CUHK should have tolerance

TODAY is the 21st anniversary of the June 4incident. This year the authorities have"suddenly" invoked a statutory provision toconfiscate a new statue of the Goddess of Democracyand a carving. They have by doing so disruptedactivities to mark June 4 the Alliance in Support ofPatriotic Democratic Movements in China hasorganised. Yesterday, the administration of theChinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) rejectedstudents' application for the permanent placement ofthe statue on campus on the grounds of "politicalneutrality". The two events have not only encouragedcitizens to focus on June 4 but also warned them not toallow the passage of time to weaken their will todemand that Beijing reverse its verdict on the incident.

The Goddess of Democracy is an importantsymbol of June 4. The statue is of great politicalsignificance. Because of the nature Beijing says June4 is of, it is indeed a hot potato to the CUHKadministration. It has more than one option. One is toreject students' application high-handedly, but it is sureto draw fire. Another is to talk with students and facultymembers to find a satisfactory arrangement. Forexample, it may consider holding a "referendum" -leaving it to CUHK students to decide whether thestatue should stand on campus for ever. It is a sensiblesolution to employ a democratic process. Even if itdreads offending the central government, the CUHKadministration may plead its reluctance to go againststudents' will.

A university should be a place where all kinds ofthoughts are allowed to thrive. It should be like a sea,into which rivers empty. The administration of auniversity should cultivate an atmosphere in whichviews of all sorts interact with one another. It shouldallow students to live and pursue their studies in suchan environment.

The CUHK has been a seat of learning thatexhibits a strong humanist spirit. Its students are veryconcerned about society and have actively participatedin soical affairs. They have eagerly taken part in andeven led student movements. This tradition of theCUHK is to be cherished.

During June 4 all eyes were on Peking University(Beida) students. People watched how they led othersin pushing for democratisation and social progress. Itwas partly because of their initiative and fine qualitythat they concerned themselves with the nation's woesbefore others. However, the Beida spirit, which CaiYuanpei shaped, did make them believe none butthey should shoulder the burden. Cai Yuanpei's ideasof a university are Beida's valuable assets.

Chung Chi College's lily pond was completed inOctober, 1997. It was named Weiyuan Lake. Weiyuanis said to mean "less than perfect". Nevertheless, thename reminds people of Beida's Weiming Lake.

Weiyuan Lake is much smaller than Weiming Lake,and the former's scenery does not compare with thelatter's. However, one cannot rule out the possibilitythat Chung Chi people had Weiming Lake in mindwhen they decided what to call the lily pond. It doesnot matter how big the "lake" is. The fact that it iscalled "Weiyuan" shows the CUHK may aim atemulating Beida. If so, the CHUK administration oughtto tolerate all sorts of views in the hope that theuniversity will one day rival and even excel Beida.

2010.06.04明報社評

民主女神像雖具政治含義 中大兼容並包無損政治中立

今年是六四事件21 周年，近期先有港府「忽然」執法，沒收新民主女神像和雕塑，干擾支聯會的紀念六四活動，後有中文大學校方拒絕學生申請，不接納女神像在中大校園永久擺放，所持理由是「堅守政治中立」。

這兩件事不但促使市民聚焦六四，也警醒市民要求平反六四的鬥志不能隨時間而消逝。

民主女神像是六四事件的重要象徵，有重大政治意涵，以中央目前就六四事件的定性，對於中大校方確實是燙手山芋。不過，中大校方有不止一個做法處理。高壓否決是一個選擇，但必然招致強烈反彈；一個可能的做法是與學生和教職員磋商，尋找較佳的安排，包括考慮在校內舉行全民投票，由中大學生決定是否接納女神像在校內永久擺放。以民主程序解決，合情合理，校方縱有得失中央的憂慮，也有民意難違的依據。

大學應該是兼容並蓄、容川納海之所；校方應該刻意營造各種思潮，不同價值、意見和立場的氛圍，在校內激盪，讓學生在這種環境學習、成長。

過往，中大是人文精神較強烈的學府，對社會事務的關懷和參與程度也高，歷來許多學生運動，都少不了中大學生積極參與甚至主導的影子。中大這方面傳統，彌足珍貴。

六四事件期間，北京大學學生動見觀瞻，人們都在觀察北大學生如何身先士卒地推動民主和社會進步。北大學生敢為天下先，與他們的優秀品質和自覺有關，由蔡元培所塑造的校風，相信也是北大學生捨我其誰的動力。所以蔡元培建校理念，正是北大的寶貴資產。

1997 年10 月，崇基學院完成整治荷花池計劃，將之取名未圓湖，據解釋是「未及圓滿」之意。不過，這個名字，使人不期然聯想起北京大學校園的未名湖。當然，未名湖較未圓湖大得多，景致也非未圓湖可比，但是當年取名未圓湖，也不能排除參照未名湖之意。湖大湖小並不重要，若取名未圓湖，乃反映中大校方視北京大學為目標的心志，那麼，中大校方首要做到兼容並蓄、容川納海。期望有朝一日，中文大學成為與北京大學齊名、甚而超越北大的大學。