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GREECE looms large in the world’s imagination. A thousand dreamers have a thousand different visions of this nation of picturesque islands, grand mythology and, recently, economic tumult.
I believe the Chinese people’s interest in Greece stems from a deep respect and appreciation for the nation’s ancient culture. Indeed, as the intellectual and political forebearer of Western civilization, a discussion of Western culture is not complete without mention of Greece, just it is impossible to relate the broad depth of Chinese culture without referring to the Tang and Song dynasties.
I first saw Greece with my own eyes during the 7th Thessaloniki International Book Fair (TIBF), opened on April 22, 2010, at which China was fortunate enough to be the “country of honor.”Over 200 Chinese publishers, authors, artists and government representatives were in attendance to present over 3,000 book titles, some of which were Chinese translations of the classics of Greek mythology. My time in the country left me
with some beautiful impressions, many of which proved very different from the stereotypes of an imagined and romanticized Greece. Although the land of beasts and warriors of the country’s rich mythology may be stuff of legend, an epic spirit certainly seems to reside in the hearts of the proud Greek people.
Aside from olive oil and other agricultural products, tourism is the pillar of Greek economy. The Greeks are eager to display their country’s beautiful scenery and fascinating historical sights. Respect for the ancient culture and the importance of tourism to local’s livelihoods means that construction of modern buildings is extremely slow – on breaking earth, builders are positively guaranteed to encounter precious cultural relics and architectural ruins, just like in China’s Shaanxi and Henan provinces.
Our Chinese representatives at the book fair felt the grandness of ancient civilization all around us, whether it be in the ruins of once majestic ancient buildings, forsaken temples, overflowing museums or the statues of great men long deceased. In Thessaloniki and then in Athens, the air seemed positively humming with culture, and past glories wafted down to us through the branches of the ubiquitous olive trees.
I was most impressed by the Acropolis, which at the time was still under restoration. The Temple of the Goddess Athena, the Parthenon, is considered a supreme example of the achievements of ancient Greek architecture. Built on a hill 150 meters above sea level, the temple has born witness to 3,000 years of history. Then there is the open-air theater in the Acropolis of Athens. In its prime, it could accommodate an audience of 17,000. It was humbling to think that the dramas of the fathers of tragedy, namely Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides, as well as the plays of the comic playwright Aristophanes, were all staged here more than 2,500 years ago. Today, the seats and stage remain largely intact, and many performances of ancient dramas and arts-related award ceremonies are still held in the grand theater.
There are around 30,000 Chinese citizens in Greece, including permanent residents and those temporarily living or working there. Greek people seem to be very kind to Chinese. Whether it was from the audiences at book exhibitions, or with the scholars attending seminars at the book fair, we felt this warmth everywhere we ventured.
One particularly memorable instance of this kindness was when our group met an elderly lady in an ancient theater. Speaking no English, let alone Chinese, on hearing we were from China, she immediately rushed over and hugged and kissed us all on the cheeks twice, as per the local practice. No one in our delegation understood Greek, but we certainly understood this spontaneous expression of hospitality towards Chinese guests in her country, and we felt truly grateful.
It is a shame that the image of ancient Greece’s crumbling ruins is now used a sad metaphor for Greece’s collpasing public finances. During our stay in Greece, the country’s sovereign debt crisis just unfurling, and the economic shockwaves could be felt throughout the country.
Experts and scholars are divided as to the causes of the crisis. Perhaps their various viewpoints on the issue are drawn from different perspectives and national interests. From my limited knowledge of the country and its people from my short stay there, I would agree with the German tabloid Bild, which wrote an open letter to the Greek prime minister George Papandreou and suggested that Greek people just need to get up earlier and work longer. Even before this letter was published, some German politicians had proposed the condition that before receiving any international aid, the Greek government should sell off some of its assets, including art works, ancient architectural sites and perhaps even some islands.
We Chinese do not think any country should be forced to accept such demanding conditions on aid, not only due to the fact that ancient civilizations are priceless and cannot be monetized in this manner, but also because Greek civilization represents a cultural heritage shared by people all over the world. The world’s citizens are obliged to value and protect it together with Greek people. But we do hope Greek people are able to change their attitudes towards life and work if the somewhat spiteful accusations mentioned in the Bild editorial are on the mark.
I sincerely hope that Greece can extricate itself from potential economic ruin and return to the glory of its past.
I believe the Chinese people’s interest in Greece stems from a deep respect and appreciation for the nation’s ancient culture. Indeed, as the intellectual and political forebearer of Western civilization, a discussion of Western culture is not complete without mention of Greece, just it is impossible to relate the broad depth of Chinese culture without referring to the Tang and Song dynasties.
I first saw Greece with my own eyes during the 7th Thessaloniki International Book Fair (TIBF), opened on April 22, 2010, at which China was fortunate enough to be the “country of honor.”Over 200 Chinese publishers, authors, artists and government representatives were in attendance to present over 3,000 book titles, some of which were Chinese translations of the classics of Greek mythology. My time in the country left me
with some beautiful impressions, many of which proved very different from the stereotypes of an imagined and romanticized Greece. Although the land of beasts and warriors of the country’s rich mythology may be stuff of legend, an epic spirit certainly seems to reside in the hearts of the proud Greek people.
Aside from olive oil and other agricultural products, tourism is the pillar of Greek economy. The Greeks are eager to display their country’s beautiful scenery and fascinating historical sights. Respect for the ancient culture and the importance of tourism to local’s livelihoods means that construction of modern buildings is extremely slow – on breaking earth, builders are positively guaranteed to encounter precious cultural relics and architectural ruins, just like in China’s Shaanxi and Henan provinces.
Our Chinese representatives at the book fair felt the grandness of ancient civilization all around us, whether it be in the ruins of once majestic ancient buildings, forsaken temples, overflowing museums or the statues of great men long deceased. In Thessaloniki and then in Athens, the air seemed positively humming with culture, and past glories wafted down to us through the branches of the ubiquitous olive trees.
I was most impressed by the Acropolis, which at the time was still under restoration. The Temple of the Goddess Athena, the Parthenon, is considered a supreme example of the achievements of ancient Greek architecture. Built on a hill 150 meters above sea level, the temple has born witness to 3,000 years of history. Then there is the open-air theater in the Acropolis of Athens. In its prime, it could accommodate an audience of 17,000. It was humbling to think that the dramas of the fathers of tragedy, namely Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides, as well as the plays of the comic playwright Aristophanes, were all staged here more than 2,500 years ago. Today, the seats and stage remain largely intact, and many performances of ancient dramas and arts-related award ceremonies are still held in the grand theater.
There are around 30,000 Chinese citizens in Greece, including permanent residents and those temporarily living or working there. Greek people seem to be very kind to Chinese. Whether it was from the audiences at book exhibitions, or with the scholars attending seminars at the book fair, we felt this warmth everywhere we ventured.
One particularly memorable instance of this kindness was when our group met an elderly lady in an ancient theater. Speaking no English, let alone Chinese, on hearing we were from China, she immediately rushed over and hugged and kissed us all on the cheeks twice, as per the local practice. No one in our delegation understood Greek, but we certainly understood this spontaneous expression of hospitality towards Chinese guests in her country, and we felt truly grateful.
It is a shame that the image of ancient Greece’s crumbling ruins is now used a sad metaphor for Greece’s collpasing public finances. During our stay in Greece, the country’s sovereign debt crisis just unfurling, and the economic shockwaves could be felt throughout the country.
Experts and scholars are divided as to the causes of the crisis. Perhaps their various viewpoints on the issue are drawn from different perspectives and national interests. From my limited knowledge of the country and its people from my short stay there, I would agree with the German tabloid Bild, which wrote an open letter to the Greek prime minister George Papandreou and suggested that Greek people just need to get up earlier and work longer. Even before this letter was published, some German politicians had proposed the condition that before receiving any international aid, the Greek government should sell off some of its assets, including art works, ancient architectural sites and perhaps even some islands.
We Chinese do not think any country should be forced to accept such demanding conditions on aid, not only due to the fact that ancient civilizations are priceless and cannot be monetized in this manner, but also because Greek civilization represents a cultural heritage shared by people all over the world. The world’s citizens are obliged to value and protect it together with Greek people. But we do hope Greek people are able to change their attitudes towards life and work if the somewhat spiteful accusations mentioned in the Bild editorial are on the mark.
I sincerely hope that Greece can extricate itself from potential economic ruin and return to the glory of its past.