Peking University.
An auditorium in the West District.
It was already 9: 45 PM.
The "Appreciation of the Classics" class, which was supposed to start at 9: 30 PM, had been delayed by 15 minutes.
This was an auditorium that was only open to the public for academic thesis lectures and large-scale public classes. As it was not prepared beforehand, there was a "Academic Thesis Seminar" banner hanging above the auditorium's podium. The Peking University staff quickly removed the banner, but it was too late to make one for Zhang Ye, so it was left empty.
Everyone rushed in.
There were students, Peking University teachers, and reporters.
"Our reporter friends, please sit in this area. Please switch off your cameras!"
"Why? We don't want to film? How can that be considered a public class? "
"I repeat, please switch off your cameras and camera flashes. This public class does not allow recording. Please cooperate. Thank you."
"Then can we interview after class?"
"Not today."
"Why are you all like this? We came all the way here, yet you don't allow us to interview or film?"
"The department has already given the green light, otherwise we wouldn't even hold a public class. Everyone, please understand. We have our own rules. If you do not cooperate, please leave!"
"Alright, we understand."
Peking University was very domineering in this aspect. They had no intention of accommodating. The reporters all knew what kind of place this was. It was already good enough that they were allowed in. It was not good for them to behave atrociously here. Just the name of Peking University was enough to make people think twice.
The reporters took their seats.
Professor Zeng and a few Chinese department teachers also sat in the first row. Finally, the department head and the department secretary also sat down.
Professor Zeng smiled and said, "This is the first time an elective class like this has happened."
A Chinese department teacher shook his head and sighed, "I'm just afraid that we will make a fool of ourselves. The bigger the situation, the harder it will be to clean up. I wonder how the media will write about it."
Professor Zeng said, "Teacher Zhang is capable. Such a situation will not happen."
"Let's hope so." The Chinese department teachers were still not optimistic about Zhang Ye's lecture. They felt a little nervous.
Suddenly, a figure appeared at the auditorium's entrance. It was Wu Zeqing. She looked at the nearly packed auditorium, smiled and walked over.
Chang Kaige hurriedly stood up, "President Wu."
Zhen Shuquan also said, "Why are you here too?"
"I heard that the reporters are here, so I came to take a look." Wu Zeqing was wearing a long dress today. She elegantly crossed her skirt and sat in the front row.
Following President Wu were a few other professors, but they were not from the Chinese department. They were professors and teachers from other departments. It was unknown if they were curious or for some other reason, but they had all come to listen to Zhang Ye's first public lecture. A few professors looked at the seating situation in the auditorium and were secretly alarmed. When they heard that Zhang Ye's lecture was so packed that even a lecturer like Zhang Ye could not squeeze into the small lecture hall, they did not believe it. Now that they saw the scene in front of them, they realized that the news they received was not exaggerated, but rather, it was understated. This medium-sized auditorium could accommodate about 1200 people, but now, it was almost completely filled with students!
The number of people was still increasing!
There were also Peking University students who heard the news and rushed over. They kept pouring in!
At this rate, it wouldn't be a problem for 1200 people to fill the seats!
A few of the professors from the other departments were a little jealous. A layman, a host, crossing over to Peking University to show off his meager skills in front of a true expert, and yet so many Peking University students had come to watch? They even skipped class to listen to Zhang Ye's lecture? As famous teachers and professors in the education world, they could not hold it in anymore.
The Peking University students were very excited.
Yao Mi had taken a good seat in the front row. She was already looking forward to it, "I wonder how Teacher Zhang will talk about the Three Kingdoms or something else?"
Li Ying said, "It should be the Three Kingdoms?"
"Definitely. Zhang Ye isn't good at anything else." Li Li said.
Yao Mi did not like hearing that, "Come on, there's nothing my Uncle Zhang doesn't know! He can talk about anything! "
The straight-A student, Senior Song, was holding a book and reading silently. She was sitting beside them and suddenly said, "Among the classics, as long as it is not 'Dream of the Red Chamber', with Teacher Zhang Ye's literary foundation, he can definitely handle it."
Yao Mi did not understand, "Why can't he talk about 'Dream of the Red Chamber'?"
Li Ying knew a little, "Hur Hur, it's not that he can't talk about it, but that he can't."
The prickly Senior Zhou was a row behind them. He also said, "Junior Yao, it looks like you haven't studied 'Dream of the Red Chamber' before, right? No one dares to touch this book. "He explained to Yao Mi and a few people who did not know.
After hearing this, Yao Mi also understood, "Holy sh * t, Teacher Zhang previously asked me what we wanted to listen to. I said 'Dream of the Red Chamber'!"
Senior Zhou exclaimed, "That can't be?"
Senior Song glanced at them, "Don't worry, Teacher Zhang will not listen to you. He's not that stupid."
Yao Mi patted her chest and said, "That's good, that's good."
Many people in the auditorium were discussing the topic of what Zhang Ye was going to talk about today.
The reporters were discussing with each other.
"Who knows what Zhang Ye will talk about?"
"Peking University did not inform us, so we don't know."
"It's 99% likely to be the Three Kingdoms, or Water Margin or Journey to the West?"
"Anyway, it's not 'Dream of the Red Chamber'. Hur Hur."
"Of course. Who doesn't know that?"
From the beginning, everyone had eliminated 'Dream of the Red Chamber'. No one had any doubts, as they felt that it was only natural.
Chang Kaige, who was sitting in the first row, also asked, "Has Teacher Zhang decided on the content of the lecture? The Three Kingdoms or Water Margin? "
The staff member who was stopped by the dean was stunned, "Oh, I forgot to ask. Teacher Zhang Ye did not say anything. He's preparing backstage."
Zhen Shuquan was speechless, "You don't even know what to talk about?"
Professor Zeng laughed, "It's fine, as long as it's not 'Dream of the Red Chamber'."
Suddenly, the voice of the Chinese department's most prestigious old professor, Yan Jiantao, came from behind, "'Dream of the Red Chamber'? Little Zhang also has to dare to talk about it. No one in the industry dares to touch this class. "
Chang Kaige could not help but laugh, "Little Zhang isn't that silly."
Zhen Shuquan had never thought that Zhang Ye would dare to talk about 'Dream of the Red Chamber'.
A department teacher said, "Professor Yan is here too?"
After clearing a spot, Yan Jiantao politely nodded to President Wu and the dean before sitting down. He was prepared to listen to Zhang Ye's lecture. He was not actually curious, but purely here to nitpick.
Regardless of everyone's motives or feelings, this class was the focus of everyone's attention!
The teachers were paying attention, the students were paying attention, the reporters were paying attention, the education world was paying attention, and even the entire society was paying attention!
The Peking University staff set up the cameras. There were a total of three cameras facing the lectern. They did not allow the reporters to film, but Peking University naturally had to record it. After all, this was a public lecture.
......
10 PM.
The auditorium doors were closed. No one was allowed to enter.
The 1200 seats were all filled. Even this was not enough. The last dozen or so Peking University students who came in last were already out of seats and could only stand in the aisle. However, they did not leave. No one left. Even though they were standing, they still stared at the rostrum.
It was time.
A female staff member tested the microphone and said, "Let's welcome Teacher Zhang Ye."
The reporters did not react. The Peking University teachers and professors who came to listen did not have much of a reaction either. Instead, it was the Peking University students who started clapping enthusiastically!
Zhang Ye came out.
The female staff member passed the microphone to him and walked off the stage.
Walking to the back of the lectern, Zhang Ye plugged in the microphone and looked down at the dense crowd. He smiled. Of course, he would not have stage fright. He said calmly, "Sorry about that. Due to some circumstances, today's lecture has been changed to a public lecture. This is my first time standing on this lectern as a lecturer, so I'm actually very nervous."
The students: "Hahaha!"
Zhang Ye said in confusion, "This isn't the laughing point?"
The students: "Hahahahaha!" They laughed even louder.
Zhang Ye was speechless. He was really speechless. "Alright then, your sense of humor is really low."
This was a habit. Many of them had watched "Zhang Ye's Talk Show" before, so it had become a habit. As long as they saw Zhang Ye speak, they would feel a little amused.
He was not acting as a host today, but as a lecturer. "I've already told my students before that my class is not that particular. Everyone can ask any questions or express their views. As for logic, the more you debate, the clearer it becomes. Of course, this is only limited to my students. As for the rest of you, no matter what reason you have, please do not disturb my class. Thank you for your cooperation. That's what I said first." These words were clearly meant for the reporters.
"Then..." Zhang Ye looked at the dozen or so Peking University students who were still standing in the aisle. "My dear reporters, can you please give up your seats to the students?"
The reporters were stunned.
"Ah?"
"Give up seats?"
Holy sh * t! He's chasing us away the moment he came up!
Zhang Ye said matter-of-factly, "There aren't enough seats. We can't possibly let the students stand, right? This is a school, so we have to give priority to the students. Thank you. " You could offend anyone but the reporters. This was a very popular saying in the industry, but Zhang Ye did not have such a concept. He was a teacher now, so he had to put the students first.
Chang Kaige nodded slightly. The other Peking University professors also felt that it was only right.
However, some of the reporters did not move. They felt that Zhang Ye was going overboard.
An old reporter looked at the students and stood up. "Child, sit here."
"Teacher Zhang is right. Come on." A female reporter also stood up and gave up her seat.
The dozen or so Peking University students felt their hearts warm up. After a few polite exchanges, they still sat down. The dozen or so reporters stood in the aisle.
Zhang Ye nodded and said, "Thank you. Please get the staff to bring a few chairs for the reporters. Hur Hur. It's best if everyone has a seat." Saying this, seeing that the atmosphere was getting a little tense, Zhang Ye smiled and said, "Actually, what I meant was, can you bring a chair for me too? Alright, pretend I didn't say anything. I probably won't give up anyway."
"Hur Hur Hur..." Everyone laughed.
How could they give up!? How many teachers have you seen sitting down to give a lecture!?
Zhang Ye's humor was just right. This was not a talk show, nor was it a television program. Naturally, he could not use those funny joke segments, but being too serious was not Zhang Ye's style. After all, it was educational and entertaining. Hence, he lightened up the humor a little and inserted a few sentences. It was all within a reasonable range.
After arranging all this, the class quietened down. Everyone was waiting for the class to begin. The first question they were most concerned about was what Zhang Ye was going to talk about.
Rely on his past achievements to talk about the Three Kingdoms?
Or try to talk about Water Margin: Journey to the West?
Even Vice President Wu Zeqing was very curious.
Following that, Zhang Ye held onto the lectern and looked at everyone, "Then, today's' Appreciation of the Classics' class will officially begin. When it comes to the classics, the scope is actually very broad. However, I would like to know what everyone's first impression of this class is? Who will say it first? "
A few people raised their hands.
Zhang Ye pointed at someone he knew.
Senior Zhou stood up and said loudly, "My first impression is that this class will talk about the Three Kingdoms, Water Margin and Journey to the West. It will let us have a deeper understanding of these classical literature, and study the wisdom of the ancients, so that we can apply what we learn."
"Alright, please have a seat." Zhang Ye pressed his hands down and carried on, "Many people probably have this thought. The Three Kingdoms, Water Margin and Journey to the West are probably the three classical works that make up the elective course 'Appreciation of the Classics'. It's not only Peking University, it's the same for other universities. Having said this, I believe some people must be wondering. China has four of the Four Great Classical Novels, but why is' Dream of the Red Chamber 'not taught by anyone?"
Ah? Dream of the Red Chamber?
How was this taught!?
Of course no one touched it! Was there even a need to ask!?
Everyone was stunned. They all looked at it as though it was a matter of course. They did not understand why Zhang Ye would suddenly mention this!
Yan Jiantao, Chang Kaige, Zhen Shuquan and company were also alarmed. An extremely ominous feeling appeared in their hearts. It can't be?
Zhang Ye smiled and said, "Many people know the reason. To everyone, although 'Dream of the Red Chamber' is a famous work, there are many problems in it. There are countless unsolvable mysteries and flaws. There are even flaws in its logic. Hence, be it on television or in university literature classes, 'Dream of the Red Chamber' is something that people will try their best to avoid. There are even no professors or lecturers who will teach 'Dream of the Red Chamber' in university classes. This is a forbidden area in literature that no one is willing to touch! They are afraid that it will be too late to avoid it! "
"Uh?"
"What does that mean?"
"What Zhang Ye is saying is..."
Everyone was stunned.
Chang Kaige's face sank, "What is Little Zhang doing!?"
Wu Zeqing's eyebrows also twitched, but she still maintained a graceful expression. She did not say a word.
"Everyone previously thought that I was going to retell the Three Kingdoms, but in 'Analysis of the Three Kingdoms', I have already said what needed to be said. I do not want to repeat myself." Yes, in this semester's' Appreciation of the Classics' class, I will be teaching the appreciation of 'Dream of the Red Chamber'. It will not be a rough lecture, but a detailed lecture. It will be detailed down to a few words, so detailed that I will chew on every word. It will not be a competition, nor will it be a challenge to the educational and academic world. I just want everyone to know that 'Dream of the Red Chamber' is not something that no one dares to teach. This masterpiece is not as simple as it seems to be. In the current 120 circulated chapters of 'Dream of the Red Chamber', there is a shocking secret hidden within! "
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