鄧永鏘（DavidTang）中國會、上海灘創辦人

IsHongKongfullofphilistines?OrisHongKongpopulatedbyagreatnumberofpeoplewhoarereasonablyeducated?IsHongKongreallyaculturaldesert?Howwouldwefareinageneralknowledgetestonthearts?Thisisparticularlyrelevant,aswehavebeendebatingforyearsthebuildingofa"culturalcentre",andonlythisweek,therehasbeenanannouncementofhowthisprojectmightgoforward.Sonowthatwehaveplansforthehardwareofbrickandmortar,Iamaskingifwehavethesoftwareofknowledgeandappreciation.
Ihavedevisedhereaseriesoftests:one"elementary",one"intermediate"andone"fairlyadvanced".Itwillbeinterestingtoseehowyoumightscoreonthesetests.Mysuspicionisthatthemajoritywillfailintheintermediateandadvancedtests!ThiswouldsuggestthatHongKongisabitofaculturaldesert.Sometimeswetrytodenythis,butthetruthoftenhurts.Ifignoranceisfoundtobeinabundance,thenwewillknowhowbadlyeducatedweare.Outofthefivequestionsineachcategory,Iwouldconsiderapassifyouget3outof5correct;agoodpassifyouget4outof5,andaverygoodpassifyouget5outof5.Let'ssee:-

Elementaryquestions

1.Whatisthenameofthispainting?Whopaintedit?

2.WhowroteSwanLakeandTheNutcrackerSuite?

3.WhowroteHamlet?

4.HowmanymusiciansarethereinanOctet?

5.NameonefamousmuseumeachinLondon,ParisandNewYork

Intermediatequestions

1.Whopaintedthis?Whereisit?

2.WhowroteCrimeandPunishmentandTheIdiot?

3.Whichfamousartistcutoffhisownearandcommittedsuicide?

4.WhatwasthenameoftheballetcompanyledbyDiaghlev,andwhosestardancerwasNijinsky?

5.WhowroteTheRing,andhowmanypartsaretheretoit?

Fairlyadvanced

1.Whatwas"Guernica",thenameofthispainting,anditssignificance?
WhatwasPicasso'sstyleknownas?

2.Who,whilstinjail,composedaquartetwhichfeaturesamovingmovementforcelloandpiano?

3.TowhomdidRaveldedicatehispianoconcertoforlefthand?

4.Whowroteafamouswaltzin5/4time,andinwhichpieceisitfound?

5.Whowerethe2leadingcharactersinJamesJoyce'sUlysses?Overhowlongdoesthenoveltakeplace?

Thepurposeofthesetestsisreallytogaugeanindication,albeitveryrough,ofourgeneralknowledgeonthearts.Ifyoucannotevenanswercorrectlytheelementaryquestions,thenIputittoyouthatyouareaphilistine.Andifyoucannotansweralloftheintermediatequestionscorrectly,thenIwouldsayyouarenotverywell-educatedatall.OnlyifyouknowtheanswerstoallthequestionsonallthelevelswouldIbegintothinkyouarereasonablywell-educated.Mindyou,justreasonablyso.Ireallydonotneedtogivetheanswerstoallthequestions,forthosewhoknowwillknowimmediatelywhattheanswersare.Butthatisnotthepoint.Thepointisthatit'sinterestingforustofindouthoweducatedweareasacommunity-atleastonartisticknowledgewhichhasdefinedourWesterncivilization.AfterallatWestKowloon,besidesomesignificantChineseelements(oratleastIhopeso),wewanttobuildamuseumofWesternart,atheatreofWesternperformingart,andaconcerthallofWesternmusic.Buttomakesenseofthisproposedculturalhub,weourselvesmusthaveadistinctdispositiontowardsthearts.TheChiefSecretary,HenryTang,hassaidasmuch:nowthatwehaveprovedourselvesinHongKongtobeabletomakelotsofmoneyandbesuccessfulinbusiness,wemustattendtoculturalembodiment.Withoutthis,itwouldn'tmatterifwebuilt10museumsand10galleriesand10concerthalls.Theywillallbemerelyforshows.Wewouldthenallbecomecharlatansaswellasignoramuses.Inotherwords,ourgovernmentmust,iftheyaregoingtospendsomuchtimeandeffortandbombastontheWestKowloonproject,beatthesametimeextramindfulofbeingseenasemphaticallysympathetictowardsthecultivationofculture,especiallyineducation.YetoureducationalsysteminHongKongseemstometobewantingingeneralartisticknowledgeandappreciation.Itisonlyifindividualsaretaughtandshownhowartcouldaffectoursenseswouldanyculturalcentreberelevant.Otherwise,wewouldbewastingourtimepretendingtobe"cultural".Wecanbuild100WestKowloonprojects,butitwillallbefornought.

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