Principal's Message - April 2024

Continuing the Spirit, Updating the Form

The theme of our 50th anniversary is "With gratitude we share our past, with courage we carve our future”. So what exactly is inheritance, and why is innovation necessary?Human beings create culture, and cultural heritage inevitably emerges alongside it. If each generation were to start from scratch, culture would not be able to accumulate, and social development would inevitably stagnate. Traditional Chinese culture develops in parallel with the dual forces of inheritance and creation, inheriting cultural spirit and innovating cultural carriers. So, what is spirit? "Spirit" refers to broad and enduring values, contrasted with the "form" that evolves with the times. We can have lotus seed paste or snowy mooncake, the unchanging spirit of the Mid-Autumn Festival is the reunion of family members. During Lunar New Year, we may give electronic red envelopes or have cartoon decorations, but the unchanging spirit is the blessings of reunion and harmony. The way we greet and show respect to our elders may vary, but the underlying spirit of hierarchy and filial piety remain unchanged. Similarly, campus layout and hardware equipment are forms that need to be updated with the times, while the school motto of Morality, Wisdom, Health, and Diligence, the exhortations in the school song, the key symbolizing wisdom in the school emblem, and the symbolism of purity resembling a dove all belong to the realm of spirit, requiring every member of the school to inherit and safeguard them. From this, we can see that what is inherited and unchanging is the spirit, while what is innovative and changing is the form. The forms in cultural life need periodic updates, and school culture also needs to keep pace with the times. Therefore, if furniture is worn out and cannot be revitalized, it must be discarded; if electronic devices are outdated, they must be replaced; if there is insufficient space on campus, it must be re-planned. Change requires courage and wisdom. It is necessary to combine the needs of the environment with innovative approaches to carry forward the educational spirit of Hoi Ping.

   

Reflecting on Culture, Discarding the Dross and Retaining the Essence

Is every cultural spirit worth inheriting? Every cultural group has its essence as well as its dross. Our culture emphasizes human relationships and values family, but as a result, it lacks a sense of public consciousness, making it prone to favoritism and neglecting the public good. Our adherence to tradition and a reverence for learning, on the other hand, hinders our creative consciousness and exploration. Therefore, in terms of culture, what we need is not only understanding and organization, but also constant reflection, discarding the dross and retaining the essence. This is necessary for personal growth and for the entire nation. Otherwise, inadvertently, we will be left with the worst aspects of culture, leading to negative consequences. When the Qing Dynasty ruled China in the 17th century, the Han Chinese were forced to shave their heads and wear braids. According to common sense, after the Qing Dynasty fell, this humiliating symbol would be quickly abandoned by the people. Unfortunately, this was not the case. In 1912, the Republican government issued an edict to cut off the braids. The reasons for cutting off the braids were very convincing, as the braids were seen as unclean and easily spread disease. At that time, people in China did not wash their braids for several days, and they emitted an unpleasant odor. However, surprisingly and strangely, the process of cutting off the braids did not go smoothly. Some people openly killed 27 individuals without braids, including politicians, teachers, and students. Most of these people who refused to cut off their braids were not beneficiaries of the previous dynasty. They either lacked aesthetic judgment and did not consider the braids to be unsightly, or they were unable to persuade themselves based on hygiene or convenience alone. They were willing to endure the discomfort of having lice crawling all over their heads. But what is more important is that their persistence clearly contained a strong identification with the "braids." When we see people in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China regarding ugliness as beauty, evil as good, and right and wrong as inverted, do we not feel a sense of regret? It turns out that when people become accustomed to a certain way of life and are accustomed to not questioning the things around them, they gradually lose basic rationality, aesthetic sense, and thinking ability. Therefore, in order to stay alert, we need not only to understand and inherit culture but also to reflect on ourselves, to reflect on culture, and to see if we have become stagnant, trapped by entrenched ideas. We must avoid rushing to judgment when encountering unfamiliar things or being guided by emotions and preconceptions, as this will only make us narrow-minded.

   

Conclusion

We must not think that preserving all old things is equivalent to inheritance. We must not think that stagnation is tradition, nor that innovation and change mean forgetting our ancestors. The transmission of culture refers to the continuation of spirit, not blindly adhering to everything done in the past. Imagine if all the cultural practices and beliefs of the past were blindly preserved without any evaluation or adaptation to the present, it would hinder progress and prevent the development of new ideas and perspectives. Therefore, it is crucial to strike a balance between preserving the essential values and spirit of a culture while also embracing necessary changes and innovations.

   

In the context of Hoi Ping, it is important to update the infrastructure, technology, and teaching methods to meet the needs of education development. This pragmatic approach ensures that the educational environment remains conducive to learning and growth. However, it is equally important to preserve the core values, principles, and symbols that represent the spirit of the school. These elements provide a sense of identity, purpose, and continuity for the members of the school community.

   

Furthermore, cultural reflection is necessary to identify and discard the negative aspects or outdated practices that may hinder progress. Not every aspect of a culture is worthy of preservation. By critically evaluating cultural practices, we can discard the dross and retain the essence, allowing for personal and societal growth.

   

In summary, cultural heritage should be approached with a balanced perspective. While it is essential to preserve the enduring values and spirit of a culture, it is equally important to adapt and innovate in response to the changing times. By reflecting on our culture and critically evaluating its practices, we can discard the negative aspects and embrace positive changes that contribute to individual and societal progress.

  

  

 

傳承與創新

   

五十周年的主題是傳承及創新，到底什麼是傳承，又為什麼要創新呢？人類創造文化，必然同時出現文化傳承。如果每代人都從頭開始，文化就不可能積累，社會發展也必然陷於停滯。中國傳統文化就是在傳承和創造雙重張力下並行發展，所傳承的是文化精神，創新的文化載體。那什麼是精神呢？

   

「精神」就是廣泛而不易變的價值，相對的就是會隨時代演進的「形式」。好像月餅可以有雙黃蓮容，也可以有榴槤冰皮，但人月兩團圓是中秋不變的精神；農曆新年你可以收電子紅包，也可以有卡通揮春，但農曆新年團圓祝福及祥和感恩的是千載不變的精神。我們對師長對長輩可以點頭、可以鞠躬，打招呼的方式可以各有不同，但背後長幼有序，親疏尊卑就是不可更易的文化精神。就好像大家在開平，於操場集會、校園的布局、硬件設備、這些都是形式層面，需要隨時代而更新；校訓德智健勤、校歌的勸勉、校徽中開啟智慧之匙、純良似鴿子的含意，這些均是精神層面，需要每一位開平人去傳承及守護。

   

由此可見，傳承及不變的是精神，創新及變化的是形式，古物建築活化後可以成為博物館、傳統旗袍加入現代元素可成為格調高尚的服裝。文化生活中的形式需定時更新，學校文化也同樣要與時並進，因此如果有傢俬殘破不能活化就要揚棄，電子儀器落伍就要重新添置，校園空間不足就要從新規劃，這是務實。改變需要勇氣，也需要智慧，要以創新的方式結合環境的需要才可承傳開平的辦學精神。

   

我們既知道要傳承文化精神，那是否所有文化精神均值得傳承呢？每個群體的文化有其精華亦有其糟粕。我們文化強調人情重視家庭卻因此而少了公共意識，容易徇私忘公；我們因循守禮、崇古好學，卻令我們缺少創造意識，不利開發探究。因此對於文化，我們需要的不只是認識與整理，更要時時反省，去蕪存菁，這對於個人成長乃至整個民族都是必須的，否則不知不覺中把文化最差的東西留了下來，產生負面的作用。以下我會跟大家分享一個故事作為說明。

   

大家知道滿清入關時，曾強迫民眾剃髮留辮，按常理，在清朝滅亡後，這種屈辱性標誌自會被民眾迅速拋棄，可惜事實並非這樣。1912 年 民國政府頒佈剪辮令，剪辮子的理據很充分，稱辮子藏污納垢，容易傳播病菌，當時中國人的辮子幾天不洗，氣味難聞。然而，令人意外及奇怪的是，剪辮子的過程並不順利，有人公然殺害了27名「無辮之人」，包括議員、教師和學生等。這些拒絕剪辮的人，大部分不是前朝的既得利益者，他們或者缺乏審美的判斷力，並不認為辮子有礙觀瞻，而且也無法以衛生常識或純粹生活上方便説服他們，他們願意承受滿頭蝨子亂爬的不適。不過更重要的是，他們的堅持顯然包含著某種對「辮子」的強烈認同。大家看到清末民初的人以醜為美、以惡為善、是非顛倒，有沒有一點唏噓？原來，當一班人習慣了某種生活形態，習慣對身邊事物不加思索，就會連基本的理性、美感及思考能力都會慢慢失去。

   

如要保持清醒，我們除了要認識文化，傳承文化，更要反省自身，反思文化，看看自己會不會已故步自封，畫地為牢，被固有的觀念封鎖了自己，遇到事物就急於忘下判斷、情感先行、先入為主，成為了井底之蛙。我們不要以為保留一切舊事物等於傳承，不要以為停滯不前就叫傳統，更不要以為改變是數典忘祖。文化傳承說的是精神的延續，而不是一切以前做開的就要盲目承襲。如果開平建校50年，所有設施均50年不變，不作任何翻新，學生學習環境將會如何？中華文化如果如以前一樣，文明又如何推展？所以，不要以「保留傳統」去遮掩內心不想學習新事物的不安，也不要苟安於舒適區，那是我們成長的絆腳石。

   

人要成長必須要有視野與格局，也要有求進的雄心去革新與創建。我們要有更廣闊的胸襟，既持守正道，也要有彈性接納世事常變的事實。願與各位一同做一個懂得反思，也會躬行實踐的勇者及創造者，謝謝大家！