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Zeitgeist on the Silk Road

Dec 04-2019   



 

How relinquishing to shape the external environment might affect a nation (or in extension, an organization)? Jiayu Pass in western Gansu Province offers a raft of answers.

 

Led by Prof. Gong Yuzhen, the 30 students of the course Leadership Lessons of the Silk Road paid a visit to Jiayu Pass on the last and fourth day. This military fort was several hundred kilometers to the east of the three Passes visited in the previous days of the course. And how stark is the contrast of national strategies epitomized by the Passes!

 

National Strategy

In his lectures, Prof. Gong said that the Passes of Han and Tang Dynasties demonstrated national strategies to actively shape external environments which resulted in control of the Hexi Corridor areas (to the west of the Yellow River and wedged between mountain ranges on two sides) and flourishing of the Silk Road. However, Ming Dynasty opted to retreat eastward. It erected the Jiayu Pass – with the Great Wall extending from its two sides - and relinquished the vast expanse of land to the west, including a large part of the Hexi Corridor.

 

“Tactically, Jiayu Pass is impeccable in every sense. Even so, it fell to enemy attacks three times. In terms of national strategy, Jiayu Pass showed how relinquishing shaping external environments can end up roiling internal situations,” said Prof. Gong.

 

Despite the seemingly impregnable JIayu Pass and the winding Great Wall, Ming Dynasty was under constant attacks and harassment from various nomad tribes for over 200 years, and finally succumbed to the invasion of an alliance of tribes to the north and to the west.

 

Ming Dynasty was to feudal China what senility is to a man – the dire loss of youthful passion and enterprise, lamented Prof. Gong.

Youthful Enterprise

Yumen Pass and Suoyangchang, of Han and Tang Dynasty respectively, dwarf Jiayu Pass in terms of Zeitgeist: being enterprising and bold in shaping external environment, and in turn securing immense strategic leeway in national defense and prosperity of the Silk Road.

 

Taken the history of China as a unified nation, Han and Tang equated to the go-go young age. “There’s no limit for this age. What matters is to embrace the possibilities and create the possibilities,” said Prof. Gong.

 

The lectures were thought provoking for Mr. Luo Siliang, a student of the UCL MBA program. “Prof. Gong summarizes the key factors of leadership observed throughout the history of the Silk Road as thinking big, open-mindedness, being enterprising, and advanced institutions, I thought to myself: ‘ these are perfect principles for a man.’ “

 

Heading a P&G sales team in western China, Mr. Luo has set a personal example. He travels to Beijing every Friday night for the weekend lectures at BiMBA and flies back every Sunday night so no work is missed. This flying routine will last for the duration of his MBA program.

 

The four-day course also strikes a chord with regard to corporate strategies. “At P&G, are we demonstrating the Zeitgeist? By linking the lectures with my work, I feel that perhaps we’ve become a bit too conservative, given how aggressive our competitors have become. Internal control and compliance are good, of course, but we need to find a way to rise above competition,” he said.

 

Leadership on the Road

Like a time capsule, the four-day course took the students on a trip over two millennia and face-to-face with history makers and breakers. And lectures by Prof. Gong and two other experts of the Silk Road systematically examined the critical factors behind the ups and downs of the Hexi Corridor and the Silk Road.

 

“I shared some photos taken on this trip in the Wechat group of my class, and all my classmates are envious of me being part of such a wonderful course - so well-planned and so mind-blowing,” said Ms. Ge Shanshan, another student.

 

“We can’t ask for anyone better than Prof. Gong and the two experts we have this time,” said Mr. Liu Ziwen, another student. “I’m truly mesmerized by their analysis of historical events and leadership lessons, and inspired by the tactical maneuvers of military actions and diplomatic missions. It’s the first time I take Prof. Gong’s course and won’t be the last at all. In fact, I have just registered for his next leadership course in central China.”

 

The course was optional and offered no credit, but what’s on offer is simply beyond expectation. Credit these young students who disregard credits yet rise above history with a panoramic view.

 

Zeitgeist on the Silk Road

Dec 04-2019   



 

How relinquishing to shape the external environment might affect a nation (or in extension, an organization)? Jiayu Pass in western Gansu Province offers a raft of answers.

 

Led by Prof. Gong Yuzhen, the 30 students of the course Leadership Lessons of the Silk Road paid a visit to Jiayu Pass on the last and fourth day. This military fort was several hundred kilometers to the east of the three Passes visited in the previous days of the course. And how stark is the contrast of national strategies epitomized by the Passes!

 

National Strategy

In his lectures, Prof. Gong said that the Passes of Han and Tang Dynasties demonstrated national strategies to actively shape external environments which resulted in control of the Hexi Corridor areas (to the west of the Yellow River and wedged between mountain ranges on two sides) and flourishing of the Silk Road. However, Ming Dynasty opted to retreat eastward. It erected the Jiayu Pass – with the Great Wall extending from its two sides - and relinquished the vast expanse of land to the west, including a large part of the Hexi Corridor.

 

“Tactically, Jiayu Pass is impeccable in every sense. Even so, it fell to enemy attacks three times. In terms of national strategy, Jiayu Pass showed how relinquishing shaping external environments can end up roiling internal situations,” said Prof. Gong.

 

Despite the seemingly impregnable JIayu Pass and the winding Great Wall, Ming Dynasty was under constant attacks and harassment from various nomad tribes for over 200 years, and finally succumbed to the invasion of an alliance of tribes to the north and to the west.

 

Ming Dynasty was to feudal China what senility is to a man – the dire loss of youthful passion and enterprise, lamented Prof. Gong.

Youthful Enterprise

Yumen Pass and Suoyangchang, of Han and Tang Dynasty respectively, dwarf Jiayu Pass in terms of Zeitgeist: being enterprising and bold in shaping external environment, and in turn securing immense strategic leeway in national defense and prosperity of the Silk Road.

 

Taken the history of China as a unified nation, Han and Tang equated to the go-go young age. “There’s no limit for this age. What matters is to embrace the possibilities and create the possibilities,” said Prof. Gong.

 

The lectures were thought provoking for Mr. Luo Siliang, a student of the UCL MBA program. “Prof. Gong summarizes the key factors of leadership observed throughout the history of the Silk Road as thinking big, open-mindedness, being enterprising, and advanced institutions, I thought to myself: ‘ these are perfect principles for a man.’ “

 

Heading a P&G sales team in western China, Mr. Luo has set a personal example. He travels to Beijing every Friday night for the weekend lectures at BiMBA and flies back every Sunday night so no work is missed. This flying routine will last for the duration of his MBA program.

 

The four-day course also strikes a chord with regard to corporate strategies. “At P&G, are we demonstrating the Zeitgeist? By linking the lectures with my work, I feel that perhaps we’ve become a bit too conservative, given how aggressive our competitors have become. Internal control and compliance are good, of course, but we need to find a way to rise above competition,” he said.

 

Leadership on the Road

Like a time capsule, the four-day course took the students on a trip over two millennia and face-to-face with history makers and breakers. And lectures by Prof. Gong and two other experts of the Silk Road systematically examined the critical factors behind the ups and downs of the Hexi Corridor and the Silk Road.

 

“I shared some photos taken on this trip in the Wechat group of my class, and all my classmates are envious of me being part of such a wonderful course - so well-planned and so mind-blowing,” said Ms. Ge Shanshan, another student.

 

“We can’t ask for anyone better than Prof. Gong and the two experts we have this time,” said Mr. Liu Ziwen, another student. “I’m truly mesmerized by their analysis of historical events and leadership lessons, and inspired by the tactical maneuvers of military actions and diplomatic missions. It’s the first time I take Prof. Gong’s course and won’t be the last at all. In fact, I have just registered for his next leadership course in central China.”

 

The course was optional and offered no credit, but what’s on offer is simply beyond expectation. Credit these young students who disregard credits yet rise above history with a panoramic view.