On the afternoon of February 26, the "Excellent Engineer Series" lecture of SJTU Paris Elite Institute of Technology kicked off. Mr. Xu Bo, president of the Association of Friends of Wu Jianmin in France, winner of the Order of Commander of the French Arts and Literature, and winner of the Order of Academic Knight of the French Palmetto, brought a feast of ideas to 415 in the Upper Court of the East of Minhang Campus with the title of "The 'pretentic' French people -- Understanding French soft Power from a different perspective". More than 100 teachers and students came to listen to the full house. The lecture was presided over by Zhang Lihui, head of the college's humanities program.
With more than 30 years of experience in China-France exchanges, Mr. Xu Bo was deeply involved in the planning and organization of the celebrations of the 40th, 50th and 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and France, and played a key role in the bidding for the 2010 Shanghai World Expo. Through his involvement in foreign affairs, his exchanges with French political leaders and his close observation of French society, he vividly analyzed the soft power of the French nation.
Why are the French people "pretentious"? He believes that from table manners to dress codes, from language expression to artistic aesthetics, the French nation has the ultimate pursuit of "details" of life, forming a unique French life aesthetics, which is somewhat "pretentious". In addition, the French have a strong sense of historical mission and patriotic spirit. On the one hand, they believe that "France is not great, it is not France (La France, sans la grandeur, ce n 'est pas la France)". On the other hand, they have a vision for the world (Une Certaine idee de France), among which President de Gaulle is the epitome of the French people's feelings for the world and the responsibility of the family and the country.
According to Xu Bo, France's soft power is embodied in the following aspects:
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1. The critical spirit.
France has a profound philosophical tradition. Descartes left a famous saying "I think, therefore I am", and Camus made a profound inquiry into existentialism. Strong ideological ability enables French people to have a strong rationalistic spirit and critical thinking, and they refuse to "follow others' opinions". French debate begins at the family table, grows up in the cafe, and blooms on TV. They believe that "the more truth is debated, the more it becomes clear". This spirit of debate has become an important guarantee for the rejuvenation of the French nation and an intellectual support for maintaining the right to speak in international affairs.
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2. Cultural confidence.
As stated earlier in "Pretentiousness," the poetic expression of the French language, the ritual construction of the aesthetics of life, and the avant-garde consciousness of artistic creation form a unique French aesthetic. French life, as a cultural export, became a template for the global middle class to aspire to.
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3. The spirit of liberty, equality and fraternity.
Xu Bo said that compared with the British and American values, which focus on business logic, France is better at arousing human concern with emotional resonance. "The British have brought business to the world; The Americans are free entrepreneurs; The Germans bring a wealth of philosophy and speculation; And the French, with their passion and passion, call the attention of people around the world to humanity, meaning and values. "This spirit of humanitarian diplomacy has made France's unique international moral appeal.
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4. The tradition of strategic autonomy.
From Charles de Gaulle, who was the first to recognize the People's Republic of China after breaking through the Cold War, to Emmanuel Macron's push for a "strategically independent" European defense system, France has always pursued an independent diplomacy that puts its national interests first and can speak to all countries, international organizations and political blocs in the world.
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5. Integrated cultural and scientific education.
France has made remarkable achievements in Nobel Prizes and Fields MEDALS, and is a leader in nuclear energy, aerospace, medicine and other fields. It is worth mentioning that French scientific and technological talents usually possess excellent humanistic qualities, highlighting the success of "general education". Among the French Nobel Prize winners, there are scientists who are both poets, and among the Fields Medal winners, there are mathematicians who are well versed in philosophy.
France's soft power, says Mr Xu, has made it the "organiser" of international conferences, the standard-setter and the main "engine" of European unity. With its strong organizing ability, France has become one of the important promoters of the progress of human society in different historical periods. With its charisma, influence and excellent debating ability, the French have brought multiple stakeholders to the conference table and translated ideas into international rules on the unpredictable international stage, which proves the national proverb "The French have no oil, but the French have ideas". The Paris Agreement is a good example.
During the question and answer session, some students raised the question of "How to communicate effectively with the French people for the students who are going to France for exchange". Mr. Xu Bo suggested that the students should start from the topic of daily life and find cultural resonance.
Mr. Xu said that China-France relations go back to ancient times. In 2024, China and France will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties. Standing at a new starting point, we need to think about how to build on past achievements and open up new prospects.
He called on the young generation of China to critically view contemporary French society, not only to see the problems existing in French society, but also to clearly recognize and understand France's soft power, and take its essence and use it for our own use. He stressed that as young engineers, they should cultivate a global vision, enhance their ability to express, coordinate and lead in an international environment, and think about how to act as a leader in international engineering projects, coordinate the interests of various countries, and promote the implementation of projects.
The lecture ended in the atmosphere of unfinished business, and the teachers and students all gained a lot. The key to the symphony of French wine and Chinese tea is to find the right hangover time and brewing temperature. We hope that the teachers and students can take this lecture as an opportunity to explore more innovative ways in the cross-cultural exchanges between China and France!
Meng Zhang Hao Yan, SJTU Paris Elite Institute of Technology
I had the honor to listen to Teacher Xu Bo's speech and learned a lot. The professor analyzed the "pretentiousness" of the French people from a unique perspective, and let me see that behind this is actually their persistence and love for culture and life. This also tells us that while pursuing material and efficiency, we should not lose the nourishment of the spiritual world. We should respect diverse cultures, learn from the wisdom of the French, feel life with our hearts, and make life more textured.
Li Pinyi, SJTU Paris Elite Institute of Technology
As a diplomat, with deep feelings for the friendship between China and France, Mr. Xu Bo told us in a different way that France, with its glorious Revolution history, is far more than coffee and luxury goods in the mass media. The rigorous academic tradition, equal debate atmosphere and strong cultural export are the true manifestation of her brilliant soft power. In this era, the friendship between China and France is all the more important. Mr. Xu Bo told us to embrace France and the world with an open mind, love the motherland and humanity, and make our own contribution to the community of shared future for mankind.
Jia Ruoyu, SJTU Paris Elite Institute of Technology
Attend the lectures and gain a lot. The lecture let me break the inherent cognition of French people, the original so-called "pretentious", behind the French deep cultural heritage and the pursuit of quality of life. From food culture to art fashion, the French show their soft power in a unique way, which also inspires me to understand different cultures from a new perspective.