistic fields, he drew the outline of the cultural background of artistic and literary development in modern world. He listed novels of Late Qing Dynasty as examples, which display anxiety and paradoxical emotions at the end of the monarchy. The situation in China is consistent with modern western literature. Leo Lee underscored that the sense of anxiety and insecurity was directly reflected in Lu Xun’s literary works, such as "Diary of a Madman”, “Farewell to the Shadow" and so on. In conclusion, although the western modernism did not take root in China, it had profound influence on China.
In the end, Leo Lee gave a penetrating summary. The relation between the beginning and the end is paradoxical. It is historical trend that the new replaces the old, and it is also natural that this process brings about a strong sense of crisis. In this sense, is today's anxiety also means another end? Leo Lee’s extensive vision and open-ended discussion won warm response from the audience.
Extended Reading:
"Hu Shi Humanistic Lecture" is a high-end academic forum set up by PKU Department of Chinese Language and Literature in 2010, when the department celebrated its one-hundred-year birthday. It is substantially supported by the department alumni and chairman Mr. Huang of Beijing ZhongKun Investment Group Nubo. Each year this Lecture will invite a top scholar to give lectures.
Written by: Shi Hui
Edited by: Yan Binghan
Source: PKU News (Chinese)
