In one room, it will be a hundred years old
He is an expert in the history of China, focusing on the combination of history and theory, and concentrating on showing the important scenes and development logic in the history of China in a three-dimensional way of combining points, lines, and surfaces, so as to deeply understand the political and cultural essence of this unique century-old history, and explain the values of the Communist Party of China with a scientific attitude. He isProfessor Cheng Meidong of the School of Marxism, uphold the mission of establishing morality and cultivating people, inseparable from the persistence based on history, and inseparable from the knowledge hidden in a room.
When I entered the study room of Mr. Cheng's house, I was greeted by two long rows of bookcases standing against the wall. The warm autumn sun shines through the floor-to-ceiling windows and sprinkles on the quaint solid wood bookcases on both sides, reflecting the wisdom and fire between the pages. Books with different colors on the covers, and most of the tomes of a set of systems, are not simply stacked in rows, but stacked according to certain categories, even if they are bookshelves with a roof, they are still filled, as if the history sealed in the case file is about to overflow, and there is a sense of heaviness that runs through the past and the present.
In addition to the open-plan study at home, Professor Cheng Meidong has also added a wall of bookshelves in his office, as well as a large number of e-books stored in computers and mobile hard drives, which he says, "is the foundation of life". A small room, where a hundred years of eventful years gather, the warp of history and the weft of thought are intertwined.
From a small bookcase to a large study
Cheng Meidong loves books, and walking through his book room seems to rub shoulders with the time scale of the past, and it is like meeting countless famous stories ......
Collecting books can be said to be a common hobby of all scholars, and Professor Cheng Meidong is no exception.
Before e-books flourished, visiting bookstores was part of his life.
"Around 2000, an important pastime on weekends was bookstores, Xidan Book Building, Haidian Book City, and Sweet Water Garden Book Market. ”
Having a separate study was once his dream. "When I first came to work at a university in the 1990s, I really wanted to have my own study, and there were only two small bookcases at that time." Later, the economic conditions improved, and there was a new house, in order to expand the study space, Mr. Cheng spent a little effort on the decoration, and finally completed the relatively bright open study room.
In the quiet of the night, whenever I look through the books and materials of the history of the party, and touch the books that have been baptized by the years, my heart is always full of happy satisfaction. "Many people say that people who collect cultural relics are 'losers', and I want to buy books as well, because these books, once they are bought, they never think of selling them, just like children, with their side, they belong to themselves. ”
From paper to electronic
Walking through the books collected little by little, it is like passing through the moments of surprise encounters, where the ruts of history are linked, and here is the ...... of Mr. Cheng's bookish life
Perhaps driven by professional characteristics, Cheng Meidong's collection of books is not rare, but comprehensive, systematic and authentic.
Most of the books in his study are books that have been published in China, plus a little information from the public. From the biographies of leaders to the most important historical works at home and abroad, Mr. Cheng has collected and gathered as much as possible in the study.
"These are the materials that I often need to use in class, and they are also the dynamics of academic history that students need to understand in their research, and these are the basis for me to have an overview of the development of party history when I do research on party history. A lot of books need to be read frequently. ”
Cheng's books can be divided into six categories. The first category is:General History of China。From the New Culture Movement, the May Fourth Movement, to the founding of the Communist Party of China, the cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, to the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the War of Liberation, to the reform and opening up, and the new era, all historical content centered on the political development of the Communist Party of China is classified in this categoryThe second category is:A special history of Chinese history, that is, the library materials that study the best historical issues from a multidisciplinary perspective;The third category is:Historical materials in China, such as the "Chinese ** History Teaching Reference Materials" compiled and printed by the Political Academy of the Chinese People's Liberation Army in the 1980s, as well as the "Selected Documents of the Communist Party of China", "Selected Important Documents Since the Founding of the People's Republic of China", "Selected Important Documents Since the Founding of the Party" and so onThe fourth category is:Biographies and memoirs of Chinese historical figuresIt covers the biographies and anthologies of the leaders of the Communist Party of China, military generals and generals above the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China, especially the relevant biographies and anthologies of more than 50 Politburo members and alternate members before 1949, most of which have been collectedThe fifth category is:Overseas Chinese history booksMost of them are translated into Chinese, but some of them are original English booksThe sixth category belongsHumanities and Social Sciences, a classic bibliography involving philosophy, literature, political science, and other disciplines.
Mr. Cheng's office computer also stores a variety of versions, multi-angle and multi-dimensional historical materials. The machine was placed on the table in front of the window, and when I clicked on the disk, more than 800 clearly marked folders were displayed, from biographies to local historical materials, from red periodicals to compilations of literature, from series of monographs to revolutionary memories, unfolding like veins of leaves, outlining the annual rings of reading. In addition, he also has a few big U disks, **Qu Qiubai ......Familiar names transcend the barriers of time and space, and gather in Mr. Cheng's "collection", stringing together monuments to the development of the Communist Party.
Although it is bought sporadically, the aspects included are relatively complete, "As long as there is an electronic version, I try to collect it, and it is estimated that there are 10,000 e-books stored in this way, and it is also very convenient to use." ”
From bamboo slips, to silk books, to paper;From engraving and lettering, to movable type printing, to laser phototypesetting, Cheng Meidong believes that "the concept of book must keep pace with the times", and the same is true for reading. Following the trend of the times, he has become more and more accustomed to consulting electronic resources, whether it is the vast database of the Peking University Library or the professional classic materials he has bought. Sitting at home is like being in a huge museum, and you can truly feel the convenience of emerging technologies.
Nowadays, the number of e-books of Mr. Cheng has far exceeded that of paper books, even though the carrier of knowledge is easier, and the research footprints of insight and subtlety have always continued, every time he steps into the realm of the study, the owner's heart reverberates with ripples, "The study is the place where we settle down and live, and it is our own spiritual garden." ”
Go through the pages of the book to understand the history and culture of the party
After many years of studying the history of the party, the books collected constitute the footnotes of the times all over the study, and have become the cornerstone ...... Cheng Meidong's current learning
Riding the wind of the page, Cheng Meidong knocked on the door of party history research.
For Cheng Meidong, the study of party history has a long way to go, and it still needs to be carefully studied from the pages of the book, and we must not ignore the in-depth study of party history because we are familiar with the conclusions, "If we do not study the history of the party in depth and in detail, it is easy to have preconceived cognitive biases and cognitive paranoia, which is harmful both politically and academically." ”
When asked about the most impressive party history books, Mr. Cheng made a difficulty, "Party history books and historical materials cannot be said to be vast, but they must be countless. There are so many books that I have learned from my limited reading that it is difficult to express it accurately with 'most'."
He shared a few books that he read before and after he was a graduate student in the early 1990s, which were like a beacon of light to guide young people on the road of party history research.
One is"The Great Beginning".This is what Cheng Meidong saw in the mid-to-late 1980s. "When I personally read history, I feel that this is a work that pioneered the special history of party history in the 1980s. The description of some historical events and details of the characters, the flexible and vivid text, is refreshing, and I remember that the description of Xiang Ying at the climax of the third workers' movement is very friendly and vivid, exuding a strong atmosphere of the spring of reform and opening up in the study of party history. ”
The second book is"Seventy Years of the Communist Party of China"., a masterpiece of party history textbooks since the founding of the People's Republic of China. "This book has carried out profound thinking with great historical courage, and the novelty of the views on some issues, the vividness of the words, and the inspiring pulse of the overall spiritual outlook far surpass the party history textbooks I have read in the past. For the first time, this book does not use the usual expression of 'degraded' when describing modern China's semi-colonial and semi-feudal society in an authoritative textbook, but only uses the term 'degraded' when describing semi-colonies, which is the most direct embodiment of the book's full absorption of academic research results in the 1980s. ”
The third category is:The book series "Biography of Chinese Historical Figures".In the impression of Mr. Cheng Meidong, there were a total of 50 volumes in the open shelf stacks of the library at that time, and about 300 characters were included. By reading and browsing the biographies of these figures, I have greatly broadened my horizons in party history, greatly made up for the conceptualization, face-painting and monotony of party history in textbooks, enriched my cognition of the genealogical relationship of high-level figures in party history, and greatly increased my sense of awe for the broad and profound party history. ”
The fourth book isA Philosophical Perspective on Thought, Different from the relevant domestic treatises that Mr. Cheng Meidong had read before, this research book has a very broad vision. "It goes from China's Spring and Autumn Ram Theory to Yangming Psychology, from Western Marxism to Neo-Hegelianism, and other broad and broad visions, meticulous and profound methods, which make me feel refreshed," he remembered when he read it at the end of 1992, "Although some of the views and historical facts of the book are inaccurate, its academic vision, narrative style, meticulous analysis, and combing and analysis of characters and events inspire us to learn from the vision, ideas, and methods of foreign academic circles in the study of party history." ”
Soaring between the pages of the book, the world behind the history and culture of the party is vast and abundant, stepping into it, Cheng Meidong sees the origin of the Communist Party of China and its related research, and looks at the endless distance, contemplating deeply in the pen.
Phi Sha Li Jin shapes the spirit of history
After carefully studying the history of the party for many years, a period of eventful years jumped out of the pages of the book, jumped out of the bookshelf, and echoed the clear ...... of history in Cheng Meidong's knowledge garden
Many bibliographies have built a multi-dimensional coordinate system for Mr. Cheng's research, achieved his fate with Chinese history, and painted an academic picture full of ideals.
When it comes to the mental journey of studying party history books, Mr. Cheng Meidong did not give a simple and direct answer. He said with emotion, "The importance of Chinese history is not well understood in both the academic and social circles, whether it is at the rational level or the emotional level, especially at the academic level. ”
In fact, the core of modern Chinese history is the history of the Communist Party of China, and it is impossible to truly understand the development trajectory and motivation of modern and contemporary Chinese history without understanding Chinese history. ”In Cheng Meidong's view, many important issues in the historical development of modern and contemporary China can be found in the history of the Communist Party of China, directly or indirectly, as links and feedback factors. This is because the initiative in the historical development of human society is mainly embodied in the political level. The Communist Party of China (CPC) was born and developed in the history of modern and contemporary China, and has gradually influenced and dominated all aspects of the country's political and social life. "If you are not familiar with the history of political parties that have had such a profound and extensive impact, it is difficult to grasp the context of the historical development of modern and contemporary China," Mr. Cheng said sincerely and solemnly.
"If we are not biased in the history of the Chinese Communist Party, we must admit that it has achieved a good combination of Chinese tradition and world modernity. In order to form this understanding from the heart, it is necessary to build on a comprehensive and detailed reading of the history of the Communist Party of China and an in-depth understanding of life. Only by deeply Xi the history of China can you truly perceive that the spirit of sacrifice, scientific spirit, and dedication of the Communist Party of China is unique among political groups in modern China.
Second, unparalleled. ”
Cheng Meidong firmly believes that the in-depth study of the history of the party is not only of great academic significance, but also has great positive political and social significance.
If you want to study the history of China, how should you study it?Mr. Cheng, who is deeply engaged in the study of party history, has gone through the test of time, combined theory with practice, and has realized some experience. He believes that "everyone has different characteristics, and the research and Xi path of each of the predecessors in the field of party history is also different." However, there is always a commonality in any research on a specific issue, otherwise it is impossible to form a professional research group. It is also for this reason that he wrote a few years ago"Talking about the path of learning the history of Xi".In this article, drawing on the knowledge structure of some previous party history experts and combining with their personal Xi experience, this article puts forward suggestions for gradually learning Xi party history from seven aspects: general history of party history, biographies and memoirs, history of events, special history, history of military struggle, history of organization building, history of ideology and culture, and history of Western learning from the East. Of course, this is just a little impression of mine, and it may not be completely suitable, and it is just a little reference for young people who are interested in the study of party history. ”
When I was young, I didn't know the meaning of the poem, and when I read it again, I was already a person in the poem', this sentence can be used in the process of understanding the Xi significance of party history. To truly understand the history of the party, you need to become a 'person in history'. Cheng Meidong's tone revealed his heartfelt confidence, piety and awe for the study of Chinese history.
From words and phrases to truth, goodness and beauty
Cheng Meidong has his own ...... of the three realms of reading
In Mr. Cheng's heart, there are three "requests" for reading, the book is the wind, the heart is the boat, the wind rises, the boat travels through the water, and the echo of the pages of the book. From departure to berthing, the stage is different, the mentality is different, and the desire is naturally unique.
The first stage is to seek the truth. At the elementary and secondary school level, students learn a wide range Xi of humanities, social sciences and natural sciences, whether it is mastering historical facts, properly using syntax and grammar, or distinguishing between good and evil, they always consciously or unintentionally ask "What is this book about?".In the book, "Who are the good guys and who are the bad guys?"."I always want to learn Xi knowledge that is constantly approaching the existing standard answers. "This kind of reading takes knowledge as the main content, and it is mainly reading to learn Xi knowledge of humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. ”
The second stage is to seek goodness. "Reading after middle school has both the direct external motivation to survive and choose a job, as well as the internal motivation to shed tears for heroes. Because we can't fly high with our wings, we study hard;Because we can't help ourselves, we study hard;Because our hearts are high and our lives are thin, we study hard ......Reading is a desire for the unity of ideal and reality;Reading is to seek the unity of society, family, and personal relationshipsReading is to seek the unity of nature and society. In short, why, how, and for whom to live—this is an important motivation for reading in the decades of youth. Trying to find and create an ideal social form, finding self-meaning, and pursuing the mutual 'harmony' between self-existence and actual existence is goodwill. Reading from the pages of a book to promote and practice such a humanistic spirit and realize the resonance of the heart is to ignite the mind of exploring the external world and shaping the inner world, and to constantly achieve a leap in order to find the right position, and this kind of reading is a journey of "seeking goodness".
The third stage is to seek beauty. More than half a hundred years old, there is no utilitarian idea in reading, but seeking self-enjoyment is a good idea. In **, constantly tending to the truth, gradually approaching the little-known truth, not forcing it to be recognized by others, or even having no desire to publicize it to others, only turning into an artistic self-enjoyment;In the book, release the inner doubts, achieve what you want without exceeding the rules, fill yourself with a sense of satisfaction, turn it into a personalized enjoyment, and it is enough to understand. "Now I read a lot of books not to write ** for publication, but just as Sima Qian said, when studying heaven and man, through the changes of the past and the present, accumulate some information, and hook up a generation of blood. ”On the long road of party history research, Mr. Cheng worked hard to peel off the cocoons from the mountains of materialsHe also worked hard to "skillfully work", striving to penetrate into the inside and understand the so-called "beauty" realm.
"There are too many fields of party history research, and there are too many books to read, and even more so to be intensively read. Every time I think of this, I regret my lack of reading the history of the party, deeply spur myself not to slack off, and I am full of longing for the future life to be extremely fulfilling. ”
The first voyage, the pages of the book are flying, with the expectation of seeking truth;The boat is on the water, and the pages of the book are spread out, leading the direction of seeking goodness;One day, the boat will dock, and when you open the book again, your mood will naturally be very different. The grandeur of a hundred years is hidden in a room of study, and the fate of ancient and modern China and foreign countries is placed in a corner of the heart.
After reading Mr. Cheng's study, what do you want to say?
2 outstanding readers will receive this book.
Sitting in the book city - the study room of Peking University scholars
Author: Edited by the Propaganda Department of the Party Committee of Peking University
15 representative teachers from various disciplines of Peking University were selected to show their study rooms and teachers' style, tell their reading and academic life stories, and each teacher also recommended a reading list. These teachers are Dong Qiang, Han Maoli, Zhang Huiyu, Cao Wenxuan, Xu Xianglin, Dai Jinhua, Qin Xuezheng, Wang Yuguang, Zhang Fan, Mu Liangzhu, Lin Yifu, Zhu Qingsheng, Fang Bo, Wang Shichen, and Meng Juanjuan.
Recommended Reading:Life-impacting book lists
Author: Ren Yuzhong, Li Zhe, Editor-in-Chief, Propaganda Department of the Party Committee of Peking University, Admissions Office, Peking University.
It is advisable to listen to the master beside him, and it is good to read by the unnamed lake. This book is a collection of reading sharing and academic testimonials from 100 Peking University professors, in order to present the ideological essence and academic style of Peking University people. What is commendable is that 137 professors of Peking University counted their excellent works, recommended books that influenced their lives, and condensed their academic insights, reading experiences and life experiences into proverbs around topics such as "study", "reading" and "life".