How to treat the entertainment and commercialization of Chinese studies

Reporter: In recent years, Chinese studies have become hot. There are many books on Chinese studies on the shelves, lectures on Chinese studies in the society come one after another, and Chinese studies programs on TV emerge one after another. Sinology, why is it hot?

Lou Yulie: The craze for Chinese studies is not new in recent years. Since the last century, there has been an upsurge of Chinese studies every twenty or thirty years. At the beginning of last century, the New Culture Movement advocated total westernization, and learning societies in China mushroomed everywhere. Professor 10 of the former Central University also issued a declaration on cultural construction based on China to fight against western culture. In 1960s, although there was no craze for Chinese studies in Chinese mainland, Neo-Confucianism rose in Hong Kong and Taiwan. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, a cultural discussion was held in China. At the same time, Peking University established the Institute of Traditional Culture, and People's Daily published a long article "The upsurge of Chinese studies quietly rises in Yanyuan". Therefore, the craze for Chinese studies and western culture is opposite.

Zhang Lei: Undeniably, the current popularity of Chinese studies is due to the lack of China belief to some extent. I think people want to find a spiritual sustenance from Chinese studies.

Reporter: Now some lectures on Chinese studies seem to be all-encompassing, including geomantic omen and divination. Are all traditional things Chinese studies? The concept of Chinese studies seems to need to be defined.

Lou Yulie: Simply put, Chinese studies are Chinese studies. People with different cultural backgrounds have different interpretations of Chinese studies: Zhang Taiyan believes that Chinese studies are mainly knowledge based on traditional culture, such as writing, phonology and exegesis; Liang Qichao believes that Chinese studies are the traditional academic history of China; Hu Shi said that sinology is the study of national heritage ... there are different understandings of sinology, but in any case, sinology is an excellent traditional culture.