英語(yǔ)世界文摘:Understanding Chinese Culture: The Challenge to the West

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Understanding Chinese Culture: The Challenge to the West

西方的難題：理解中國(guó)文化

By David Bromwich

文/榮大偉¹

China has become an indispensable global player. Yet in the West, the dominant narrative has failed to understand that this does not mean that China has become Westernised. China is creating an alternative² to the West.

中國(guó)已在國(guó)際社會(huì)中不可或缺，然而，西方主流敘事體系卻仍未意識(shí)到，這并不意味著中國(guó)已然西化。中國(guó)正沿著有別于西方的道路前進(jìn)。

The West has not made a serious effort to understand a Chinese perspective, and to a great extent has not appreciated that an alternative understanding exists. Confucius said: “Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.”³ The West, with its Westerncentric approach, through its ignorance and failure to understand China, has placed itself in peril⁴ of being left behind in a newly emerging world order.

西方并未真正努力去理解中國(guó)視角，而且很大程度上并未認(rèn)識(shí)到還存在一種不同的思維方式?？鬃釉f(shuō)過(guò)：“知之為知之，不知為不知，是知也?！痹谖鞣街行恼摰闹笇?dǎo)下，由于無(wú)知且對(duì)中國(guó)缺乏了解，西方已將自己置于一個(gè)可能被新興的世界秩序拋在后面的危險(xiǎn)境地。

We see this ignorance in headlines in Western newspapers, in which the Western perspective is dominant. There is selective reporting to portray⁵ negative impressions, and facts are often misrepresented. Too often Western reporting lacks critical evaluation, leading to very low credibility within the media to further the dialogue and promote a valid⁶ understanding of China. Fake news does exist.

瀏覽以西方視角為主導(dǎo)的西方報(bào)紙，便能從各大頭條新聞中發(fā)現(xiàn)這一無(wú)知。為了刻畫(huà)中國(guó)的負(fù)面形象，選擇性報(bào)道、歪曲事實(shí)成了家常便飯。西方報(bào)道往往缺乏批判性的價(jià)值判斷，致使媒體信譽(yù)嚴(yán)重降低，對(duì)話從而無(wú)法深度展開(kāi)，真實(shí)可信地了解中國(guó)無(wú)從談起。偽新聞確確實(shí)實(shí)存在。

A New Zealand newspaper reported that China was sending 120 medical doctors to a Pacific island to assist with its low level of community health. A positive action, one might think, but the focus of the story was to ask what was China doing in the Pacific, and how have we failed to the extent that we have allowed this to happen. What are the Chinese doing on “our patch”?

新西蘭一家報(bào)紙?jiān)鴪?bào)道中國(guó)向一座太平洋小島派駐了120名醫(yī)生，以幫助改善當(dāng)?shù)氐土拥纳鐓^(qū)醫(yī)療條件。人們可能認(rèn)為這是一項(xiàng)積極之舉，然而，該報(bào)道關(guān)注的焦點(diǎn)卻是在問(wèn)中國(guó)在太平洋做了些什么？我們?cè)趺淳蜏S落到聽(tīng)任這件事發(fā)生的地步？中國(guó)人正在“我們的地盤(pán)上”干什么？

This kind of media attention does damage to the potential for the public to appreciate what China stands for, and gives a negative impression of China. China has little opportunity to present its own image to the West.

類(lèi)似的媒體關(guān)注有損于公眾理解中國(guó)理念的可能性，并傳遞出一種負(fù)面的中國(guó)印象。中國(guó)鮮有機(jī)會(huì)向西方展示自己的真實(shí)形象。

The challenge to the West, then, is to enhance an understanding and appreciation of what China is. How does China’s cultural heritage present a positive and optimistic advantage to the world in the longer term?

因此，西方的難題就在于增進(jìn)對(duì)中國(guó)的全面理解。從長(zhǎng)遠(yuǎn)角度看，中國(guó)的文化傳統(tǒng)對(duì)世界具有何種積極、樂(lè)觀的影響呢？

To understand this question it is important to consider the foundations of Chinese culture and society. China has more than 5,000 years of uninterrupted history and cultural development. We at least need to go back 2,500 years and study Laozi, and Taoism, for their cultural and philosophical roots, and Confucius for his social philosophy and impact on society.

要理解這一問(wèn)題，就離不開(kāi)考量中國(guó)文化及社會(huì)的立足根基。中國(guó)歷史及文化發(fā)展綿延逾5000年，未曾間斷。我們需將視線回溯至少2500年，以了解老子及道家的文化和哲學(xué)根源，了解孔子的治世之道及其對(duì)社會(huì)的影響。

While I am not an academic, I am a keen observer of China today, and where China has emerged from. To me, Taoism provides us with many aspects of the special nature of Chinese culture and philosophy. The concept of yin and yang is well known in the West, but not fully understood or practised by many, either individuals or leaders. Yin and yang bring us balance through the integration⁷ of opposites.

我雖不是學(xué)者，卻一直熱切關(guān)注當(dāng)今的中國(guó)及其歷史淵源。在我看來(lái)，道家學(xué)說(shuō)可供我們了解中國(guó)文化及哲學(xué)特質(zhì)中的很多方面。陰陽(yáng)合一這一概念在西方廣為人知，但無(wú)論是普通民眾還是領(lǐng)袖人物，真正理解并踐行這一理念的人卻為數(shù)不多。陰陽(yáng)二元對(duì)立融合，帶給我們一種平衡狀態(tài)。

China has a cultural heritage of opposites creating balance. For example, crisis in Chinese, 危機(jī), consists of two characters, wei and ji, to represent “peril” and “opportunity”.

對(duì)立產(chǎn)生平衡是中國(guó)的一個(gè)文化傳統(tǒng)。舉例來(lái)說(shuō)，crisis一詞的中文表達(dá)是“危機(jī)”，由“?！薄皺C(jī)”兩個(gè)漢字組成，分別表示“危險(xiǎn)”和“機(jī)遇”。

In Chinese medicine, there is a holistic⁸ approach that treats the whole body, in which imbalance with yin and yang, hot and cold, are the cause of disease. The solution is to restore imbalance rather than targeting the specific symptom or problem area in isolation. The solutions offered tend to take a longer time to take effect, with a focus to work in harmony with the body. This is not to say that Western medicine is imperfect. I merely use this as an example of a Chinese approach to seeking solutions to problems.

中醫(yī)秉持整體概念，將人體視作統(tǒng)一的整體，認(rèn)為陰陽(yáng)失調(diào)、冷熱不均是致病的原因。治病的思路在于恢復(fù)平衡，不能孤立地針對(duì)某種特定癥狀或病灶來(lái)實(shí)施治療。開(kāi)出的方子往往需要些時(shí)日才能見(jiàn)效，其核心在于讓藥物與身體和諧地發(fā)揮作用。這并不是說(shuō)西醫(yī)就不完美，我只是以此為例，來(lái)闡釋中國(guó)人在尋求解決問(wèn)題的方案時(shí)所依循的思路。

I participated in an international forum titled Eco-civilisation and Antipoverty in Guizhou. Throughout the speeches there was common reference to harmony between man and nature. This concept has very deep roots in Taoist thinking.

我參加了在貴州舉行的一場(chǎng)題為“生態(tài)文明與反貧困”的國(guó)際論壇。其間，各位演講者普遍提到的話題便是人與自然的和諧。這一概念深深扎根于道家思想體系中。

In 21st-century China, the economic loss through environmental degradation⁹ fits very comfortably into the Chinese approach to addressing the establishment of an eco-society. Several international speakers referred to a decreasing confidence in some Western countries to maintain a global consensus¹⁰. The speakers presented an increasingly positive impression of China’s determination to participate in leadership of this consensus.

在21世紀(jì)的中國(guó)，環(huán)境惡化導(dǎo)致經(jīng)濟(jì)損失（的觀點(diǎn)）與著力建設(shè)生態(tài)型社會(huì)的中國(guó)思路完美契合。多位國(guó)際演講者提到，西方某些國(guó)家在維持全球共識(shí)方面信心下降。中國(guó)參與并引領(lǐng)這一共識(shí)的堅(jiān)定決心在他們心中樹(shù)立了日益積極正面的印象。

With reference to an eco-civilisation, China is already a leader in the transition¹¹ to clean energy, and of all countries has made the major contribution globally to lifting people from poverty.

說(shuō)到生態(tài)文明，中國(guó)早已引領(lǐng)了向清潔能源的過(guò)渡，并為幫助全球人口擺脫貧困做出了所有國(guó)家中極為巨大的貢獻(xiàn)。

Chinese food is a Chinese culture that most of us feel we are familiar with. Underlying the creation of dishes is the philosophy of creating balance through a simple combination of a range of different elements. Sweet and sour is a wellknown example of apparently opposing tastes, but different textures and colour combinations are also valued.

中餐是中國(guó)文化中我們多數(shù)人自認(rèn)為非常熟悉的一個(gè)方面。中式菜肴烹制的背后，隱藏著將各色不同要素通過(guò)簡(jiǎn)單配搭而產(chǎn)生平衡的哲學(xué)理念。酸甜搭配是一個(gè)眾所周知的例子，將表面截然不同的口味融合在一起，但色澤、食材的配搭也同樣重要。

Chinese traditional ink paintings are simple in presentation, but rich in images of the natural environment that mimic human nature. To fully appreciate Chinese art, these elements need to be understood. The bamboo is a symbol of elegance, and the hollow stem suggests modesty. The plum blossom is an element representing nobility and strength, emerging while the snow is still on the ground.

中國(guó)傳統(tǒng)水墨畫(huà)呈現(xiàn)方式很簡(jiǎn)單，但卻蘊(yùn)含著大量與人性相呼應(yīng)的自然環(huán)境意象。如欲深入賞鑒中國(guó)藝術(shù)，必須了解以下要素。竹子是優(yōu)雅的象征，中空的軀干代表謙和。梅花傲雪怒放，喻示高貴和堅(jiān)韌。

Confucius’ contribution to Chinese society also illustrates a difference from Western society. Eastern and Western philosophical aspects of society have a similar time span from Confucian and Greek times onwards, but the confluence is minimal. Put very basically, Eastern society places the community, or a concept of a big family, as the most important component of society. This can place all considerations of social issues in a subjective framework.

孔子對(duì)中國(guó)社會(huì)的貢獻(xiàn)同樣彰顯了不同于西方社會(huì)的一面。從孔子和古希臘時(shí)代算起，就哲學(xué)層面來(lái)看，東西方社會(huì)有著大體類(lèi)似的時(shí)間歷程，但兩者之間的交集卻少之又少。概括而言，東方社會(huì)將族群，或者說(shuō)龐大的家族，視作社會(huì)中最重要的構(gòu)成要素。所有涉及社會(huì)問(wèn)題的考量都建立在主觀的框架之內(nèi)。

In Western society, it is the individual that is considered to be the unit of society, compatible¹² with an objective analysis of issues.

而在西方社會(huì)，個(gè)體被視作社會(huì)單位，這點(diǎn)更適于客觀分析事件。

I like to ask people: “Considering a monkey, cow and banana, which is the odd one out? Monkey, cow, banana?” The vast majority of Chinese will choose the cow as the odd one out because of the relationship between the monkey and the banana. The monkey eats the banana, so the banana gives sustenance¹³ to the monkey.

我想問(wèn)問(wèn)大家：“比方說(shuō)有猴子、奶牛、香蕉三種東西，你認(rèn)為哪種東西（與其他兩種）格格不入？是猴子、奶牛還是香蕉？”絕大多數(shù)中國(guó)人傾向于選擇奶牛，因?yàn)楹镒优c香蕉有關(guān)系。猴子吃香蕉，所以香蕉是猴子維持生命的命脈所系。

Western people invariably see the banana as the odd one out because they see the objective classification of the monkey and cow, with both being animals.

西方人無(wú)一例外地認(rèn)為香蕉才是格格不入的東西，因?yàn)樗麄冴P(guān)注的是猴子和奶牛的客觀分類(lèi)，兩者都是動(dòng)物。

The consideration of these two responses, and extension into deeper philosophical understanding, presents a major difference between Chinese and Western thought. The Chinese have a much stronger sense of community and the interrelationship of things, compared with an individualistic approach.

仔細(xì)分析這兩種反應(yīng)及其背后更深層次的哲學(xué)見(jiàn)解，我們發(fā)現(xiàn)東西兩種思想之間存在重大差別。相比個(gè)體的觀點(diǎn)而言，中國(guó)人更加看重群體及事物之間的相互關(guān)聯(lián)。

Confucian scholar Mozi promotes a concept of da ai, a “big love” or, more appropriately, “respect for others and things”¹⁴. If expressed in an altruistic¹⁵ way, this makes for an easy, positive unification of people, countries, man and nature. Embracing an eco-civilisation and the Belt and Road Initiative are examples of the potential this unification can offer.

儒家思想的代表之一墨子崇尚“大愛(ài)”，或者更恰當(dāng)?shù)卣f(shuō)，主張“尚他、尚物”。從利他主義角度來(lái)看，這有助于人與人、國(guó)與國(guó)、人與自然之間達(dá)成積極和諧的統(tǒng)一狀態(tài)。擁抱生態(tài)文明和“一帶一路”倡議便表明了這種和諧統(tǒng)一的局面所能帶來(lái)的潛力。

The challenge to the West is to embrace an alternative perspective on issues. It is time for Western media to seek a balance in reporting affairs, and critique the Western perspective. It is time for a Chinese voice to be allowed to be heard in the West.

西方的難題在于要悅納一種不同的處事待物理念。西方媒體是時(shí)候在報(bào)道中尋求一種平衡并對(duì)西方視角予以批判，是時(shí)候讓西方聽(tīng)到中國(guó)的聲音了。

Then public opinion can begin to adopt an appreciation of what China has to offer. Understanding Chinese culture has become indispensable to appreciate the complex world where China plays an increasingly crucial role. Leaders need this understanding.

那么公眾民意才能開(kāi)始賞識(shí)中國(guó)的貢獻(xiàn)。為了理解當(dāng)今紛繁復(fù)雜、中國(guó)日益發(fā)揮關(guān)鍵作用的世界，領(lǐng)會(huì)中國(guó)文化已是不容忽視的要?jiǎng)?wù)。各國(guó)領(lǐng)袖都需如此。

Only then will a harmonious world order be allowed to develop freely, and the global consensus can become a peaceful one, and conflict diminished¹⁶.

只有到了那時(shí)，和諧的世界秩序才有望得到自由發(fā)展；全球共識(shí)才有望和平達(dá)成；沖突才有望減少。

注釋?zhuān)?/b>