Guangdong: Not A Cultural Desert, But A Cultural Ocean

Guangzhou, June 28th, 2010, the Southern City News: The Guangdong Zhujiang Cultural Research Association, an academic team led by provincial government counselor and Professor Huang Weizong of SYSU, visited the roads of Qin and Han dynasty, tracing back the origin of the Pearl River culture. Today, the association is going to celebrate its 10th anniversary, and The History of Zhujiang Culture in China, a three million-word masterpiece of years of hard work, is ready for publish.

A few days ago, when interviewed by Nandu Journalist, Huang Weizong and Situ Shangji, editors of The History of Zhujiang Culture in China had said:" The History of Zhujiang Culture in China will tell the readers that Guangdong has a long history of culture, and it is certainly not a cultural desert."

Journalist: Since every culture has its merits and demerits, what do you think are the merits and demerits of Zhujiang culture?

Situ Shangji: Merits are often mentioned, such as multivariate, tolerant, open and practical. But we also have to realize its demerits. There is a joke that Cantonese only give birth to babies, but they don't know how to name them, which reflects some demerits of Cantonese culture to some extent.

Journalist: There is a popular saying abroad that if you want to know how China was like 500 years ago, then go to Xi'an; To know how China was like 300 years ago, then go to Beijing; To know how China was like 100 years ago, then go to Shanghai; To know how China has been since she carried out the reform and opening 30 years ago, then go to Guangzhou. Do you agree with that?

Huang Weizong: Actually it is a misunderstanding. Zhujiang Culture shares an equal status with Huanghe culture and Changjiang culture. For example, primitive skull fossil was discovered in Qujiang Maba in North Guangdong in 1960s. They have been proved to be 100,000 years ago and were considered to be ancestor of linnan people. Two primitive teeth fossil were discovered in Fengkai in West Guangdong at the end of 1970s. They have been confirmed to be 128,000 years ago, which means that Zhujiang culture originated 28,000 years earlier. The civilization of Fengkai People began even earlier than Beijing people's. All these figures show that Zhujiang culture has a long history and it shares an equal status with Huanghe culture and Changjiang culture.