• 2020-11-26

On 24 October 2020 at Taipei International Convention Center, the National Central Library and the Wang Yunwu Foundation held the Learning Thinking of the Slash Generation: the key Principle of Self-learning—2020 Wang Yunwu International Self-learning Forum, attracting a full house with the speakers Mr. Feipeng Ho and Professor Ping-Cheng Yeh.

Addressing the forum, Foundation Chairman Henry C Wang said that Mr. Wang Yunwu had advocated the spirit of self-initiated research throughout his life. He said, "The purpose of education is to cultivate students' ability and interest to conduct research on their own initiative, which is far more important than instilling knowledge in students.” It is a model of successful self-learning and has inspired many young students. In order to continue the self-learning spirit of Mr. Wang Yunwu, this year, Mr. Ho, the CEO of Cité Media Holding Group, and Mr. Ye, professor of the Department of Electrical Engineering of National Taiwan University, were invited to share the successful self-learning principles with everyone through a forum.

Director-General Tseng of the National Central Library said that, when talking of self-learning one would inevitably think of Mr. Wang Yunwu; he was a classic contemporary figure of assiduous and successful self-learning, who studied at a private school for five years during his childhood before serving a daytime apprenticeship in a hardware store and studying English in the evenings. Apart from studying English for about two years at the Tongwenguan, he never entered a formal school, but, after turning 18, taught such classes as English, history and geography at various schools in Shanghai, a fact attributable to his unremitting spirit of self-learning.  

Mr. Ho is a well-known publisher in Chinese society. His innovative and diverse publishing theories have often opened up different imaginations and new horizons for the domestic publishing industry. The publishing team he leads is also constantly abreast of the trends of the times and the pulse of society, continuously challenges itself, and has created a variety of magazines and books of different types and themes. He said, “When I was born, I knew nothing, had nothing and had achieved nothing. If, when I die, I have some knowledge, some possessions, and some achievements, that will be because of study. Study changed me and created my life.” He shared with the audience the principles of successful self-learning that he has followed throughout this journey.

Professor Ye, currently seconded to the post of CEO of PaGamO/BoniO Inc., said that he had observed his father, Professor Ye Shengnian’s, care for students since childhood, and had also been blessed with a naturally diligent and pedagogic character, and so gradually adopted the path of passionate teacher. He also said that, as a teacher, being both passionate and resistant to teaching that fails to evolve, he often advises students on Facebook to pursue knowledge and solve the puzzles of life, and then writes articles for the benefit of the similarly bewildered, passing on his learning to a wide audience. One day he saw someone doze off in class and was unable to sleep that night. Tossing about in bed until between 3.0 am and 5.0 am, he suddenly understood the meaning of the thinking, “For the student! By the student! Of the student!” From then on, his teaching became unrestrained, greatly liberated, exploiting all sorts of distinctive teaching methods, establishing distinctive self-learning education, no longer blindly instilling knowledge, enabling children to study on their own initiative and inspiring the ability for self-learning.