Chapter 739 Why should I teach you to be smart?
Xiao Peng lit a cigarette and said, "Our country was once a feudal and backward one. We don't deny that. Starting in the late Qing Dynasty, Chinese students began studying in the West, learning Western science and culture. I'm not being self-deprecating, but to the Chinese at that time, Western countries were like gods. Everything they said was right. They wanted to bring everything from the West back to China intact. How could they possibly question it?"
After hearing this, Walter said, "Does China still have such an era?"
Xiao Peng smiled and said, "In fact, many of you in the West still have a limited understanding of us Chinese. My first and best friends in Marseille were the Derridas. They're a very interesting couple. The husband is French, the wife is German. Mrs. Derrida is a real medical expert. But when they first met me, they were incredulous when they heard I was Chinese. They insisted I wasn't Chinese because I didn't have a braid."
Khedira laughed after hearing this: "Boss, don't be angry when I talk to you now. In fact, before I met you, I thought all Chinese people wore those pointy triangular straw hats!"
Xiao Peng wasn't angry. "See, I'm right, aren't I? I patiently explained it to you at first, but now I'm too lazy to do it. You can say whatever you want. Our ancestors said: I'm not your grandfather, so why should I teach you to be smart?"
"Is this really what your ancestors said?" Walter asked with wide eyes.
"Don't pay attention to the details!" Xiao Peng waved his hand and continued, "Back then, those of us from China who encountered the Western world were truly shocked. Those with insight believed that everything about China was backward and decadent, and needed to be completely Westernized. Don't believe me! Some even proposed abandoning Chinese characters and the Chinese language and having everyone learn English. And this idea gained a lot of support. You think it's impressive now that I know several languages, but I'm not exaggerating. In the past, if someone in China didn't know two or three, they wouldn't have dared to call themselves educated! Gu Hongming, Zhao Yuanren, Ji Xianlin, Qian Zhongshu, and others could easily speak seven or more languages! Zhao Yuanren was even more amazing, knowing eight languages and 33 of our own dialects! He even wrote songs. "How Can I Not Miss Her" and the current Xiamen University anthem are both his compositions. They were the real gods! They were my idols! Mine is just a passing fancy! In an era when the West was considered the only true knowledge, who could question the authenticity of Western culture?"
After hearing this, Walter suddenly smiled bitterly and said, "Boss, I suddenly hope that your ancestors who wanted to get rid of Chinese have succeeded! Damn it, Chinese is too difficult to learn! We are going crazy studying it!"
Xiao Peng smiled and said, "How should I put it? Back then, our country had a great writer who was famous for his prose and novels. He once said that China would never develop unless it abolished the Chinese language. Facts have proven him wrong. If that were true, our country might be the second India now. Without English, we wouldn't even be able to issue a national decree. So you should still learn it. Listening to more Chinese songs will do you good. I learned French by watching TV and listening to French songs."
Kasin said, "Boss, don't change the subject. Please continue."
Xiao Peng was stunned. "Where was I? Oh, about Professor Huang Heqing being criticized. Professor Huang Heqing has lived in Europe for many years and holds a PhD in art history from the Sorbonne University in Paris. Through his professional analysis of ancient Greek and Egyptian artworks, he offers an academic perspective on the falsification of Western history. After all, no one can truly see the true face of history. Western history is full of loopholes and flaws, and many things cannot be justified."
Kasin said, "Although I'm not an academic, I know that these things are very evidence-based, right? For an argument to be valid, you have to use your own evidence to prove it. If you can't refute the other party's evidence, then you have to accept it. Am I right?"
Walter said, "My child's teacher also said: So the basic quality of a scientist is to 'question everything'. What's wrong with that?"
Xiao Peng nodded: "You are right, but it definitely does not include us, China."
"Why?" Kasim asked in confusion.
Xiao Peng extended a slap. "When Professor Huang Heqing expressed his views, five types of people immediately appeared and insulted him. The first type believed that Western things were the truth and that anyone who questioned Western things was a pseudo-scientist. The second type was sarcastic and mocked everything the West did, saying things like 'the Eight-Nation Alliance, pornographic movies, war scams'. The third type tried to change the subject, saying, 'Since you doubt Western history, can you prove that our Terracotta Warriors are real? Is the Great Wall real? Did Qin Shi Huang really exist?' The fourth type was... Conspiracy theories suggest he's doing this to attract attention and traffic; or the fifth, accusing him of "narrow nationalism." So far, no one has been able to refute or offer a reasonable explanation for Huang Heqing's various doubts and loopholes in Western history, yet countless people are still abusing and mocking him. They claim to believe in the West and "question everything," while simultaneously preventing others from questioning the West. It's quite frustrating. After all, I'm not a professional academic, so I'd better not say this, or else I'll be criticized like him. Forget it!
Kasin shook his head after hearing this: "What kind of atmosphere is this! Why are they like this? Have they been kneeling for too long and their knees become weak?"
Xiao Peng slapped his car seat after hearing this. "What nonsense are you talking about? People in our country have backbone! You remember when we went to the North Sea, we passed through the Turkish Strait and the ruins of the ancient city of Troy were there. We said we would go and see it, but then we didn't go because of all those messed up things."
Kasin nodded: "Remember this!"
Xiao Peng said, "To this day, no one can produce any evidence to prove that this is the ruins of ancient Troy, but has anyone ever questioned it? It's a popular tourist destination, attracting a large number of visitors every year. And when our neighbor Touguo claimed to have discovered the tomb of Tangun, who lived for 1,800 years, those people were just sneering and cursing at him every day. They're more courageous and awesome than anyone else! They're not brainless, they just have a habit of double standards. Their 'doubts' are also based on personal preference."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com