VI Science, Truth Have No "National Boundaries"

The study and Interchange of science and truth have no national boundaries or class limits. When Fr. Teilhard came to China to do scientific research, his colleagues and students welcomed him warmly, looked up to him with gratitude and love and respected him.

"There was a basic difference between him and the imperialistic elements that invaded China. Chinese people can distinguish friends and wolves, and cannot forget this French friend who was a wanderer in a strange land, his will set on recording a scientific 'Book of Genesis', and made a contribution to the study of the vertebrate palaeontology and palaeo-anthropology of China…"

"In 1930 Yang Zhongjian and Teilhard took part as representatives of their respective countries in a Chinese-French team for scientific observation. When the Chinese and French were exploring in the North-West, differences arose several times. The basic reason for this was that on the French side there was a group with strong imperialistic ideas; they did not respect Chinese sovereignty and despised Chinese people. At that time Teilhard still got on very well with the Chinese and respected the opinions of the Chinese. Yang Zhongjian wrote that Teilhard and he had worked together for three years and that he was a kindly and lovable man, he himself being intoxicated by science."

"Yang Zhongjian was a man of extreme racial pride who possessed a very strong sense of patriotism; he had never cringed or lowered himself before foreigners, but as to those foreign scientists who sincerely treated Chinese people as friends, he respected them greatly."

That a foreigner who was also an authority in science could respect Chinese people and had absolutely no attitude of putting on airs and insulting others was certainly something unusual. To be able not to have any trace of imperialism was also something precious and hard to find.

His colleagues and students drew a very accurate conclusion.

"Today when we are just making advances towards modern science, we should make a just evaluation of Teilhard and also of the original facts of history. To treat an enemy as a friend is of course dangerous; to falsely accuse a friend of being an enemy is obviously damaging. Towards those who hoist the banner of science but specialize in carrying on robbing activities in China and form a gang of imperialistic invaders, we should scorn them to their faces. As to Teilhard, a good teacher and helpful friend of this sort, we should always think with affection of his kindness and merits."

"We should adopt the attitude of historical materialism, seek truth from facts in treating foreign scientists who have worked in China, and in this way it will benefit the future development of cooperation and friendship between Chinese and foreign scientists." (ibid.)

The evaluation of Fr. Teilhard by these palaeon-tologists and palaeo-anthropologists and their attitude towards Chinese and foreign scientific cooperation is extremely accurate, unlike some ignorant and incompetent people or scientists who are dabblers, and who have a narrow racialism or nationalism and indiscriminately oppose all international cooperation. Science and truth have no national boundaries, they are classless. Ethics and morality, religion and faith have also no national boundaries and are classless. Science and truth, ethics and religion absolutely require intercommunication and assistance between different countries. Fr. Teilhard's coming to China and helping to excavate "Ordos Man" and "Peking Man" is the best example of this.

The Catholic religion is for the whole human race. It is for every region, for every race, It assimilates the traditional culture of every region and every race, purifies it and sanctifies it. The culture and thought of every region and race is of use to the whole Church, can make it more rich and varied and can enable the Church to proclaim to every race and every region a Christian spirit and work of redemption more appropriate to that region and that race.