Sunday, April 30, 2017

492. Thomas Jefferson and the Book of Ode


In the Book of Ode 诗经》, Confucius claimed that “The former kings are not forgotten because of the great virtue they owned when they led their states.  Jefferson drew from the example of Prince Wei in his determination to create a prosperous republican state and preserve his personal legacy. Jefferson believed that a leader should be prepared for meeting demanding, public spirited and morally attuned task. He also believed his own political, moral, and personal values were important to American history. He collected documents, books, newspapers, and other materials so that later historians could reconstruct an accurate representation of his role in The American Revolution. 

From the content of the Chinese poem, it is reasonable to say that Jefferson’s inclusion of this specific Chinese poem reveals his admiration of Confucian ideals and his aim to make himself a leader like Prince Wei, which Confucius recommended.   

491. Japanese National Diet Library Collects Dr. Dave Wang's Paper



When browsing the web I found that the Japanese National Diet Library has collected Dr. Dave Wang's speech, From Confucius to the Great Wall: Chinese cultural influence on colonial North America .





Saturday, April 15, 2017

490. Dr. Dave Wang Shared His Research on Chinese Exporting Porcelain



In his academic research on US founders and China, Dr. Dave Wang has pointed out that Chinese export porcelain was more than a common product or a mere commodity. As other fluent colonists in North America, the founders of the United States coveted porcelain from China.  In North America some colonists were so addicted to their cravings for Chinese porcelain that they went into deb.

On March 11, 2017 President’s Day holiday weekend in the USA. Interviews of Dr. Dave Wang, a noted international authority originally from China who has researched, lectured and published on the ties between the American Founders and Chinese civilization.

The following is from Mr. Jeffrey Bingham Mead, the Host of the 1490 WGCH.

“I met Dr. Wang in Chinatown, Flushing Queens in New York City to hear his findings about the impact of Chinese Export Porcelain on Americans and Europeans. I asked him to share his thoughts on the March 11show.Dr. Wang is the managing librarian of the Laurelton Library in Queens, New York City and an adjunct professor at St. John's University. “