By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
Try to harmonize with other people, but do not give up your dignity or self-esteem in doing so, professors nationwide recommended at the beginning of New Year Thursday.
Kyosushinmun, a professors' journal, selected the four-character Chinese idiom Hwa-ee-bu-dong (和而不同) for the New Year, which was selected by 39 percent of 180 professors surveyed nationwide. The idiom comes from The Analects of Confucius, in which the sage says ``A man of virtue makes harmony with others, but not at the cost of his personality or pride. However, snobbish people seek to be `the same as others' by giving up all of their character,'' he said.
Prof. Yoon Jae-min of Korea University told Yonhap that the words stress the ``true hearts and willingness'' when being with others. Others also said the words are what Koreans need at this moment, when so many ideas and interests clash in society.