From Chinese Press

Is there a danger that China might forget the past?

By Stuart Wiggins (People's Daily)
Updated: 2010-07-05 09:08

However, is it not important to teach the methods of historical analysis? After all, these analytical skills are not only confined to history but can be applied to a number of other professions such as journalism, law and the civil service. Those students who possess vocational degrees are somewhat limited in their choice of jobs available and often leave university with a very limited niche skill set, often lacking the real intellectual muscle required by successful businesses. Furthermore, what will become of the true value of Chinese history if it is not studied for investigation's sake? It will simply become a story that people will accept at face value.

For a country with such an interesting and vibrant historical past, history should be one of the cornerstones of its education system just as it is in the top Western universities that so many Chinese students aspire to attend. Studying Chinese history is indeed a daunting task, and certain areas would most likely possess a greater appeal than others (especially those relating to the last 100 years). However, the value of studying history should be recognized within China, not only by students but also by industry.

History graduates not only develop a mature level of self-discipline throughout their studies, but also an independence of mind that is certainly lacking within a number of vocational courses taught from textbooks. Obviously, the government recognizes the importance of history, embracing it as a banner for the people, and has shown their astute realization of its importance through their efforts to promote international relations, seen in the decision made four years ago to cooperate on historical research with Japan, regarding the region's fraught modern history.

Without proselytizing to the nation's parents that they should all think about sending their children to universities to study history, it is vital to understand that history as a concept is important for China and can only remain so if the country is able to produce home-grown scholars capable of exploring the intricacies of its own very demanding history.