Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 2005

s o u g ht t o explain the o r i g i n of mo d e r n i z a t i o n f r o m t he p e r s p e c t i v e of zhongyong 一 t he C o n f u c i an c o n c e pt of th e w a y of th e me a n . H e t h e n w e n t o n to i n v o k e the C o n f u c i a n ideals o f ' c r e a t i ng peace f o r p o s t e r i t y ' a n d ' h a r m o n y b e t w e e n h e a v en a n d ma n ', a n d suggested t h a t all h u m a n c i v i l i z a t i o ns m u s t ‘seek d i a l o g u e o n a n e q u a l f o o t i n g, a n d p u r s u e e n t e r p r i s es t h a t c o m p l e m e n t a n d b e n e f it each o t h e r . ' I n p e a c e f u l p u r s u i t of m u t u a l benefits, M r . W a n g h e l d t a l k s w i t h the late M r . K o o C h e n - f u , c h a i r m a n o f the Straits E x c h a n ge F o u n d a t i on of T a i w a n, i n S i n g a p o re o n 29t h A p r i l 1993. T h e h i s t o r i c me e t i ng resulted i n f o u r agreements , w h i c h have been significant i n p r o m o t i ng economic c o o p e r a t i on across t he S t r a i t. Thes e t a l ks w e r e clearly d e f i n e d as ‘ n o n - g o v e r nme n t a l, o n an economic level, practical a n d utilitarian' at the t i me , a n d w e r e t r u l y reflective of th e desire of p e o p le o n b o t h sides o f the S t r a i t f o r contact, n e g o t i a t i o n, c o o p e r a t i o n, j o i n t economic development a n d greater prosperity f o r the Chines e p e o p l e as a w h o l e . M r . W a n g recently said t h at ‘ p e o p le o n b o t h sides of t he S t r a it are Ch i n e s e , o f the same f l e sh a n d b l o o d . B e t we e n b r o t h e r s n o past conflicts are b e y o n d r e c o n c i l i a t i o n , n o p r e c o n c e i v ed ideas are so s a c r o s a n c t t h a t t h e y c a n n ot be set aside.' These c o mm e n ts s h o w M r . Wa n g ' s l o f t y ideals a n d his u t mo s t c o n c e r n f o r the w e l f a re of the c o u n t ry a n d the people. O v e r the y e a r s he has l a b o u r e d u n t i r i n g l y to p r omo te the cause of cooperation across the Strait, w h o l e h e a r t e d l y d e v o t i n g his t i me a n d energy to it. I n 1998, a s a sequel t o t h e S i n g a p o re t a l k s , M r . K o o C h e n - f u h e a d e d a d e l e g a t i on o n a v i s i t to Shanghai . I n 2005 b o t h Dr. L i e n Ch a n , p r e s i d e nt o f the K u om i n t a n g, a nd M r . James Soong, president of the Peopl e First Party, called o n M r . W a n g w h e n t h e i r d e l e g a t i o ns v i s i t e d S h a n g h a i. These facts testif y to the v e r y i m p o r t a nt role t h a t M r . W a n g has p l a y e d i n b r i d g i n g the g a p b e t w e e n the t w o sides . M r . Wa n g D a o h an i s a n a v id reader w h o regards visiting bookshops as his best pastime. A n d he once o b s e r v ed t h a t ‘ r e a d i ng is life'. To this d ay reading is still his favourite h o b by after w o r k , a n d there are b o o ks e v e r y w h e r e i n his office a n d i n his residence . H e has a personal library w i t h over a h u n d r ed thousan d v o l u m e s . H e read s e x t e n s i v e l y o n a w i d e r a n g e o f s u b j e c t s , f r o m t h e classics a n d l i t e r a t u re to science, technology, e c o n om i c s a n d m a n a g e m e n t. H e r e a d s q u i c k l y b u t retains a ll t h a t he has read i n his e x c e l l e nt m e m o r y . H e is n o w o v er 90; y e t his m i n d is q u i c k a n d c r e a t i v e as a l w a y s . H e is s t e r n w i t h h i m s e lf as a s u p e r i or a n d a father, b u t g e n e r o u s to his s u b o r d i n a t e s a n d c h i l d r e n. H e is a scholar w i t h the highest mo r al integrity a n d o f t en says t h a t 'let us j u s t d o o ur bes t i n w h a t w e have to d o a n d leave th e j u d g m e n t to h i s t o r y .' S u ch is th e w a y of t h is m o d e st g e n t l eman so w o r t h y of emu l a t i o n . M r . W a n g D a o h an i s a v i s i t i n g professor at a n u m b er of l e a d i n g universities i n c l u d i ng P e k i n g Un i v e r s i t y , F u d an Un i v e r s i t y, T o n g j i U n i v e r s i t y , a n d J i a o t o n g U n i v e r s i t y i n Shanghai. I n 1985 h e r e c e i v ed an h o n o r a r y doctorate i n p u b l ic a dm i n i s t r a t i on f r om Tufts U n i v e r s i ty i n the U n i t e d States, a n d i n 2002 w a s m a d e a n h o n o r a ry D o c t o r o f L a w s b y the U n i v e r s i ty of H o n g K o n g . M r . Wa ng D a o h a n is a r e n o w n e d scholar a n d a r e m a r k a b le s t a t e sma n . A s M a y o r o f Sh a n g h a i a n d the president o f A R A T S he has c o n t r i b u t ed s u b s t a n t i a l l y to the e c o n o m i c d e v e l o p m e n t o f C h i n a a n d m u t u a l understanding b e t w e e n t he p e o p le o n t h e t w o sides of the T a i w a n Strait. O v er the years M r . W a n g has b e e n v e r y s u p p o r t i v e o f T h e Chinese U n i v e r s i t y o f H o n g K o n g a n d has f a c i l i t a t ed a c a d e m i c l i n k s b e t w e e n T h e Chinese U n i v e r s i ty a n d t e r t i a r y i n s t i t u t i o n s i n Sh a n g h a i a n d elsewhere i n the M a i n l a n d. I n recognition of his illustrious achievements, M r . C h a n c e l l o r, m a y I p r e s e n t M r . W a n g D a o h a n f o r t h e a w a r d o f t h e d e g r e e o f Do c t o r o f L aw s , honoris causa. Translated from the Chinese citation written by P r o f . Serena Jin (Mr. Wang Daohan was not able to attend the congregation for personal reasons. He passed away in Shanghai on 24th December 2005.) The 62nd Congregation 4 1