The Institute on Man and Science; Understanding China

National Educational radio in cooperation with the Institute on man and science presents a series of talks drawn from the institute's annual conference held recently in Rensselaer Vale New York the Institute on man and Sciences a nonprofit educational institution chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. The annual assembly of the institute is designed to focus attention on 20th century technology and the human relationships resulting from its application. The speaker for this program is Dr. China mung director emeritus of the China Institute in America. Dr. Monk's topic is understanding China. Here now is Dr. mung it is a great pleasure to see as many own friends you have in mind at least who have their own friends on one particular day or who reminded me of my old friend that at their schoolmate who marked his life here and the Chinese Japanese or and

more than 25 years ago allow the this brief time to have this morning is for me to introduce to you the words that sounds a very simple but they're very rare. It's very critical that he's understanding and China very much man and science another two words. Whether you sit with a man in science and why should the man of science have to have anything to do with understanding China number one. Let me point out to you with this the three year old Chinese words I wrote it in your way because in Chinese writing that's on the matter. Why this from right from left to right or up down up down up. You should it will as you know it squares it is a work. All right I'm coming for that man than science for some of you.

Last summer when a science in science the abstract comes much more land in my hand. In other words as far as man with human relations on CERN use fewer tiles to talk in the abstract because there's no such thing as abstract friendship as I said no such thing as abstract love although sometimes I think in terms of that point I think that in other words you do not know man and that's you know people individuals. That's why I come here to say it. Confucius said that twenty six centuries ago you would yell we're late. In other words when you come to the study human relations you've got to base your were valid that the actual knowledge of human experience has said don't wanna go China. So happens the translation has the longest continuous experience. Not today as we meet here.

We all very much concerned with the great crisis that there is pressure as rising us all over the world. Yesterday in The New York Times magazine section the commenting on the dangerous situation that was that had arisen because of the fact that the Chinese scientists have created a nuclear weapons and to date to date the one of the headlines is that in my universe in Peking. This clash between student groups. They did not have weapons which somehow have weapons control in China. But they're using sticks and spears and throwing rocks out of the window at one another. Now that reminds me that 49 years ago what in nine years ago my student generation began in world history the first student uprising in the world. Since then since then many learned of

volumes have been written on the May 4th movement 1919 which I took part. I'm trying to help the institute here to build up a trying this section of the 1 4 library otherwise montra library at Morehouse. One thing I'd like to say that the paperbacks program is a wonderful thing. Like if I might write some good books on that in paperbacks so I'm trying to have you for instance if you didn't have money to buy them on paperbacks then wave of movement is one of the top publisher but however universe or press. But. The may force the movement. May 4th movement is not just the mission the gaps that we talk about the lack of communication lack of Balog. There's such a wide gaps that wide gaps between the older generation and the young generation gap between parents and children today or why.

Why the wide gap between students and faculty administration. There is an example at Columbia which is near where I live and saw this interesting restimulating of course. These gaps and these conflicts have always been with us but somehow today they have been accentuated. We're going to see how we go and how to understand the situation of gaps. For example everyone noticed in the New York Times magazine again that not long ago I saw it personally on the Columbia campus when the student to sit in at the height at the library. You remember the anti anti groups also demonstrating outside and then the other window when the TV cameras saw a young student probably from bonneted college shouted out the window this is now recorded New York Times.

I hope you all know that people die. I hope all of you old black people not the goal. Go ahead and watch us and die. That's also on the TV in the CBS series. Now that is a typical gap there. The utterance is spun things out there as is that young girl from Barnard College apparently and then some obvious notice is very illuminating. Again the cartoon gives you the picture a picture of American teenager girls drawing soda in a soda fountain and one is talking to the other you're talking about children having trouble getting marriage it's a very important question. One of them said to the other. Sure I like I'd like to have children someday but I wouldn't want to be a parent. Now this is what I did with your last phrase the income gap the lack of a valid comparison

between man of science US presidential election lack of dialogue understanding apparently between Michael Rockefeller not to mention Reagan and Humphrey and between generations. How about between races and nations. The lack of understanding. So you should've said twenty five centuries ago. Knowledge and understanding told different things. You cannot commit knowledge and do not get understanding. And that's exactly what we have where we are confronted with today. She it she it means knowledge. Understand. Yes she is a long slow Bushie at the back of the knowledge and do not understand the knowledge its few would have and if you work you would think with all the knowledge you would just think without knowledge then you faithful both

knowledge and understanding. Today we have been accumulating knowledge so fast and so vast and fast that we sometimes do not pick a time to understand. The first point I want to introduce a series is this the one that get the idea that my and my friends my colleagues in the next 10 days or so all is going to give you contents is not possible. You cannot get content on China in 10 years. The Columbia Department figure out that the average number of years for American undergraduates get a degree a Ph.D. in Chinese studies is from 11 years up. Still they cannot read classics we want to eventually close that gap because they are now trying to get the American high school undergrad to study a trans language as one thing to not the contents.

We've tried to give you a few perspectives. Another thing is that at the time get you have to keep in mind that your take on anyone than this the star example that is than this they got lost that is they lasted from 98 17 for a 64 to the last one as they 640 for the 1911 that's longer than one of the 24 dynasties that's longer than the whole American nation. The life of the machination you pick the Ming Dynasty and the other two hundred sixty seven years. The great I mean that is that Taliban is that three hundred five years you take the great Joe down as they do which computers lived and taught lasting more than eight hundred to get contents. You kind of get half of how bad the turbaned years tourbillon centuries the last century and longer the last hundred turbaned years

before you have come as China by this 100 years. You cannot possibly get the conference so the important thing is to get the press pack in the keep. Now peace perspectives. Let me quote again the philosophy of Chinese history. That was more or less just about twenty one. The first editor of the Chinese ancient history history mation just two phrases with which you are Arnold Toynbee. I fell in love and he has got top it that his own philosophy history and that this could you be fun for that is this historian come in the About 2000 years ago to understand world affairs. You must understand a prolonged stability and harmony will lead to chaos and division and prolonged period of chaos and division will lead to

how Mr. Billett her friend and her division Union Unity is towards. Another key is that again referring to the same history of the story and his philosophy you should value that is Heroes. If you use that word in a broad sense he modified circumstances or historical circumstance and historical crosstabs as a preview Xerox. We must not lose sight of that. We must not deprecate the play in a world changes by great personalities. That tells us that today is through the end of courses and deprecate personal process which is not true for history and history and interplay great personalities modify historical circumstances and circumstances modify personalities or creative personalities. Another thing I

want. Another key point out loud to remind us that the gap between parent and child is perpetual. Part of it is a biological part of the culture that is very wholesome. It is very useful for people on the other hand we also again have to refer to history history says that in the case of computer computers say that that the first the beginning of the environment the heritage with that by their parents you cannot depart from that the beginnings of heredity and environment. Stop with parents you wee hundred percent divorce ourselves from parents we miss a great deal of continuing to work for a cultural heritage or tradition and race as a nation that's related to all kinds of gaps races and nations.

Much that I admire and that watch with great interest the movement in your great country. This racial struggle will struggle for minorities. Your quality and rights and so on it could be overdone. And again I go back to Confucius the third line G.L. late more late from Confucius and open conferences taught he did not hide his teachings and periods 15 minutes and have a coffee break and then have to look at the TV camera tape recorder once a while before he said anything which should remind him that the sinking together is therefore a thing we should be much more free. I'm not of course taken lightly the mass media which is also very important. However Confucius when he was talking with his disciples about everything under the sun. We call the China to discuss heaven

means discuss everything under the sun. I hope some day on this one to build will heal and this is a wonderful environment where just about everything under the sun not to be chopped up into compartments. I have a comforter said when his disciples asked him how about racial differences. You see in his spirit during his period this there's certain schools of thought or Certain thinkers on advancing that summaries of superiors others are inferior. They could never get out there for some states during the war instead period must have ration rolls. You have heard of that keeping the inferior races up there. There's a twenty five cent since I go 600 B.C. if you just said you would tell him what he said when it comes to human relations. The only added Tait is cultural conditioning racial differences minor. Now you ask your great biology is today a biological change during the last 35 or 50 years have not

changed anything very much and the advocates of improving human relations through biological means. I'm very sorry to say that they are they are they are going to be very much disappointed. On the other hand Confucius said the only difference is make human relations a cultural conditioning. We have witnessed that there in our lifetime the German the great German race just as scientific as tolerant as custom make us think as anybody else. Not because of certain cultural conditioning certain circumstances the Hitler group was able to make best use of Sciences of psychology and brainwashing to furnish up that horrific example of what you can do very quickly in less than one generation that the Germans could think a certain way of solving their problems. And wear witness that every day

today. How much you can make yourself. Scientific method cultural conditioning of changing people's thinking. Change their behavior like what we're saying to make your course deviate their condition so cultural conditioning company for good and evil. We have to know how to make use of cultural conditioning. And that's the best way to I'm thinking of how we'd be on jetstream relations rather than eugenics. Although gender Some have some rather than biological means about our means but the conspirators and full sized 25 centuries ago you were late when it comes to being conditioned comfort human relations. Or you advocate using cultural conditioning education culture conditioning rather than race. Now so much for the phone my comments on the current gaps.

The current trends. Others say poverty and security. This is search is so accelerated so urgent today. This is the eternal search to be human race. I have always tried to solve the problem of poverty and security down through that through on through different levels of the same thing. However let me quote again from the four books I bought the one in the bottom before books I'm going to put in the more elaborate is that in both Chinese English translation I'm quoting from the four books. You see one company which is a living and teaching. It was during the period of the warring states people are suffering from chaotic civil wars among these six and seven feudal states. The suffering from the pressure from the advocates

military some and legal is now advocating the only way to solve problems would be by military means also by legal means. So the so the teacher the average teacher in a comfy office and students of the poverty group they have anything to eat. So in the course of discussion Confucius was asked what what about the economic situation of our country. People do not have enough to eat cake commented on my attitude. Poverty is my student he had 72 at that time. You see among the 72 students quite a few from well-to-do families there able to pay tuition and live pretty well for that one. One student. Wait wait. He's came from a very poor family. He said allow the best student

comforts that not only he's a bright in accumulating knowledge but look at him. Some he said you could die and then you look he said Now you know you look at him all he could hope for is to play water and that's what they are for those of you who watch him to eat beans and drink plenty of water every day. Your thought here must be terribly unhappy. But look at him how happy this is and then for him tell him wealth and honor are like that for the king. So he's holding weight. Poverty is the way you look at it because there's a limit for that. And yet I think where they were going to that extreme you know in my you we had sweet once a month meet every three months. We thought they were pretty well off. But today you

deny young people one ice cream a day and then they think that they are drawing the poverty that procession in Washington D.C. right away. But I'm just pointing out this problems and the how about security. We all want the inner security and Social Security. Again there you have to balance your controlled system. There's no objective system problem. How much money do you accumulate before you feel secure economically and how much. So for the it's how much you should that can with a quiet quiet before if we have so for security. What is the most important most difficult your personal security in their security. And again you go to a great advocate that competition ism's school of thought. You said At 40 I cannot be upset. You tell his students what they mean by that 40 you could not be upset.

But he said not 40 of my in their standard are such and such. Nothing outside can upset my inner security. Well he said that his students and you elaborate on that. How do you mean by it is that if you change jobs you don't wait. Bill do you mean you want to win and we win and shoots your way back down. He said this is a great man that cannot be upset when he reaches 40. Translate that really means is if you don't want you try to stay in the world up right place try to corral the world's great way you have your way. You should try to care of the people with you. If you could not have your way with the people you are persistent you got convinced to the contrary

and tempted by it while undaunted by power and wealth. But we haven't been everywhere we wouldn't shoot I'm not afraid of the military the Army military force all his life his preaching against military force and that's what I'm that's what I mean by the cultivating that in their security. He said Now if you if you believe you are right you are right you would not be afraid to become friendly with the feudal lord with 10000 chariots on the other hand you think you are wrong you must apologize for the level of lowest worker or the current one apologizing we're now that's communist security that's what you call Holleran just cheap is it. You'll get this cheap the Chinese word cheap so it is you don't present.

Coming home that's how much the word cheat the Chinese word she is is a wonderful word because where you'll see that as an attitude in your security we also use that air atmosphere and need them so that the Chinese in that in that time a drawdown as they develop the science are as strong to me and science of the atomosphere are meteorology also use that word cheat and we also today you'll sideward chief for gases and oxygen in that same word she mentions talking about this other team. Now you have this area inside these atomicity inside this very limited volume and yet you develop this soul you have your kind of your side with the whole phosphate. When you've succeeded in doing that you have been there security got the defile yourself with the cosmos the universe now the next section. The point that

knowledge and understanding management stand. From our point of view knowledge it should be exact should be measurable. However you only apply to certain things you don't like that word lower or higher or simple and profound. All right we have some other words for different compartments. We can measure water we can measure air conditioning. We can measure our missiles to the moon. But the certain things we cannot measure and when we get into the question about knowledge and understanding in the third century BCE we haven't developed the sense of polarities in life. In life you have this polarities. You live you have things that the company measured and measured you have in life things that certain tastes and uncertainties that are necessarily uncertainties

that would make a very simple example for my young friends. You are certain I suppose you are sort of your soul your graduate from high school you go to college and so on but you're not certain how your life is going to end. As I said for last a first full day in this hall where certain about certain there were come mesure. So even some social relations become measured by sociological social sciences and yet uncertain higher things we cannot measure and all that yes. For example how the words are promoted go into n the out certain you cannot be measured. Affection devotion How you going through her friendship. I do going back for a dedication for a course and saw how you were going to measure your sympathy for China or the Chinese people sympathy for you. So who can

be you can out of mesure. That's it. Moments. All right so therefore the therefore of the person in you know attending this series you have to differentiate is to level this in other words that the polarities the the scientific. That's a very fair size. There are certain ways of life a very very definite very measurable yet the way you drive the way you eat you don't eat while you get sick and so I don't get sick. But the a polemic against that is it's the way you deal with human beings you cannot know exactly what a computer system on that especially between nations between political parties been politicians and then you or your current turns in perspectives you can be very knowledgeable. You're kind of cute. Accumulate vast and better fast

knowledge and yet you still don't understand. That's another thing you have to keep in mind. It cannot be controlled there. They understand it. So during the next 10 days or so or at least keep in mind how much the kind of speaks and give you the contents and how much you can get by keys and perspective and in due course I shall be call upon you what a voice your own opinions and philosophy are all your questions so that we can more or less have a meeting of minds if not hearts. The relationship between your people and my people which is a concrete case of man and also science. You heard Dr. chime Munn director emeritus of the China Institute in America as he spoke on the topic. Understanding China Dr Mom spoke at the annual conference of the Institute on man and science held in Rensselaer Vale New York on our next program. William home research professor

at the Harvard yen Jing Institute will discuss the subject China in the world drama These lectures are recorded by the Institute on man and science. The programs are prepared for broadcast and distributed by the national educational radio network.