On Jun 17, 2024, we interviewed Professor Gangfeng Wang from Political Science and Education Department of Fujian Normal University, who is long dedicated to research in and protection of the historic street San Fang Qi Xiang.
我们于2024年6月17日采访了福建师范大学政教系的王岗峰教授。王教授长期参与三坊七巷历史街区的发展和保护，并对此话题提出过重要的意见且做出重大贡献。
In this interview, Professor Gangfeng Wang outlines the historical, cultural, and educational significance of Sanfang Qixiang. He emphasizes several key aspects:
在本次采访中，福建师范大学的王岗峰教授阐述了三坊七巷的历史、文化和教育意义。他强调了以下几个关键方面：
1. Historical Importance: Sanfang Qixiang, one of China’s first designated historical streets, contains buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties. The area has fostered numerous historical figures, including Lin Zexu, a pivotal figure in China’s resistance during the Opium Wars. Lin’s influence extended beyond his role in advocating against opium to inspiring the adoption of Western technologies, which catalyzed the Self-Strengthening Movement.
历史重要性：三坊七巷作为中国首批历史文化街区之一，拥有明清时代的建筑。该地区培育了许多历史人物，包括鸦片战争期间抵抗侵略的关键人物林则徐。林则徐的影响不仅在于他反对鸦片贸易，还在于他倡导学习西方技术，这一思想推动了洋务运动的兴起。
2. Self-Strengthening Movement: Professor Wang describes how Sanfang Qixiang played a key role in this movement, producing influential thinkers and statesmen such as Zuo Zongtang, Shen Baozhen, and Yan Fu. The Fuzhou Arsenal, founded in Sanfang Qixiang, not only produced military equipment but also established educational programs that trained China’s earliest naval and engineering experts, laying the foundation for China’s navy and modern industrial capabilities.
洋务运动：王教授讲述了三坊七巷在洋务运动中的重要地位，这里培养了如左宗棠、沈葆桢、严复等影响深远的思想家和政治家。福州船政局，作为三坊七巷的重要机构，不仅生产军事装备，还建立了教育计划，培养了中国最早的一批海军和工程人才，奠定了中国海军和现代工业的基础。
3. Influence of Yan Fu and Western Ideas: Yan Fu, a scholar from Sanfang Qixiang, introduced Western philosophies, particularly Darwin’s ideas on evolution, translated as “Survival of the fittest.” His advocacy for blending Chinese values with Western scientific advancements greatly influenced subsequent reforms. Yan Fu argued for deep cultural and political reform, urging a transformation in Chinese ideology and governance rather than merely adopting Western technology.
严复和西方思想的影响：三坊七巷出身的严复将西方哲学，特别是达尔文的进化论引入中国，并将其翻译为“物竞天择，适者生存”。严复主张中学为体、西学为用，提倡深刻的文化和政治改革，而不仅仅是引进西方技术。他认为中国必须改变传统的思想和治理模式，才能实现真正的现代化。
4. Educational and Cultural Legacy: Professor Wang describes Sanfang Qixiang as a birthplace for intellectual exchange and reformist thought, contributing to both the Hundred Days’ Reform and the formation of the early Republican spirit in China. Yan Fu and other reformers who lived in Sanfang Qixiang are depicted as key advocates for progress and freedom, influencing figures like Hu Shi and Lu Xun.
教育和文化传承：王教授描述三坊七巷作为思想交流和改革之地的意义，为戊戌变法和早期的共和思想做出贡献。严复等生活在三坊七巷的改革先驱，通过西方先进思想的引入，激励了如胡适和鲁迅等一代代知识分子。
5. Personal Connection and Preservation Efforts: Professor Wang, a native of Fuzhou, has been deeply involved in the preservation of Sanfang Qixiang since the early 2000s. He recounts witnessing the rapid modernization and decline of historical sites, which motivated him to advocate for Sanfang Qixiang’s revival. He shares his sense of duty in making the cultural value of the area accessible to the public and future generations.
个人情感和保护工作：王教授身为福州本地人，自2000年代初起便致力于三坊七巷的保护工作。他回忆起目睹历史遗址因快速现代化而逐渐消失的痛心，这也促使他倡导三坊七巷的复兴。他认为，作为学者，有责任向公众和后代传递三坊七巷的文化价值，使之更加易懂和接地气。
6. Challenges and Future Goals: After the area was repurchased by the government in 2005, preservation efforts intensified, focusing on both physical restoration and maintaining Sanfang Qixiang’s cultural identity. Professor Wang sees its greatest value in its educational potential, advocating for a balance between cultural preservation and economic growth to ensure that Sanfang Qixiang continues to inspire pride and historical consciousness among the youth.
挑战和未来目标：在2005年政府回购三坊七巷后，保护工作逐渐加强，不仅进行物理修复，还努力维护其文化身份。王教授认为其最大价值在于教育意义，主张在文化保护和经济发展之间找到平衡，以确保三坊七巷能够继续激发青少年的自豪感和历史意识。
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Consent Acknowledgment
All scripts, recordings, and materials for this oral history project have received documented consent from participants, who have been fully informed of the project’s purpose and uses. Participants understand their rights and have voluntarily agreed to contribute, with the option to modify or withdraw consent at any time.
该口述历史项目的所有脚本、录音和材料均已获得参与者的书面同意。参与者已被充分告知项目的目的及用途，了解其权利，并自愿同意参与，同时保留随时修改或撤回同意的权利。