Learning and Personal Inclination
Liang Shiqiu

Scholars of the older generation often urge young people to developinterest in learning because they themselves have been enjoying the realpleasure of academic studies. And they are ever ready to cite their own exampleby way of advice, in hope of enabling young people to gain access toscholarship in an enjoyable way. For example, the distinguished scholar LiangQichao once said wittily, "I always stand for interest-ism. If you brokedown Liang Qichao's stuff into its component parts, there would be nothing leftexcept an element named 'Interest'."Mr. Liang was a man of profoundlearning who attached much importance to interest. He attained great academicsuccess because he pursued scholarly study solely for its own sake, without anyulterior motive. A man who is really interested in learning sometimes does actlike one possessed. He forgets his approaching old age and work hard even tothe neglect of his meals and sleep. Isn't it but natural for a man of suchdevotion to have great scholarly achievements? But, though Mr. Liang's laterworks, such as those on method of historical studies, political and ideologicalhistory of the pre-Qin days, as well as those on Mohism, Buddhism and TaoYuanming, were motivated by his personal inclination, can the same be said ofhis younger days when he was a pupil chanting ancient Chinese books under aprivate tutor? Was he motivated by his personal inclination while learning towrite stereotyped essays and poems prescribed for the imperial civil serviceexamination? No, I think not. Generally speaking, the so-called interest beginsto exist only when one is mature enough to engage in independent studies. It'simproper, I am afraid, for young people to overstress the importance ofinterest while they are still in the period of learning the basics ofknowledge. Interest will never develop where no solid foundation has been laidfor learning. There is no denying for the fact that Mr. Liang owed his wideerudition unusual literary talent, for the most part, to his good grasp offoundation knowledge.

I have come across a greatmany young and diligent young friends who have done exceedingly well in theirstudies, but are rather weak in Chinese. They cannot even write a letter incorrect Chinese. When I asked them why, they said they were not interested inthe Chinese language. Some, though they can write beautifully, detest the studyof mathematics and physics, and barely managed to pass the examinations inthem. When I asked them why, they said they were not interested in them. Theycast away whatever subjects they dislike like something utterly worthless. Theyare so smug and thick-skinned that they speak volubly in defence of their ownattitude like champions of interest-ism. They hardly realize that there is nolearning but is capable of engendering interest and that all depends on how tosearch for it. You will develop a liking for learning if, under the guidance ofa good teacher, you study to discover new horizons opening up before you oneafter another by following the proper order and advancing step by step. On theother hand, you will find learning as dry as sawdust if you refuse to go into asubject in depth or even make impetuous advances without following the properorder. People with an average natural gift are equally capable of mastering thebasics of literal arts and natural science. They are never predetermined bynature to be good in one subject and poor in another. It is laziness andwaywardness, however, that causes one to give himself up as hopeless and backdown on the pretext of "no interest".

Primary and secondary school will impart to you only some rudimentsof knowledge. Even what you learn during the four years of university will besomething quite superficial too. A university has often being misleadinglyreferred to as the "highest seat of learning", which sounds as ifthere were no more learning to speak of beyond it . The research institute of auniversity, however, is the place for preliminary scholarship. But even thereyou get only the first taste of learning and the emphasis is on researchmethodology and practice. Art is long, life is short. That's why some of ourancients continued to study by an enormous interest in their studies.

During the preliminary stageof learning, from primary school to college, it is better to advocatediscipline than interest. A properly arranged school curriculum, like acookbook for a nutritionally well-balanced food, must include all the usefuland indispensible courses-courses which are equally important and obligatory.The so-called electives mean only some little option within the scope of acertain item. A well-educated person is like a professionally trained Pekingopera singer. While undergoing the training, he must observe a most exactdiscipline. He must pay equal attention to singing, acting, and acrobatic skills,and learn to play different roles. It is not until he has finished theall-around training that he begins to develop his own specialty according tohis personal disposition. Laying a solid foundation for learning will be ofgreat lifelong benefit to you. Of all the school subjects during thepreliminary stage of learning, languages and mathematics are the mostimportant. Languages serve as a tool for reading and communication. Without agood knowledge of Chinese, you will find it difficult to express yourself.Without a good knowledge of a foreign language, you will find it difficult toabsorb new knowledge from abroad. Mathematics makes for logic thinking. Othersubjects also have their respective uses. It is hard to say which is moreimportant. Physical education, for example, is also extremely important fromanother point of view. In short, while in school, we should temporarily putaside our personal liking and patiently observe school discipline so that wemay temper ourselves and become solid stuff. Don't hurry, there will be a timefor you to find relish in learning in the days to come.