By Gao Shen
Translated by Wang Jing
There was a long period in the 20th century when we took "bittersweet
memory" as a way of ideological education. It used to be all the rage in both
cities and villages and it is said to be effective. A historian said to me:"as
for we criticizing and studying history, it is hard to avoid seeking the origin
and talking about those obsolete events frequently. But looking backward is to
move forward. "it seems to be not a bad idea to analyze "bittersweet memory" in
the past with this viewpoint. However, it still seems that there is a lack of
something. Many "bittersweet memories " carry over heavy"bitter memory " while
is short of "sweet memory". It is especially bad when the"bitterness"we
memorized always creates a sense of "content" and "gratefulness" for the reality
and is lack of the ambition of "making still further
progress."
Chinese Version>>
Starting from nothing, the People's Republic of China has gone through one Jiazi (60 years) roughly. Especially for those 30 years of Reform and Opening-up, people's recognition, concept, and strategy have all been adjusted in a large scale. Some traditional concepts have been challenged, the recognition from our party, country and the whole nation has leaped forward surprisingly and they get closer to the reality as to their viewing, controlling, and answering of themselves and the world. China has made great contribution to the world and the world has placed greater hope on the development of China. Chinese people have stretched their bow-shaped body and accepted due respects. It can be said in this way that contemporary world can not ignore the participation of China and neither China can ignore the world.
In such a brilliant day, let us check the roads we have already passed.
To seek truth and act practically to view every footprint, and see how many of
them are left on the way of probing? How many are left on the way of turning
side to side? How many are left on the way of stepping forward along the right
direction. It is actually a national wide"bittersweet memory". I dare to
say that after the establishment of our country, we did not grasp the turning
round of two outlines of "class fighting" and "economical construction"and did
not view "self-reliance" and "opening to the outside world" as two necessary
sides complementary to each other. (Of course, the economical blockade from
western countries in the early years after the establishment of our country is
an important reason for us to be secluded from the world.) In one word, there
are many "bitterness" to be remembered and so as the "sweetness". The experience
from both positive and negative sides is valuable. Do not be afraid to be the
"latter-wit", for the "latter-wit" today will probably become the "foreknow"
tomorrow.