No matter how China develops, we can't lose ancient etiquette.

The Analects of Confucius said, "If you don't learn etiquette, you can't stand." In ancient China, there was a saying of "Five Rites", in which the sacrificial ceremony was auspicious, the wedding ceremony was a ceremony, the guest ceremony was a guest ceremony, the military ceremony was a military ceremony, and the funeral ceremony was a fierce ceremony. China's traditional virtues, such as loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, wisdom and faithfulness, are all reflected in his back.

However, it is undeniable that some people will think that China's traditional etiquette is feudal and conservative. In many people's impression, ancient etiquette is a tool to maintain the patriarchal hierarchy, especially the worship ceremony, which can always stimulate the public's nerves.

Professor Tsinghua University Peng Lin talks about Chinese etiquette.

1. Is ancient etiquette really useless? Why should we learn ancient etiquette today?

Peng Lin, a professor in Tsinghua University, has devoted his life to studying ancient Chinese characters, Zhou Li, Li Ji and Yi Li, and can be said to be the most knowledgeable person in the world. He gave the most direct answer to why he should learn ancient etiquette today: "The fundamental difference between man and beast lies in etiquette." He also repeatedly stressed that learning ancient etiquette is not to be an ancient person and go back to the past, but to regain the culture buried by time, to make the past serve the present, to show Chinese civilization to the whole world, and to get rid of anachronism and formulate new etiquette that conforms to modern people.

2. Why do you emphasize the importance of learning ancient etiquette at present?

Since Beijing won the Olympic bid in 2000, only one thing has been done so far, that is, let all our compatriots learn manners, courtesy and salute. In this era, as in the past, politeness is the best assurance for a harmonious society. There is a song called "Let the World Be Full of Love" in Seoul Olympic Games, but look at it now. Is the situation like the song? War still exists.

Confucianism is full of wisdom, injecting all ideas into people through "ceremony" and teaching people how to be a man. And from the most authentic feelings with parents, we will promote ourselves to reach a kind of fraternity with others and pass it on from generation to generation. Once a professor from Tsinghua Law School went to France. The French discussed with him that westerners talk about contracts, even if they support their parents, they should conclude contracts, while China people don't understand contracts. But do children need contracts to support their parents? This is a matter of course. The Book of Filial Piety says at the beginning that "filial piety is the essence of heaven and the meaning of earth". In China, not everyone should adopt their parents, which is a cultural tradition and virtue. If the society forms a general atmosphere of honoring parents and respecting other people's parents, the society will really progress.

3. Many people mentioned that ancient etiquette was feudal and retro. What do you think of this problem?

It is actually a misunderstanding to say that ancient etiquette is feudalism, capitalism and ancients. We can't go back to the Zhou Dynasty and the past. And some etiquette culture, such as shooting ceremony in rural areas, was just buried by time, so we dug it up, made the past serve the present and showed our civilization to the whole world. Moving the rural shooting ceremony out again is not to return to the Zhou Dynasty, nor to be an ancient man.

Now we study ancient etiquette, that is, to make the original things and study which are the core elements and which can't be used, so as to make a new set of etiquette suitable for modern people.