On the afternoon of August 23, a bidding event centered around “knowledge” was organized by Xu Ziyi at the “Evening School” (Ecole du noir). The auction aimed to highlight the issue of knowledge invalidation experienced by immigrants in new cultural contexts and reflect on how universal knowledge is redefined and applied globally. During his research while studying in London, Xu Ziyi discovered that many Uber drivers from former colonies or former communist countries, despite holding higher education degrees, were forced to engage in manual labor, as their knowledge was difficult to convert into economic capital. In response to this, he launched the “Knowledge System Auction”, simulating the process of “cross-cultural transitions” to explore the transferability of personal knowledge systems within the context of globalization and to reevaluate and quantify them. The “Knowledge System Auction” was conducted through a combination of online and offline formats, aiming to simulate a real auction, though the auction items consisted of a series of words without any actual economic value. Before the auction began, the organizers thoroughly examined and re-evaluated the collected knowledge content and its etymologies. During the opening of the auction, Xu Ziyi provided detailed introductions to several items. During the bidding process, both online and offline participants actively placed bids, with online bidders being particularly enthusiastic, driving up the competition. Staff members ensured that the bids from both online and offline participants were synchronized in real-time to maintain fairness and transparency throughout the process. All items started with no reserve price, indicating that they did not hold traditional economic value but symbolized the creation and transmission of knowledge. In the end, all 15 items were sold, and the auction’s participants, including the owners of the items, offered their personal interpretations of their collections, leading to a deeper reflection on the nature of knowledge and value.
1.Collection (online) Participants register by submitting their resumes via a QR code, including educational background, work experience, and skills.
2. Revaluation (online) The collected content is edited into an "auction catalog," comprising:
Newly constructed terms based on participants' knowledge and skills.
Analysis and Authentication (etymological research):
a. Phonetic annotations
b. Geographical analysis (regions in China where terms originated)
c. Character and stroke count
d. Historical comparisons tracing terms to earliest Chinese sources
e. Examination of character variants
f. Loanword analysis tracing foreign origins and adaptations
3. Preview (20 minutes) Auction items (terms and their analyses) are printed, framed, and displayed. Visitors receive printed catalogs and guided introductions.
4. Auction and Transaction (50 minutes) An onsite auction of collected "knowledge terms" begins from ¥0, incrementing by ¥1 each bid. Successful buyers sign contracts and pay sellers directly through Alipay. Sellers then explain terms, their personal significance, economic implications, and cultural context.
5. Public Disclosure of Auction Statistics Summary statistics of highest-priced items and unsold lots are publicly presented.
