Liu Yanqian, Class 4, Senior 2, Shenzhen Foreign Languages School Instructed by Peng Chunhua With society advancing fast, we are now facing the question of whether or not we should observe our traditions. In my opinion, observing traditions has both advantages and disadvantages. As for the bright side, observing traditions provides a way for us to learn about our past. From the traditional customs and festivals, we can know more about a culture’s history and its evolution. Secondly, the tradition is where we can dig deep into the national features. Only through passing it down, can we protect the distinctive identity of each nation and prevent it from being assimilated. What’s more, inheriting the splendid traditions is conducive to enhancing national cohesion and strengthening a sense of belonging. It allows people to develop further and create a better future in a harmonious environment. However, being conservative towards tradition and obtaining it entirely may have some bad effects. Some traditions aren’t suitable for building a modern society. For example, the custom of burning paper money results in air pollution while the emphasis on practicality may retard the development of science. On top of that, some backward thoughts such as the myth of female inferiority and feudal superstitions are contained in tradition. If we simply observe it without any discrimination, it will prevent us from moving forward. Generally speaking, we should keep pace with the times and reserve tradition in line with the requirements of social progress. | 