【中文标题】东西方文化在我身上的融合
【原文标题】Reconciling My Two Cultures
【登载媒体】纽约时报
【原文作者】DUNCAN JEPSON
【原文链接】http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/15/opinion/15iht-edjepson15.html?ref=china
一半中国人和一半英国人的感觉真不错。
在我40岁年龄中的大部分时间里，中国人在我看来都是被殖民的对象、雄心勃勃的移民者和朝气蓬勃的共产主义者；而英国人是殖民者、战争胜利者、世界杯主办国和八国集团的成员。这种完全不协调的现状让两种文化很难在一个个体中融合在一起。
中国突然变成了世界第二大经济体，Vogue China杂志说，上海的生活魅力无限，北京也是经济的热土。我们突然要重新开始衡量中国和西方文化间的关系和重要性了。
对于一些出生在西方的亚欧混血人来说，通常的选择都是彻底倾向西方文化，对自身的文化冲突和纠结置之不理。但是，我一直试图在自己的内心身处，为两种文化寻找一个共存的位置，尽管它们经常是如此的针锋相对。
完整地论述二者的区别是不靠谱的。我曾经在奥斯威辛一座建筑物的牌匾上看到了George Santayana的名言，我发现，这句话清晰解释了西方文化和中国文化的不同行为取向：“忘记历史的人注定要重演历史。”
这句话明确指出了西方核心的发展理念所存在的危险——进步就是永远追求自由、平等、繁荣和其它理想。
中国人的发展理念与此完全不同：要尊重历史；困惑的时候，遵循从前的做法而不是另辟蹊径。儒家思想的核心教义可以被总结为：在决策未来时，首先要回顾历史。
中国人很难脱离中国历史强大的思维定式，所以中国人需要被提醒的事情就是与Santayana名言所相反的意思：从历史中解放自我，去追求个性。
就是在这种完全对立的生活态度上，西方人和中国人经常无法相互理解，很多欧亚混血人也常因此形成矛盾的心理。
受过教育的西方人在原则和推理的基础上追寻理想。然而对于中国人来说，理想不能果腹、不能获利，也不能让人富有智慧。孔子之所以还是中国人人生观的榜样，是因为他被看作是务实、合理，以及通常情况下成功的生活方式的倡导者。
回顾历史、吸取教训、规划成功的未来，这是一个多么具有诱惑力的行为方式啊。既安全又保守，当然，如果你具有像中国人那样极为漫长的历史可以用来回顾的话。
对我来说，两种文化难以融合的最明显的一个例子就是公平的概念。在西方，这个概念及其背后的理想长久以来被倾注了巨大的力量，甚至因此而引发了革命。我认为，公平是西方文化中最美好的理想之一。
在中国人的哲学中，没有一个恰当的词语可以完美地描述公平这个概念在西方所代表的态度，它似乎并不是中国文化中的一部分。决策并不是在平等的意义上做出的，而是依靠命令，命令在数千年历史中来自于上天安排的那个人，在最近60年中来自于党安排的那个人。
这些观点几乎是不可协调的，但是我认为已经有了一些改善的迹象。在学术范围之外，对中国理想方面的关注越来越多，比如公平的理想，例证就是工厂工人为增加工资而开展的运动。同时，尽管中国坚持正面的发展，但近期抓捕艺术家和作家的行为让人们心头沉重。
我同时还在关注西方在2008年金融危机之后形成的财政和社会烂摊子。例如，我注意到英国做出了艰难的决定，用羞涩的钱包勉强维持社会福利制度。我不禁想，或许我们可以借鉴中国的做法。
俗话说，千里之行始于足下。那么，像中国人一样前进两步退后一步的做法，或者像欧洲人一样昂首跨出一大步，展望未来，而回头时往往为时已晚的做法，哪一种会有更好的效果呢？这是所有欧亚混血人内心必然纠结的一个问题。
最终，我无法决定哪种方式更好，因为我更相信两种生活方式各有利弊。我接下来要做的就是找出各种方式的优势所在，为己所用。大部分欧亚混血都知道的一件事情就是，世界太小了，没有那么多非黑即白的事情。
看着香港市区的人群，我猜想，一些坐在婴儿车中的欧亚混血人在未来或许可以为西方和中国的融合做出更大的贡献，消除差异，创造出一种新的文化。
原文：
HONG KONG — It is a fascinating time to be half Chinese and half English.
For most of my 40 years, the Chinese have been the colonial subjects, the aspiring immigrants and the overzealous Communists while the British have been the colonialists, the winners of wars and a World Cup and a member of the G-8. The imbalance reflected the difficulties of reconciling the two cultures in oneself.
Suddenly China is the second largest economy, living in Shanghai is cool and, as Vogue China says, Beijing is hot. Suddenly there is more of a balance between the importance and relevance of the Chinese and Western cultures.
For some Eurasians born in the West, it was always easier to be simply Western and forget the cultural conflicts and daily struggles. But I always wanted to seek a place within me for both cultures, even though they often seemed so opposite.
Putting a finger on the difference, however, was elusive. It was in George Santayana’s celebrated quote on a plaque at Auschwitz that I found a clear articulation of the difference between the Western and the Chinese approaches: “The one who does not remember history is bound to live through it again.”
The words warn against the dangers of a key Western assumption: that progress lies in moving forward in a constant pursuit of freedom, equality, prosperity and other ideals.
The Chinese start with a very different assumption: History is to be respected; if in doubt, follow the past rather than depart from it. A central tenet of Confucianism could be summarized thus: One should first look back before making a decision about the future.
It is not easy to escape the gravitational pull of Chinese history. So the Chinese need a different kind of reminder, the converse of Santayana’s words: Free yourself of the past and choose as an individual.
It is in these opposing approaches to life that Westerners and Chinese regularly fail to understand each other, and where the struggle for coherence arises in many Eurasians.
The educated Westerner chases ideals, founded on principles and discourse. For the Chinese, an ideal does not fill stomachs with food, bank balances with assets or brains with education. Confucius still stands as the paragon of Chinese philosophy because he is seen as advocating a practical, sensible and often successful way of living.
Looking back in history for lessons for a successful future is very seductive, though safe and conservative, if, like the Chinese, you have an extremely long history on which to draw.
To me one of the clearest examples of how difficult it is to reconcile the different approaches rests in the idea of fairness. For a long time now in the West, that word and the ideal behind it have been invested with such power that it has started revolutions. I believe that fairness is one of the most beautiful ideals of Western culture.
In Chinese philosophy, there is no popular word or attitude that really captures what fairness means in the West; it does not seem to be a part of Chinese culture. Decisions are not made in accordance with the rule of equity but by command, for thousands of years by him who was mandated by heaven and then, during the last 60 years, by the Party.
These approaches are almost irreconcilable. But I believe there are signs of a change and there is now an increasing awareness in China, outside of academic circles, of the rise of ideals like fairness. One example is the movement to raise salaries of factory workers. At the same time, in spite of positive developments, the current detainment of artists and writers leaves the heart heavy indeed.
At the same time, I also look at the horrible financial and social mess the West has found itself in as a result of the financial freefall in 2008. I have followed, for example, the difficult decisions being discussed in Britain on maintaining welfare with a limited purse. I can’t help wondering whether maybe some Chinese pragmatism might not help.
It is said each journey begins with a single step. But is it better that the step be the result of a two-steps-forward-and-one-back approach, like the Chinese, or that one strides purposefully, looking ahead, like in the West, often only looking back when it is too late? This is the question the Eurasian mind must wrestle with.
In the end I refuse to commit to one way or another, preferring to believe that there is good and bad in both approaches to life. My real task then is to decide what is the best of each and to take that. The one thing most Eurasians know is that the world is too small for things to be simply black or white.
Looking around downtown Hong Kong, I suspect that some of the many Eurasians being pushed around in strollers may some day play important roles in the needed fusion of the West and China, reconciling the differences and creating a new culture. |
狗仔卡
发表于 2011-4-19 15:11
提升卡
变色卡
抢沙发
千斤顶
显身卡
发表于 2011-4-19 15:29
没见到融合！光看到区别了额！
