The_Chinese_Character中国人的性格.docx

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1、The_Chinese_Character中国人的性格TheChineseCharacterbyBertrandRussellThereisatheoryamongOccidentalsthattheChinamanisinscrutable,fullofsecretthoughts,andimpossibleforustounderstand.ItmaybethatagreaterexperienceofChinawouldhavebroughtmetosharethisopinion;butIcouldseenothingtosupportitduringthetimewhenIwaswo

2、rkinginthatcountry.ItalkedtotheChineseasIshouldhavetalkedtoEnglishpeople,andtheyansweredmemuchasEnglishpeoplewouldhaveansweredaChinesewhomtheyconsiderededucatedandnotwhollyunintelligent.IdonotbelieveinthemythoftheSubtleOriental:IamconvincedthatinagameofmutualdeceptionanEnglishmanorAmericancanbeataCh

3、ineseninetimesoutoften.ButasmanycomparativelypoorChinesehavedealingswithrichwhitemen,thegameisoftenplayedonlyononeside.Then,nodoubt,thewhitemanisdeceivedandswindled;butnotmorethanaChinesemandarinwouldbeinLondon.OneofthemostremarkablethingsabouttheChineseistheirpowerofsecuringtheaffectionofforeigners

4、.AlmostallEuropeanslikeChina,boththosewhocomeonlyastouristsandthosewholivethereformanyyears.InspiteoftheAnglo-JapaneseAlliance,IcanrecallhardlyasingleEnglishmanintheFarEastwholikedtheJapaneseaswellastheChinese.Thosewhohavelivedlongamongthemtendtoacquiretheiroutlookandtheirstandards.Newarrivalsarestr

5、uckbyobviousevils:thebeggars,theterriblepoverty,theprevalenceofdisease,theanarchyandcorruptioninpolitics.EveryenergeticWesternerfeelsatfirstastrongdesiretoreformtheseevils,andofcoursetheyoughttobereformed.ButtheChinese,eventhosewhoarethevictimsofpreventablemisfortunes,showavastpassiveindifferencetot

6、heexcitementoftheforeigners;theywaitforittogooff,liketheeffervescenceofsoda-water.Andgraduallystrangehesitationscreepintothemindofthebewilderedtraveller;afteraperiodofindignation,hebeginstodoubtallthemaximshehashithertoacceptedwithoutquestion.Isitreallywisetobealwaysguardingagainstfuturemisfortune?I

7、sitprudenttoloseallenjoymentofthepresentthroughthinkingofthedisastersthatmaycomeatsomefuturedate?Shouldourlivesbepassedinbuildingamansionthatweshallneverhaveleisuretoinhabit?TheChineseanswerthesequestionsinthenegative,andthereforehavetoputupwithpoverty,disease,andanarchy.But,tocompensatefortheseevil

8、s,theyhaveretained,asindustrialnationshavenot,thecapacityforcivilizedenjoyment,forleisureandlaughter,forpleasureinsunshineandphilosophicaldiscourse.TheChinese,ofallclasses,aremorelaughter-lovingthananyotherracewithwhichIamacquainted;theyfindamusementineverything,andadisputecanalwaysbesoftenedbyajoke

9、.Irememberonehotdaywhenapartyofuswerecrossingthehillsinchairs-thewaywasroughandverysteep,theworkforthecooliesverysevere.Atthehighestpointofourjourney,westoppedfortenminutestoletthemenrest.Instantlytheyallsatinarow,broughtouttheirpipes,andbegantolaughamongthemselvesasiftheyhadnotacareintheworld.Inany

10、countrythathadlearnedthevirtueofforethought,theywouldhavedevotedthemomentstocomplainingoftheheat,inordertoincreasetheirtip.We,beingEuropeans,spentthetimeworryingwhethertheautomobilewouldbewaitingforusattherightplace.Well-to-doChinesewouldhavestartedadiscussionastowhethertheuniversemovesincyclesorpro

11、gressesbyarectilinearmotion;ortheymighthavesettoworktoconsiderwhetherthetrulyvirtuousmanshows_complete_self-abnegation,ormay,onoccasion,considerhisowninterest.OnecomesacrosswhitemenoccasionallywhosufferunderthedelusionthatChinaisnotacivilizedcountry.Suchmenhavequiteforgottenwhatconstitutescivilizati

12、on.ItistruethattherearenotramsinPeking,andthattheelectriclightispoor.Itistruethatthereareplacesfullofbeauty,whichEuropeansitchtomakehideousbydiggingupcoal.ItistruethattheeducatedChinamanisbetteratwritingpoetrythanatrememberingthesortoffactswhichcanbelookedupin_WhitakersAlmanac_.AEuropean,inrecommend

13、ingaplaceofresidence,willtellyouthatithasagoodtrainservice;thebestqualityhecanconceiveinanyplaceisthatitshouldbeeasytogetawayfrom.ButaChinamanwilltellyounothingaboutthetrains;ifyouask,hewilltellyouwrong.Whathetellsyouisthatthereisapalacebuiltbyanancientemperor,andaretreatinalakeforscholarswearyofthe

14、world,foundedbyafamouspoetoftheTangdynasty.ItisthisoutlookthatstrikestheWesternerasbarbaric.TheChinese,fromthehighesttothelowest,haveanimperturbablequietdignity,whichisusuallynotdestroyedevenbyaEuropeaneducation.Theyarenotself-assertive,eitherindividuallyornationally;theirprideistooprofoundforself-a

15、ssertion.TheyadmitChinasmilitaryweaknessincomparisonwithforeignPowers,buttheydonotconsiderefficiencyinhomicidethemostimportantqualityinamanoranation.Ithinkthat,atbottom,theyalmostallbelievethatChinaisthegreatestnationintheworld,andhasthefinestcivilization.AWesternercannotbeexpectedtoacceptthisview,b

16、ecauseitisbasedontraditionsutterlydifferentfromhisown.Butgraduallyonecomestofeelthatitis,atanyrate,notanabsurdview;thatitis,infact,thelogicaloutcomeofaself-consistentstandardofvalues.ThetypicalWesternerwishestobethecauseofasmanychangesaspossibleinhisenvironment;thetypicalChinamanwishestoenjoyasmucha

17、ndasdelicatelyaspossible.ThisdifferenceisatthebottomofmostofthecontrastbetweenChinaandtheEnglish-speakingworld.WeintheWestmakeafetishofprogress,whichistheethicalcamouflageofthedesiretobethecauseofchanges.Ifweareasked,forinstance,whethermachineryhasreallyimprovedtheworld,thequestionstrikesusasfoolish

18、:ithasbroughtgreatchangesandthereforegreatprogress.Whatwebelievetobealoveofprogressisreally,inninecasesoutoften,aloveofpower,anenjoymentofthefeelingthatbyourfiatwecanmakethingsdifferent.Forthesakeofthispleasure,ayoungAmericanwillworksohardthat,bythetimehehasacquiredhismillions,hehasbecomeavictimofdy

19、spepsia,compelledtoliveontoastandwater,andtobeamerespectatorofthefeaststhatheofferstohisguests.Butheconsoleshimselfwiththethoughtthathecancontrolpolitics,andprovokeorpreventwarsasmaysuithisinvestments.ItisthistemperamentthatmakesWesternnationsprogressive.Thereare,ofcourse,ambitiousmeninChina,butthey

20、arelesscommonthanamongourselves.Andtheirambitiontakesadifferentform-notabetterform,butoneproducedbythepreferenceofenjoymenttopower.ItisanaturalresultofthispreferencethatavariceisawidespreadfailingoftheChinese.Moneybringsthemeansofenjoyment,thereforemoneyispassionatelydesired.Withus,moneyisdesiredchi

21、eflyasameanstopower;politicians,whocanacquirepowerwithoutmuchmoney,areoftencontenttoremainpoor.InChina,the_tuchuns_(militarygovernors),whohavetherealpower,almostalwaysuseitforthesolepurposeofamassingafortune.TheirobjectistoescapetoJapanatasuitablemoment;withsufficientplundertoenablethemtoenjoylifequ

22、ietlyfortherestoftheirdays.Thefactthatinescapingtheylosepowerdoesnottroublethemintheleast.Itis,ofcourse,obviousthatsuchpoliticians,whospreaddevastationonlyintheprovincescommittedtotheircare,arefarlessharmfultotheworldthanourown,whoruinwholecontinentsinordertowinanelectioncampaign.Thecorruptionandana

23、rchyinChinesepoliticsdomuchlessharmthanonewouldbeinclinedtoexpect.ButforthepredatorydesiresoftheGreatPowers-especiallyJapan-theharmwouldbemuchlessthanisdonebyourownefficientGovernments.Nine-tenthsoftheactivitiesofamodernGovernmentareharmful;thereforetheworsetheyareperformed,thebetter.InChina,whereth

24、eGovernmentislazy,corrupt,andstupid,thereisadegreeofindividuallibertywhichhasbeenwhollylostintherestoftheworld.Thelawsarejustasbadaselsewhere;occasionally,underforeignpressure,amanisimprisonedforBolshevistpropaganda,justashemightbeinEnglandorAmerica.Butthisisquiteexceptional;asarule,inpractice,there

25、isverylittleinterferencewithfreespeechandafreePress.96Theindividualdoesnotfeelobligedtofollowtheherd,ashehasinEuropesince1914,andinAmericasince1917.Menstillthinkforthemselves,andarenotafraidtoannouncetheconclusionsatwhichtheyarrive.IndividualismhasperishedintheWest,butinChinaitsurvives,forgoodaswell

26、asforevil.Self-respectandpersonaldignityarepossibleforeverycoolieinChina,toadegreewhichis,amongourselves,possibleonlyforafewleadingfinanciers.Thebusinessofsavingface,whichoftenstrikesforeignersinChinaasludicrous,isonlythecarrying-outofrespectforpersonaldignityinthesphereofsocialmanners.Everybodyhasf

27、ace,eventhehumblestbeggar;therearehumiliationsthatyoumustnotinflictuponhim,ifyouarenottooutragetheChineseethicalcode.IfyouspeaktoaChinamaninawaythattransgressesthecode,hewilllaugh,becauseyourwordsmustbetakenasspokeninjestiftheyarenottoconstituteanoffence.OnceIthoughtthatthestudentstowhomIwaslecturin

28、gwerenotasindustriousastheymightbe,andItoldthemsoinjustthesamewordsthatIshouldhaveusedtoEnglishstudentsinthesamecircumstances.ButIsoonfoundIwasmakingamistake.Theyalllaugheduneasily,whichsurprisedmeuntilIsawthereason.Chineselife,evenamongthemostmodernized,isfarmorepolitethananythingtowhichweareaccust

29、omed.This,ofcourse,interfereswithefficiency,andalso(whatismoreserious)withsincerityandtruthinpersonalrelations.IfIwereChinese,Ishouldwishtoseeitmitigated.ButtothosewhosufferfromthebrutalitiesoftheWest,Chineseurbanityisveryrestful.Whetheronthebalanceitisbetterorworsethanourfrankness,Ishallnotventuret

30、odecide.TheChineseremindoneoftheEnglishintheirloveofcompromiseandintheirhabitofbowingtopublicopinion.Seldomisaconflictpushedtoitsultimatebrutalissue.ThetreatmentoftheManchuEmperormaybetakenasacaseinpoint.WhenaWesterncountrybecomesaRepublic,itiscustomarytocutofftheheadofthedeposedmonarch,oratleasttoc

31、ausehimtoflythecountry.ButtheChinesehavelefttheEmperorhistitle,hisbeautifulpalace,histroopsofeunuchs,andanincomeofseveralmilliondollarsayear.Heisaboyofsixteen,livingpeaceablyintheForbiddenCity.Once,inthecourseofacivilwar,hewasnominallyrestoredtopowerforafewdays;buthewasdeposedagain,withoutbeinginany

32、waypunishedfortheusetowhichhehadbeenput.PublicopinionisaveryrealforceinChina,whenitcanberoused.Itwas,byallaccounts,mainlyresponsibleforthedownfalloftheAnFupartyinthesummerof1920.Thispartywaspro-JapaneseandwasacceptingloansfromJapan.HatredofJapanisthestrongestandmostwidespreadofpoliticalpassionsinChi

33、na,anditwasstirredupbythestudentsinfieryorations.TheAnFupartyhad,atfirst,agreatpreponderanceofmilitarystrength;buttheirsoldiersmeltedawaywhentheycametounderstandthecauseforwhichtheywereexpectedtofight.Intheend,theopponentsoftheAnFupartywereabletoenterPekingandchangetheGovernmentalmostwithoutfiringas

34、hot.Thesameinfluenceofpublicopinionwasdecisiveintheteachersstrike,whichwasonthepointofbeingsettledwhenIleftPeking.TheGovernment,whichisalwaysimpecunious,owingtocorruption,hadleftitsteachersunpaidformanymonths.Atlasttheystrucktoenforcepayment,andwentonapeacefuldeputationtotheGovernment,accompaniedbym

35、anystudents.Therewasaclashwiththesoldiersandpolice,andmanyteachersandstudentsweremoreorlessseverelywounded.Thisledtoaterrificoutcry,becausetheloveofeducationinChinaisprofoundandwidespread.Thenewspapersclamouredforrevolution.TheGovernmenthadjustspentninemilliondollarsincorruptpaymentstothreeTuchunswh

36、ohaddescendeduponthecapitaltoextortblackmail.Itcouldnotfindanycolourablepretextforrefusingthefewhundredthousandsrequiredbytheteachers,anditcapitulatedinpanic.IdonotthinkthereisanyAnglo-Saxoncountrywheretheinterestsofteacherswouldhaverousedthesamedegreeofpublicfeeling.NothingastonishesaEuropeanmorein

37、theChinesethantheirpatience.TheeducatedChinesearewellawareoftheforeignmenace.TheyrealizeacutelywhattheJapanesehavedoneinManchuriaandShantung.TheyareawarethattheEnglishinHong-KongaredoingtheirutmosttobringtonaughttheCantonattempttointroducegoodgovernmentintheSouth.TheyknowthatalltheGreatPowers,withou

38、texception,lookwithgreedyeyesupontheundevelopedresourcesoftheircountry,especiallyitscoalandiron.TheyhavebeforethemtheexampleofJapan,which,bydevelopingabrutalmilitarism,acast-irondiscipline,andanewreactionaryreligion,hassucceededinholdingatbaythefiercelustsofcivilizedindustrialists.Yettheyneithercopy

39、Japannorsubmittamelytoforeigndomination.Theythinknotindecades,butincenturies.Theyhavebeenconqueredbefore,firstbytheTartarsandthenbytheManchus;butinbothcasestheyabsorbedtheirconquerors.Chinesecivilizationpersisted,unchanged;andafterafewgenerationstheinvadersbecamemoreChinesethantheirsubjects.Manchuri

40、aisaratheremptycountry,withabundantroomforcolonization.TheJapaneseassertthattheyneedcoloniesfortheirsurpluspopulation,yettheChineseimmigrantsintoManchuriaexceedtheJapaneseahundredfold.WhatevermaybethetemporarypoliticalstatusofManchuria,itwillremainapartofChinesecivilization,andcanberecoveredwhenever

41、Japanhappenstobeindifficulties.TheChinesederivesuchstrengthfromtheirfourhundredmillions,thetoughnessoftheirnationalcustoms,theirpowerofpassiveresistance,andtheirunrivallednationalcohesiveness-inspiteofthecivilwars,whichmerelyrufflethesurface-thattheycanaffordtodespisemilitarymethods,andtowaittillthe

42、feverishenergyoftheiroppressorsshallhaveexhausteditselfininternecinecombatsChinaismuchlessapoliticalentitythanacivilization-theonlyonethathassurvivedfromancienttimes.SincethedaysofConfucius,theEgyptian,Babylonian,Persian,Macedonian,andRomanEmpireshaveperished;butChinahaspersistedthroughacontinuousev

43、olution.Therehavebeenforeigninfluences-firstBuddhism,andnowWesternscience.ButBuddhismdidnotturntheChineseintoIndians,andWesternsciencewillnotturnthemintoEuropeans.IhavemetmeninChinawhoknewasmuchofWesternlearningasanyprofessoramongourselves;yettheyhadnotbeenthrownofftheirbalance,orlosttouchwiththeiro

44、wnpeople.WhatisbadintheWest-itsbrutality,itsrestlessness,itsreadinesstooppresstheweak,itspreoccupationwithpurelymaterialaims-theyseetobebad,anddonotwishtoadopt.Whatisgood,especiallyitsscience,theydowishtoadopt.TheoldindigenouscultureofChinahasbecomeratherdead;itsartandliteraturearenotwhattheywere,an

45、dConfuciusdoesnotsatisfythespiritualneedsofamodernman,evenifheisChinese.TheChinesewhohavehadaEuropeanorAmericaneducationrealizethatanewelement,isneededtovitalizenativetraditions,andtheylooktoourcivilizationtosupplyit.Buttheydonotwishtoconstructacivilizationjustlikeours;anditispreciselyinthisthattheb

46、esthopelies.Iftheyarenotgoadedintomilitarism,theymayproduceagenuinelynewcivilization,betterthananythatweintheWesthavebeenabletocreate.Sofar,IhavespokenchieflyofthegoodsidesoftheChinesecharacter;butofcourseChina,likeeveryothernation,hasitsbadsidesalso.Itisdisagreeabletometospeakofthese,asIexperienced

47、somuchcourtesyandrealkindnessfromtheChinese,thatIshouldprefertosayonlynicethingsaboutthem.ButforthesakeofChina,aswellasforthesakeoftruth,itwouldbeamistaketoconcealwhatislessadmirable.Iwillonlyaskthereadertorememberthat,onthebalance,IthinktheChineseoneofthebestnationsIhavecomeacross,andampreparedtodr

48、awupagraverindictmentagainsteveryoneoftheGreatPowers.ShortlybeforeIleftChina,aneminentChinesewriterpressedmetosaywhatIconsideredthechiefdefectsoftheChinese.Withsomereluctance,Imentionedthree:avarice,cowardiceandcallousness.Strangetosay,myinterlocutor,insteadofgettingangry,admittedthejusticeofmycriti

49、cism,andproceededtodiscusspossibleremedies.ThisisasampleoftheintellectualintegritywhichisoneofChinasgreatestvirtues.ThecallousnessoftheChineseisboundtostrikeeveryAnglo-Saxon.Theyhavenoneofthathumanitarianimpulsewhichleadsustodevoteonepercent.ofourenergytomitigatingtheevilswroughtbytheotherninety-ninepercent.Forinstance,wehavebeenforbiddingtheAustrianstojoinwithGermany,toemigrate,ortoobtaintherawmaterialsofindustry.ThereforetheViennesehavestarved,exceptthosewhomithaspleasedustokeepalivefromphilanthropy.T