ADAPTING TRADITIONAL WISDOM FOR PRESENT-DAY USE

Abstract

Tingshuo Yang, the interviewee, is an anthropologist and ethnologist. He defines traditions from a perspective of human society development and points out that there are three spheres of traditions, including the ones respectively related to inorganic nature, organic ecosystems, and social customs. Traditions in such three spheres are under independent development laws and cycles, while influencing each other. The interviewee also distinguishes traditional knowledge from traditional wisdom and emphasizes that traditional wisdom is complex in dimensions and rich in contents which requires us to examine and define traditional wisdom with a dialectical, developing outlook. He further underlines the significance of applying the wisdoms in traditions though under nowadays unceasing scientific and technological advance. Finally, Yang argues that how to reactivate and apply such wisdoms for present-day use is one of the pressing and necessary tasks that we are facing today.

Keywords

Traditional Wisdom / Knowledge / Human Social Development / Ecological Civilization Construction

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2018 Higher Education Press