Qilu Evening News Qilu one-point reporter Song Zufeng
After studying Neo-Confucian culture for more than 20 years and devoting himself to promoting the international development of the college, Pei Tanning, a Canadian scholar and dean of the School of Political Science and Public Administration at Shandong University, said that he wanted to continue to develop in China, inherit and carry forward Confucian culture, and continue to serve Shandong.
More than 20 years ago, he studied Neo-Confucian culture
Wearing a straight Zhongshan suit, speaking fluent Chinese, and revealing elegance and modesty in speech and demeanor, on the afternoon of January 4, at the Qingdao campus of Shandong University, Qilu Evening News Qilu OnePoint reporter met Pei Danning, dean of the School of Political Science and Public Administration of Shandong University.
Born in 1964, Bell is a Canadian scholar with indissoluble ties to China. Since 1996, Bell has been an associate professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Hong Kong, and in 2004 he moved to Beijing to teach political theory as a professor and doctoral supervisor in the Department of Philosophy and Schwarzman College at Tsinghua University.
Bell is a world-famous political philosopher and one of the most famous representatives of contemporary Neo-Confucianism in the world. Since more than 20 years ago, Pei Tanning has been studying Neo-Confucianism. In 2017, Bell Tanning set foot on the land of Qilu and came to Shandong University to serve as the dean of the School of Political Science and Public Administration. "I worked relatively smoothly in Shandong and have a strong sense of belonging to Shandong." Through his life and work in Shandong in recent years, Pei Tanning has a deeper understanding and understanding of Confucian culture. He said that as the birthplace of Confucianism, Shandong people's personality, customs and habits are greatly influenced by Confucianism. "For example, the etiquette of hospitality, everyone's seat is exquisite." Pei Tanning said that when he first came to Shandong, he was also very uncomfortable, but later he slowly got used to this wine table etiquette culture and integrated into local life customs.
Shandong's sense of history is very thick
In the 4 years of living in Shandong, the most profound influence on Beitaning is that Shandong's sense of history is very thick. "Shandong is different from other places, its sense of history is strong and profound, which is also the spiritual core of Shandong." Belltanin said that this strong sense of history is more traditional and conservative on the one hand, and on the other hand, it is full of modern scientific spirit. The Qingdao campus of Shandong University where BeiTanning works is located on the shore of the beautiful Aoshan Bay in Qingdao, with beautiful scenery. However, Belltaning originally thought that the school was too close to the sea and worried that the school would be flooded after many years of rising sea level, but after learning that the school's location was carefully scientifically demonstrated, he also admired this scientific spirit.
Bei Danning has been to many cities in Shandong, such as Qufu, Jinan, Qingdao, Weihai, Zaozhuang, etc. In his eyes, each city in Shandong has its own urban spirit, "Qufu emphasizes Confucian culture, and Qingdao is an ideal city from all angles." Belltanin defines the spirit of each city in this way. But he believes that the spirit of the city is not static, but the content is constantly changing according to different historical periods. Just like Qingdao from the beginning of the modern city to the later romantic capital, the spirit of the city is not only changing.
Ask students to be "harmonious and different"
Confucian culture deeply influenced this "foreign professor" from the other side of the ocean, and Pei Tanning often told the students to be "harmonious and different". He said that the students of Shandong University are not worse than the students of Tsinghua University, which have strong learning ability, but the students of Shandong University are more studious, and as the dean of the School of Political Science and Public Administration of Shandong University, he has been tirelessly learning Confucius's teaching methods.
As an internationally renowned philosopher and sociologist, Bell Danning is committed to the study of China and Shandong issues, which is of great significance to the development of humanities and social sciences of Shandong University and the international exchange and cooperation of Qingdao Campus. Bei Tanning opened a Chinese course on Xunzi political thought for graduate students at Shandong University, and instead of setting up the course according to his own wishes, he asked students to ask their own questions before the class began, and then opened a course according to the students' interests and hobbies. He boldly innovates teaching methods, is committed to the pursuit of two-way interactive teacher-student exchange experience, edutainment, leading students to visit cultural holy places such as Lanling Xunzi Tomb and Jixia Xuegong, so that students can truly gain insight in the immersive experience of study tour. In addition, it also regularly holds academic lectures for students, and actively invites top scholars from home and abroad to give lectures at Shandong University to promote academic exchanges among young teachers.
On the other hand, Bell Tanning actively promotes the international teaching of the School of Political Science and Management, and for internationalization, Bell Danning believes that this is indeed the shortcoming of the college. Based on his more than ten years of experience teaching at Tsinghua University, he believes that undergraduates at Shandong University are no worse than undergraduates at Tsinghua University; but Shandong university students lack the opportunity to go abroad, and Tsinghua students have many more opportunities. To this end, Bell Tanning led the students to actively participate in foreign academic exchange projects and enriched the students' academic knowledge.
Favorite Qingdao seafood is clams
Pei Tanning once said that his ideal state is to become a "Confucian", and every time he attends an important occasion, he will wear his favorite Zhongshan suit. As a chinese wife, working and living in China for more than 20 years, and a foreign scholar who studied Confucianism, Bei Tanning always wanted to completely integrate himself into Chinese culture. The Chinese name of BellAnning is also taken from the meaning of "Indifferent Mingzhi, Tranquility and Far-reaching".
Pei Tanning said that Shandong people are very friendly and love to make friends, and he often eats with students, tasting local food while exchanging research projects. For Bellaine, qingdao is not only a romantic ideal city, Qingdao seafood is also very delicious, especially Qingdao clams are his favorite.
On the shelves of Bell's office are books of various Confucian doctrines, and he believes that the "benevolence, righteousness, wisdom and faith" in Confucian culture is the core value of traditional philosophy in China and even East Asia. In 2021, Bell Tanning was awarded the title of "Shandong Provincial People's Friendship Messenger" by the Shandong Provincial People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. "I have always hoped to develop in China and serve Shandong." Speaking about future work plans, Bell said.