An analysis of Lung Yingtai’s intellectual essays and their implications for civic education

Abstract

本文指出龍應台的知性散文在內涵與表達方面對公民教育啟發良多。龍應台 的《香港筆記》示範一個敢言的公共知識分子如何以識見、良知，透過健筆參與 社會。她認為高水平的公民應該具豐富人文素養，尊重文化歷史及自然環境；也 應該放眼世界，抱持公義憐憫的心關懷別人。公民追求的是民主、自由、法治、 平等這些文明社會的價值觀。故此，教育任重道遠，為的是培育有品格、能獨立 思考的下一代。龍應台散文可作為文學及公民教材，其論述切中問題本質，情理 兼備，而且運用意象、小故事、排比結合設問等技巧加強表達效果。公民須透過 學習提升讀寫能力；閱讀高水平的作品能擴闊學生視野，幫助他們掌握問題核 心，並把自己思考所得，化為銳利文字，推動社會進步。 This article argues that Lung Yingtai’s intellectual essays can stimulate the learning of civic education through their topics of discussion and methods of expression. Her book Lung Yingtai’s Notes on Hong Kong reveals to us a public intellectual who has the courage to speak her mind and participates in public affairs through writing imbued with knowledge and conscience. She believes that responsible citizens should have a deep feeling for humanity and respect for culture, history, and nature. They should be aware of the world around them and care for others with justice and empathy in their hearts. According to Lung, what responsible citizens strive for is a civilized society of democracy, freedom, order, and equality. Lung writes with vigour, emotion, and reason, and uses metaphors, stories, parallel sentences, and rhetorical questions to great effect. Her essays can be used as teaching materials for both literature and civic education because they can encourage young people to think critically, feel deeply, and act sensibly, which are the major functions of education. Moreover, Lung’s lucidly written essays can help to improve the literacy of young citizens, who can learn from Lung how to understand the ideas of others and transform their own into vivid language. In this way, their civic voices may bring the hope of a bettering society.