China News Service, Xi'an, November 7th, title: Xi'an "foreign son-in-law" who is "obsessed with" the Four Books and Five Classics: "Understand" China through classics
Author Alina Yang Yingqi
“If you want to understand a nation and a culture, you can find its ideological roots in their classics.” said Xia Fude, a “foreign son-in-law,” who works and lives in Xi’an. Chinese is very attractive. He has read Chinese classics for more than 20 years. Learn more about Chinese culture and Chinese people.
There were many Chinese living around Xiaford in Vancouver, Canada since he was a child, which made him full of curiosity about the Chinese language.
When he was in college, Xiaford specifically enrolled in elective Chinese courses, and he became addicted to it.
"Chinese is very different from my mother tongue. The learning process brought me a lot of fun."
Xiaford, who liked Chinese and Chinese culture, began to try to understand this country with a long history and culture.
"My university teacher is a "China Master". He led me to understand ancient Chinese thinkers such as Confucius, Laozi, and Zhuangzi. I am most interested in Mozi and Mohist thought." Xiaford said that the mysterious oriental culture deeply attracted him. .
After traveling to China for the first time in 2000, Xiaford has been "wandering" in Chinese classics and has been reading Chinese books for 21 years.
He prefers Chinese classics such as The Tao Te Ching, Zhuangzi, and The Analects, and often communicates his reading experience with Chinese friends, which has benefited him a lot.
"I myself have two ways to read. One is to read difficult books, which often makes me want to'hit the wall'." Xiaford said with a smile.
But he immediately replied, "This kind of reading also keeps me humble, telling myself that what I have learned is far from enough. The "Book of Rites" that I am studying recently makes me feel that way."
In addition, Xiaford will also read some simple Chinese books, which can relax him and continue to maintain his love for Chinese.
"Reading more books has also made me understand Chinese culture more and more. Over the years, I have gradually understood the Chinese way of thinking and the way of being in the world." Xiaford said that he used to be impatient and is part of Chinese classics. Thought taught him to "slow down" and feel life.
Learning Chinese and exploring Chinese culture not only allowed Xiaford to understand "Zhihuzhe", but also allowed him to find the "code" of happiness in life.
On the university campus, Xiaford met his wife, Liu Ying, a girl from Xi'an.
From mutual aid to language learning to entering the palace of marriage, Xiaford has become a "Chinese son-in-law" for 14 years.
Xiaford, who has lived in Xi'an for more than ten years, speaks Chinese more and more fluently, and has become more and more accustomed to the local diet. He has personally experienced the changes in this city and fell in love with working and living in this city.
"Our company's customers are all outside China, but our R&D and testing personnel are in Xi'an." Xiaford said that the company has no business in China, but chose to "locate" in Xi'an because of its relatively abundant high-tech human resources. .
"The extensive and profound Chinese culture has opened a new'window' for me in life." Xiaford said that the process of learning Chinese has allowed him to constantly have new thinking. Studying Chinese classics has helped him think about problems from more angles and dimensions.
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