The Beijing Olympics will leave China and the world at large a
unique legacy, claimed the evaluation report submitted to the
International Olympic Committee (IOC) in May 2001 by an IOC
assessment group.
The 2008 Games are indeed expected to make great contributions
not merely to the world of sport but human civilization as
well.
The contributions boil down to four areas, in the opinion of
this author.
First, the athletic accomplishments made by Chinese athletes and
the sportsmanship demonstrated by them are bound to impress the
world audience deeply.
Second, China, with its unique ways, will help enrich the sports
culture of humanity.
Third, the Games will largely promote the friendship between
Chinese and the people of the world.
Fourth, the Games will serve to power the development of the
world's sports-related sciences and technology, sports culture and
sports-related industries.
However, the contributions go far beyond these. The 2008 Games
promise to go down in the annals as a brilliant chapter of
communication and understanding between different cultures.
This author still remembers clearly the description of the
Beijing Olympic torch relay itinerary announced by the Beijing 2008
Games Bidding Committee in the summer of 2001 in Moscow. The
description of the route obviously drew its inspiration from the
ancient Silk Road.
The Silk Road was representative of exchanges between China and
the rest of the world. The extensive exchanges and interactions
benefited the economies and cultures of China and other countries
in the Eurasia landmass. To our regret, however, the communications
via the Silk Road came to a halt in the latter periods of the
Chinese feudalist society.
During the Cold War period, exchanges between China and the West
were reduced to a trickle, if not totally stopped, owing to a host
of complicated factors.
When the reform and opening up were launched in the late 1970s,
China opened its door wide to the rest of the world and exchanges
between Chinese and foreign cultures sprouted wings.
But the inertia of history is still at work. Some people in the
West still harbor misgivings and skepticism about China. A handful
of them go so far as to interpret China's domestic and foreign
polices through the lens of a Cold-War mentality.
This can be attributed to a string of factors such as
ideological and cultural differences and Western-style pride and
prejudice. More important, however, their ignorance of China is the
root cause of their bigotry.
A Chinese saying goes: "It is better to see something once for
yourself than to hear about it a hundred times." What do China and
the Chinese look like? Is the country a paradise or hell? Is it a
place where you can make money or the fountainhead of the "Yellow
Peril?"
Buy an Olympic Games ticket and visit China to see for
yourself.
Laughter and applause at the competition venue are free from
propaganda. Instead, they stand for truth and sincerity. And truth
and sincerity make the bridge leading to understanding.
Exchange is a two-way thing. The Chinese are presented with a
host of questions, too: How to absorb those elements of foreign
cultures, Western culture in particular, that are pouring into the
country? How to properly handle the relationship between foreign
and Chinese cultures in the general context of globalization? How
to differentiate between the cream and dregs of foreign cultures
and choose the former over the latter? These are the questions
nobody should avoid.
Some Chinese media and individuals are showing narrow
nationalist feelings, which indicates that a blind area exists in
the Chinese public's understanding of the outside world.
In view of this, the remarks of Deng Xiaoping, the chief
architect of China's reform and opening up, are of enlightening
significance, in the opinion of this author.
Deng said: "I am the son of the Chinese people and love my
country and people profoundly." He also said: "I, as a member of
the Chinese nation, am very much honored to become a world
citizen."
His remarks are a good example of the combination of nationalism
and cosmopolitanism.
If everyone of us can "retain our roots and also open our
hearts", as was exemplified by Deng, our ancient motherland will
evolve into a "youthful China".
But how should the average Chinese approach foreign cultures? By
traveling abroad? No. The average Chinese is not that well off. In
addition, they would run into many barriers on their travels, not
only linguistic but also cultural and psychological.
Which is why the Beijing Olympic Games will provide the average
Chinese with the best chance to get to know foreign cultures
through the athletes, tourists, officials and journalists.
When the 13,000 athletes and coaches from around the world
arrive in Beijing, when the army of foreign journalists shuttles
between competition venues and wanders through Beijing's streets
and alleys, when 300,000 foreign visitors are present everywhere in
the city, when millions of people in all countries watch the Games
on TV, are the Chinese still isolated from the Global Village?
The day will have come when the Chinese nation is integrated
into the world.
The author is a researcher with the China Foundation for
International and Strategic Studies
(China Daily June 28, 2007)