On October, 18 in the Institute of International Relations, History and Oriental Studies was held a public lecture by Professor from Renmin University of China, Mr. Gang Cao, devoted to Chinese life philosophy. This lecture was held in the framework of International scientific conference Russia – China: history and culture.
Professor started his lecture supposing that listeners might have played in the game called the lottery which resembles our life. In the life labyrinth a man can`t rely on his own senses, the main line in the Chinese philosophy is to be a guide for another man. As it was mentioned in the lecture traditional Chinese philosophy has three elements: philosophy of spiritual levels of human development, philosophy of a face and aspiration to body and soul development.
The lecture was about these elements.
All these spiritual levels are composed of natural, secular, ethic (moral) elements and solitude. The meaning of a human life is to ascend from lower level to higher to approach higher spiritual life. As the lecturer noted this is the essence of the Chinese philosophy. Chinese philosophy states that the solitude gives a man an opportunity to see things other people can`t see and this is the third eye or all-seeing eye.
Throughout the lecture Mr. Gang Cao was comparing western and eastern from medicine and up to fine arts. Moreover, he unveiled the topic of face in the Chinese philosophy. Explaining this phenomenon he exemplified it with Beijing opera, which main element is the mask. Its color and originality are very significant as they determine the human character. Life is theater and throughout his life a man puts on different masks, e.g. a mask of a father, a mask of a Chinese man.
Duality of a person implies his social and spiritual image, this fact defines the Chinese culture. Generally, Gang Cao points out that Chinese people pay attention to their social role as well.
This lecture captured the audience, students asked about attitude towards death in the Chinese philosophy, the Chinese martial arts.