Cultural scholars engage in dialogue

On a recent visit to China, British anthropologist and historian Alan Macfarlane and Chinese scholar Yu Shicun exchanged ideas about topics including cultural identity, "the other", and the role of time in the shaping of a civilization in a dialogue in Beijing.

Macfarlane, 81, described his cultural identity as "a world citizen with British characteristics", as he was born in India and grew up in the United Kingdom before leaving to spend decades living in Nepal, Japan and China.

If people can realize that "we should not be narrowly based in just one culture or identity, and we share so much more with other civilizations and cultures, then the world will become a much more peaceful, harmonious and pleasant place", he said.