〓DIES IN FLAMES〓 issue 63

刚刚好UID: 2599482

In the long river of human culture, there are a myriad of sinuous branches as known as various groups’ particular cultures diverging from the main river. We only need to cast back a little and we will find out a lot of intersections of such branches. I strongly agree with the speaker’s statement that it is necessary to know at least one other culture for the purpose of understanding our own.

Generally, culture can be best comprehended in three aspects of material traits, religious belief, and art achievement. In distinct systems of cultures, in my view, some identical things always have different interpretations. However, some other things, which are seemingly quite different, have numerous relationships and the identical origin.

There is no doubt that the same stuff always has different meanings when it comes to distinct backgrounds of cultures. Wood comb, for example, has been seen as a sort of artwork favored by Chinese people, which may be used not only as the implement for dressing and making up, but also as the gift presented to the new couple at wedding. Because there is a widely shared belief among Chinese people that, as the particular character in Chinese culture, wood comb is the emblem of having a happy life forever. Nevertheless, wood comb, which relates with death, is a taboo in Japanese culture. It is embarrassed of sending a wood comb to a Japanese people. Thus, before contacting with other nation’s people, it is important for us to know that nation’s culture.

On the other hand, people can hardly reflect that some different things in different cultures have close relationships. Actually, the reality is usually true in several realms such as art and religion. A good example of this can be best provided by the American art, which consists of a good deal of artistic forms. The modern art in America is the development of the traditional culture of America especially the impressionism, which was born in France. Cassatt, an American painter, lived much of her adult life in France. She profoundly grasped the essence of the impressionism and then she integrated it with the American local culture to set up the archetype of the modern art in America. Therefore, people who contrast the modern art both in France and in America will find many of common grounds.


To the already familiar facts above another example may be added: The Islam around the world. Except several major areas of it, some communities are also found in China, the Balkan Peninsula in Eastern Europe and Russia. Although all of the communities have already absorbed local culture and existed in local society as a particular branch, we will find it that wherever the disciples live now, they throughout possess the identical origin and the same life style of one religion. These two examples prove that even if in different backgrounds, various culture always have the same origin and close relationships.

To sum up, with the development of scientific technology and the enhancement of cultural communication, our big Earth is gradually becoming a small “Earth village”. Generally speaking, although every culture in different area has its own special characters, our societies are quite harmonious for those convergences in the long river of human culture.