ISSUE120【Dacing in the dark】第**次作业 by fingshang

fingshangUID: 2469559

TOPIC: ISSUE120 - "So much is new and complex today that looking back for an understanding of the past provides little guidance for living in the present."
WORDS: 491
TIME: 00:45:00+3
DATE: 2009-7-30 上午 10:47:29

Does history guide us out from puzzle in present? Someone claims that we are living in such a rapid changing world with endless innovations and creations, the passed days can seldom provide us instructions. However, as a glass reflecting ourselves, looking back for an understanding of the past do have merits in a particular way.

First and foremost, history presents plenty of lessons indirectly or directly for current people to learn. Sometimes, studying the certain history of a subject is essential. In china, most of the historians are interested in the study of ancient empires. Obviously, they are not pretended to find direct solutions for today's issue. Yet by exploring and understanding the relationship between historical figures and events, we can conclude and infer the reason why a dynasty once splendid
collapsed. By doing this, we can avoid making unnecessary mistakes. On the other hand, direct constructions can be found in history. During the civil war in china, Mao at that time directly used the tactics learned from Sun Tzu---a famous ancient writer on military theory in China. Until now, one of the most profound books by Sun Tzu---the Art of War---is popular in classes of military colleges.

What's more, study of the past can inspire our thinking in an indirect way. Things change. People change. But their are numerous similarity between things thousand years ago and right now. We share the same sadness, happiness, rejoice and sorrow with our ancestors. We understand and explore the outside world in similar way just by different tools. We love, we hate, We win and lose with the same appearance on our faces. Even in a totally new and different fields, guidance from ancient dynasty can also be beneficial. Just as the mentioned book above, the coach of Australia national football team read the Art of War and applied it in football competition and finally his team came to the final game in 2006 world cup. Because in a larger sense, football games are also a kind of war, the words "to know yourself and to know your enemy", which comes from the ancient book are significant at the same time while training a football team.

However, meanwhile, we should be aware of the difference of differences of history and current situations.
History, to some extent is just an interpretation by the historians about things past. They understand and illustrate history in their own way, although based on facts and evidence from ancient books, art works and other remains. Historians are some sort of story tellers. To deduct and explore the truth by ourselves and take history as a reference is may be a more proper middle way.

To sum up, history is just the thing passed away; we need to face our own future in our own way. But it also provides us tremendous meaningful lessons which can inspire and instruct us to confront current challenges both directly and indirectly.