主席先生，各位嘉賓，各位親戚朋友們，各位女士，先生們：大家早！

　　在我八十歲的生日，能在繁榮的北京舉行這個(gè)盛宴。我是從未想到的。在此我要衷心感謝李玉校長(zhǎng)，劉自強(qiáng)先生及陳惠先生等的熱心鼓勵(lì),推動(dòng)及贊助，并得到夫人及孩子們的鼎力支持。我才能鼓起勇氣來(lái)接受這個(gè)榮譽(yù)及挑戰(zhàn)。當(dāng)然更要謝謝你們大家的厚愛(ài)。共同來(lái)支持參加這個(gè)盛會(huì)。

　　首先我用中文講解這個(gè)題目，再用英文簡(jiǎn)介。最后放一些幻燈片。

一個(gè)人一生的經(jīng)歷，不可能一帆風(fēng)順，也不是平坦大道，總是有起有伏，有喜有憂(yōu)，有得有失。但是，只要堅(jiān)定信心，努力不息，勇于面對(duì)及接受機(jī)遇給于的挑戰(zhàn)，在不斷求索及實(shí)踐中開(kāi)拓出具有個(gè)人特色的人生大道。因此，我想用“機(jī)遇總是與挑戰(zhàn)并存”的題目與大家分享及共勉。我個(gè)人的一點(diǎn)小小人生經(jīng)驗(yàn)。

　　大家都知道一個(gè)人的成長(zhǎng)及在社會(huì)上的定位都與先天性及后天性的因素有關(guān)；即遺傳特性及環(huán)境因素共同相互作用而成的一件“成品”。換句話(huà)說(shuō)，我們大家在社會(huì)上的地位及成就，是遺傳及環(huán)境共同作用的產(chǎn)品。同時(shí)這個(gè)產(chǎn)品也歸功于機(jī)遇及挑戰(zhàn)相互間的作用。我相信俗語(yǔ)說(shuō)“機(jī)遇不會(huì)敲打你的門(mén)，你必須準(zhǔn)備自己去找尋它并設(shè)法抓住而得益”。

說(shuō)到一個(gè)人的抱負(fù)時(shí)，你必須思考，講述及提醒自己的承擔(dān)。同時(shí)，你也要很熱忱的追求你的目標(biāo)。因?yàn)闊岢老窠湍妇粯幽艽俪赡愕南Ｍ?。?dāng)然，你必須將你的熱忱完全投入于行動(dòng)。就如一般說(shuō)“知識(shí)是力量” 進(jìn)一步想，知識(shí)不是真正的力量，除非能將知識(shí)付諸實(shí)踐。因此，行動(dòng)可能遇到新機(jī)遇及新挑戰(zhàn)。假設(shè)你能持久及耐心的接受機(jī)遇及挑戰(zhàn)。你就能接近或達(dá)到你所希望的抱負(fù)。

　　我相信分享及合作的力量。我們應(yīng)該明白“取與舍”，“教與學(xué)”，“講與聽(tīng)”的重要性。還有，“要求他人幫忙，也要能幫助他人”，“希望他人稱(chēng)贊，也要懂得稱(chēng)贊他人”的原理及力量。我們應(yīng)慷慨的與他人分享我們自己在蕈菌生物學(xué)及其產(chǎn)品方面所累積的經(jīng)驗(yàn)及知識(shí)。同時(shí)，我們也應(yīng)該與其它蕈菌學(xué)專(zhuān)家，工業(yè)家及菇農(nóng)們分享最新的學(xué)術(shù)思維及開(kāi)發(fā)成果。并且，我們應(yīng)該加強(qiáng)團(tuán)隊(duì)精神。在非洲有句格言“一株樹(shù)單獨(dú)不會(huì)成為森林”。過(guò)去五十年我在科研，教學(xué)及行政工作時(shí)，我總是重視團(tuán)隊(duì)精神；我們共同努力工作，共同歡樂(lè)慶祝成果。我們的研究范圍包括蕈菌的生活史，遺傳及育種，最近十多年來(lái)，我們?cè)?jīng)將“蕈菌”作出一個(gè)明確的定義, 并建立“蕈菌生物學(xué)”為一門(mén)新的學(xué)科。該學(xué)科取替了“蕈菌學(xué)”。同時(shí)，將“蕈菌科學(xué)的生產(chǎn)”與“蕈菌生物技術(shù)的產(chǎn)品”及“蕈菌營(yíng)養(yǎng)藥劑”與“蕈菌健康產(chǎn)品”分開(kāi)來(lái)解讀。 最近，又確定“應(yīng)用蕈菌生物學(xué)”的理論基礎(chǔ)及實(shí)踐步驟。因?yàn)檗纳a(chǎn)及其產(chǎn)品在全人類(lèi)福利方面，包括食品，保健，就業(yè)，經(jīng)濟(jì)及社會(huì)方面取得明顯的成效。因此，蕈菌產(chǎn)業(yè)的發(fā)展及貢獻(xiàn)，有時(shí)稱(chēng)為“非綠色革命”，因?yàn)檗且环N“非綠色”的生物群。常言說(shuō)“我跟老師們學(xué)習(xí)，也從同仁間學(xué)習(xí)，但是，我從學(xué)生們那里學(xué)的更多”。我很幸運(yùn)曾有過(guò)杰出的教授們及同仁們，更有過(guò)優(yōu)秀的學(xué)生們。因此，才會(huì)有今天的我。

　　任何科學(xué)或工業(yè)，像蓋一座房屋，不是從屋頂向下蓋的，如果是，當(dāng)會(huì)是一件災(zāi)難性的設(shè)計(jì)。我們需要有基石。蕈菌生物學(xué)應(yīng)該是蕈菌科學(xué)及蕈菌工業(yè)的基石。我們有了蕈菌生物學(xué)的理論基礎(chǔ)，那么，高水準(zhǔn)的蕈菌生產(chǎn)技術(shù)及高質(zhì)量的蕈菌產(chǎn)品將會(huì)更加優(yōu)良，更好的發(fā)展。

　　最后，我要表示衷心的感謝香港中文大學(xué)；我在那里工作，學(xué)習(xí)，生活了卅五年。我也要感謝輕工部、慶元、高州及其它國(guó)內(nèi)的大專(zhuān)院校和研究所等多次邀請(qǐng)回國(guó)交流及講學(xué)。同時(shí)，還有聯(lián)合國(guó)機(jī)構(gòu)及多國(guó)政府的邀請(qǐng)，使我有機(jī)會(huì)傳授蕈菌學(xué)并接受種種的挑戰(zhàn)。由于這種機(jī)遇及挑戰(zhàn)的相互作用，才能激發(fā)我的潛在能力及勇氣，而開(kāi)發(fā)出真菌界中的蕈菌生物學(xué)這個(gè)小小分支。希望這個(gè)小分支將來(lái)能因你們年輕蕈菌科學(xué)家，工業(yè)家及愛(ài)好蕈菌的各界人士 (mushroomphilies)，共同努力下培養(yǎng)發(fā)展成一支粗大的分支或一棵強(qiáng)壯的大樹(shù)。此為我所盼也。謝謝！

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　2010年9月30日 星期四

Opportunities and challenges always coexist

 

By Shuting Chang （張樹(shù)庭）

Emeritus Professor of Biology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Mr. Chairman, Distinguished Guests, Dear Relatives and Friends, Ladies and Gentlemen: 

GOOD MORNING!

　　I had never thought of, or dreamed of being able to hold a symposium of this nature in Beijing.  Especially a symposium organized for the celebration of my 80^th birthday. You can never image now how deeply I am touched! At this juncture, I would like to thank Professor Li Yu, Mr. Liu Ziqiang and Mr. Chen Hui for their initiative, and for organizing this historic event. I also profoundly thank my wife and our children for their wholehearted support. Certainly, I also appreciate, very much indeed, the kindness and the honour all you here have shown, to come and to attend this symposium today.

　　First of all, I would like to give a short talk on the topic “Opportunities and challenges always coexist”. Then I will turn to SLIDES giving some background information on myself, and on my enthusiasm on mushrooms.

　　This is a very special day for me. From the Slide Show I may be able to share with you some of the episodes during my 50-year journey that enabled me to assimilate bioconversion technology of lignocellulosic wastes to produce mushrooms and dietary supplements. It is impossible for a person, in his life, to run or manage everything smoothly and successfully. There are bound to be some bumps on the road; there are bound to be moments of happiness; there will be days of worries, of successes, failures, gains, and losses, even in business. That was also true with me along my road, traveling five continents, teaching mushroom biology. In the process I learnt that if you persist in your faith, endure your efforts, and bravely face the challenges created by opportunities, you can open a new road, or establish a new career, with your own unique identity, through your continuous search and action.

We may ask: Who are you? Who am I? What positions have you held in society and in the community? Often, some of these are determined by interactions within our own heredity genes, which are already fixed by our parents, and by environmental factors which will be determined by our efforts in the schools, and in the society. These efforts are achieved by interplay between opportunity and challenge. I believe in the saying that “opportunity does not knock at your door; you must prepare yourself to recognize it and catch it when it passes, so that you too can benefit from it”.

　　On the issue of aspiration, you must think, talk and remind yourself of your aspiration. However, you must bring into your aspiration,  enthusiasm and motivation. Enthusiasm is the yeast that makes your hope rise to the achievement. You must bring your enthusiasm into total commitment and action. It is the same that they said “knowledge is power”, actually, knowledge is not real power, unless until it is put into action. Therefore, commitment is towards meeting the opportunity, and the new challenge for your aspiration. And if you pursue the challenge persistently, purposefully, and patiently, you will get closer to where you wanted to be.  

I believe in the power of sharing and cooperation. We should understand the power of the principle and inspiration of “learning and enquiring”, “talking and listening” “taking and giving”, “expecting to receive help from others, and learning to give help to others”. Don’t always expect to be admired/gloried in your own achievements. One should realize the importance of admiring/ glory in others’ achievements. We should generously share with others our vast experience in the field of mushroom biology and mushroom products. We should always share the new insights with other mushroom scientists, mushroom industrial and business men, and mushroom growers. We should strengthen teamwork spirit. In Africa, they say “a single tree alone cannot make a forest”. During the past 50 years of teaching, research, and administrative responsibilities, I have always been trying to keep teamwork as the rule, and the natural force of cohesion. We sweat together, and we celebrate together. It has been said that: “I learn from my master; I learn more from my peers. But the ones who taught me the most were my students”. I have been very lucky to have had distinguished masters and peers, and excellent students’. Our investigations on mushrooms range from the study of life cycle to the application of genetics and breeding, all directed toward the improvement of mushroom strains so as to use the lignocellulosic wastes more effectively. Also traced are attempts in recent decades to define what are “mushrooms”?, and to development new disciplines — “mushroom biology” replacing “mushroomology,” “mushroom products” distinguished from “mushroom production” and “nutriceutical” from “nutraceuticals.” By blending the advances in basic biological knowledge with that of practical technology, the mushroom-based industries can have positive global impact on long-term food nutrition, health care, environmental conservation and regeneration, and economic and social change. Therefore, the significant impact of mushroom biology and mushroom-related industries on human welfare has been named a “nongreen revolution” in 1999.

 

　　Any science or industry, just like building a house, does not start from the roof down. That would be a recipe for disaster. We need a foundation. The principle of mushroom biology is considered as the foundation of mushroom science and mushroom industry. Another experience I want to share with you is that science is built up of facts, just as a house is built of stones/bricks. With a strong foundation in mushroom biology, high quality mushroom production and mushroom products should follow. Mushroom science knowledge should be distinguished from religion, magic, faith, myths or anecdotal reports (social barriers). The modern scientific evaluation is now the key in mushroom industry. We should look at facts, not just faith and belief.

　　Finally, I should express my sincerest gratitude to the Chinese University of Hong Kong, where I spent 35 years of my teaching and research; to the various UN Agencies who supported many of my visits to other countries; and to various Governments and Institutes who invited me to visit their countries and to deliver lectures on mushroom biology and cultivation technology. Through those visiting opportunities, my potential inspirations, talents and energies, were enhanced and activated by which inspired me to accept the challenges that arose from opportunities. Eventually I had the courage initiate and establish a small branch of science named “Mushroom Biology” within the kingdom of mycology. I sincerely hope through the continuous concert efforts from young mushroom scientists and other young mushroomphilies (those who love and work mushrooms intimately) to nurture and develop this small branch into a healthy and giant branch or even an independent tree.  This is the core theme of my talk today on “opportunities are always linked with challenges”. Thank you all for your kind attention.  

Thursday, 30 September 2010