Professor Wang Hiu, a Tsinghua faculty member in the Chinese Language Department, was accused of plagiarism several months ago. You can read about it here. Professor Wang is no stranger to controversy:
Wang Hui was involved in controversy following the results of the Cheung Kong Dushu Prize in 2000. The prize was set up by Sir Li Ka-shing, which awards one million RMB in total to be shared by the winners. The 3 recipients of the prize in 2000 were Wang Hui, who served as the coordinator of the academic selection committee of the prize, Fei Xiaotong, the Honorary Chairman of the committee, and Qian Liqun, another committee member. Wang Hui was then the editor-in-chief of Dushu magazine, which was the administrative body of the prize.
He awarded the prize to himself! And his fellow committee members. Wang was editor in chief of Dushu for ten years. During that time, he published many hard-to-understand articles by his friends. The influence of the magazine shrank considerably.
Because he was worth it
His “friends” think so, too!
I wonder how social reality is so constructed for these people so that they can give themselves prizes worth lots of money with a straight face. Or are they smirking? In the West there is some recognition that one is not in a position to objectively evaluate one’s own work compared with others; that biases intrude.
Is it cynicism? As Gunnar suggests, do they in good conscience believe that they were deserving of the award? I’m curious as to how they would rationalize it… It is said that corruption is widespread in China… Wow…
Let’s face it. Bribery and corruption are built into the Chinese system. Sure, there is bribery and corruption in the West, too. However, I dare say that even those who engage in it here, know deep down it’s wrong. I am not certain that is the case in China. It just seems part of life that teachers, for example, are given “gifts” in order to boost a child’s grade. Money is given to judges in order to ensure that a prisoner either doesn’t go to jail or his sentence is reduced. Managers in charge of money for a corporation “borrow” some in order to start a business of their own on the side. The list could go on and on. Wang Hui was just doing what anybody (in China) would do. Remember the Chinese attitude of disbelief at the downfall of Nixon. How could Americans have got rid of their President over such a simple infraction?!
Shamelessness in the town of Bell, California:
https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_bell_salaries
Reminds me of Dick Cheney heading Bush’s vice-president search. https://www.harpers.org/archive/2008/09/hbc-90003554
“Wang Hui was just doing what anyone (in China) would do.” The overseers of Dushu didn’t agree, apparently. This seems to be why he was removed from his post as editor-in-chief of Dushu.
“’Wang Hui was just doing what anyone (in China) would do.’ The overseers of Dushu didn’t agree, apparently. This seems to be why he was removed from his post as editor-in-chief of Dushu.”
Yes, if you get caught you MAY suffer the consequences; however, that doesn’t diminish my point. Bribery, etc. is, relatively speaking, socially accepted in China. If an American mother were to advise another mother to give a teacher $50 as a gift to enhance a child’s grade, more likely than not, the American mother would be outraged. If you were to do that in China, it would just be considered smart, sound advice.