教育部高等学校外语专业（英语） 中青年骨干教师高级研修班 Hello!
brings a distant land near.” A Chinese poem says, “A bosom friend afar brings a distant land near.” 海内存知己，天涯若比邻
Lines and Circles: A Contrastive Study of Western and Chinese Cultures 环性与线性 —— 中西文化比较 (Part I)
A Contrastive Study of Western and Chinese Cultures Lines and Circles: A Contrastive Study of Western and Chinese Cultures This lecture is based on an article of mine Lines and Circles, West and East published successively in English Today (Cambridge University Press), Asian Studies (Oxford University Press), The Quest (An American philosophical journal) and Social Sciences (A Chinese journal).
A Contrastive Study of Western and Chinese Cultures 环性与线性 —— 中西文化比较 左 飚 Lines and Circles: A Contrastive Study of Western and Chinese Cultures 该讲座以本人的一篇同名论文为基准。这篇论文的英文版及中文版曾先后发表或转载于英国剑桥大学出版社的《今日英语》、英国牛津大学出版社的《亚洲研究》、美国哲学刊物《求索》及中国刊物《社会科学》。 This lecture is based on an article of mine Lines and Circles, West and East published successively in English Today (Cambridge University Press), Asian Studies (Oxford University Press), The Quest (An American philosophical journal) and Social Sciences (A Chinese journal).
A Risky and Controversial Topic. 这是一个容易引起争议的话题 Culture is a pervasive concept. 文化是一个极为宽泛的概念。 Culture is a dynamic process. 文化是一个动态的过程。 Cultural difference is relative. 文化差异是相对的。
What is culture? 文化的定义 w
What is culture? Culture is that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society. — Edward Tylor (1871) (a British anthropologist) 文化是一个错综复杂的整体，它包括知识、信仰、艺术、法律、道德、习俗以及作为社会成员的人所获得的其他一切能力和习惯。 — 爱德华•泰勒 (1871) 英国人类学家
What is culture? Culture consists of patterns, explicit and implicit of and for behavior acquired and transmitted by symbols, constituting the distinctive achievement of human groups, including their embodiment in artifacts; the essential core of culture consists of traditional (historically derived and selected) ideas and especially their attached values. Culture systems may, on the one hand, be considered as products of action, on the other hand, as conditioning elements of future action. — Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn (two American anthropologists, 1961）
文化的定义 文化是由通过符号所获得并传播的显性及隐性行为模式所构成，这种行为模式形成人类群体的特征，包括它们在人工制品中的体现；文化的核心部分是传统的（源于历史并经历史选择的）观念，尤其是价值观。文化系统，一方面可被视为人们行为的产品，另一方面又可被看作是规约未来行为的条件。 —克洛依伯、克勒克荷恩 美国人类学家
What is Culture? Culture is the acquired knowledge that people use to interpret experience and to generate behavior. — J. P. Spradley (Psychologist) 文化是后天获得的知识，人们用这种知识来解释以往的经验，生成未来的行为。 —斯普拉德莱（心理学家）
What is Culture? Culture refers to the total pattern of human learned behavior transmitted from generation to generation. — Salzmann (Sociologist) 文化是指人们学得的行为的总体模式，这种行为模式代代相传 。 — 萨尔斯曼（社会学家）
What is culture? Culture is the total range of activities and ideas of a group of people with shared traditions which are transmitted and reinforced by members of the group. — CED 文化是具有共同传统的群体的活动和观念的总和，这些传统为这一群体的成员加以传播并加强。 — 剑桥英语词典
Culture is the total pattern of human behavior and its products embodied in thought, speech, action and artifacts. 文化是人类行为及其产品的总和，表现为思想、言论、行动及制成物品。 Culture is a complex of typical behavior or standardized social characteristics peculiar to a specific group. — WNID 文化是某一群体所特有的典型行为或规范化的社会特征的综合。 —《韦氏新国际词典》
Characteristics of Culture 文化的特征
Characteristics of Culture Non-natural （非自然性） Non-individual （非个人性） Non-innate （非先天性） Regional and trans-regional （地域性与超地域性） Epochal and trans-epochal （时代性与超时代性）
Essentials of Culture External （外在文化 / 有形文化） *behavior – language, gestures, customs 行为 — 语言、手势、习俗等 *products – literature, art, music, artifacts 产品 — 文学、艺术、音乐、人工制品、建筑等 Internal （内核文化 / 无形文化） *ideas – beliefs, values, morals 观念 — 信仰、价值观、道德观等
Essentials of Culture 文化的要素
Essentials of Culture Dead （死文化 ） *products (achievements) – literature, art, music, artifacts, architecture 产品 — 文学、艺术、音乐、人工制品、建筑等 Living （活文化 ） *ideas – beliefs, values, morals 观念 — 信仰、价值观、道德观等 *behavior – language, gestures, customs 行为 — 语言、手势、习俗等
Layers of Culture 文化的层次
产品/符号Products/Symbols Layers of Culture 产品/符号Products/Symbols Behaviors 行为 Values 价值观念 Assumptions 对宇宙、人性的基本看法
Cultures: Universality and Individuality 文化的共性与个性 钱钟书：东海西海，心理攸同； 南学北学，道术未裂。 Commonality of human nature 人性趋同 Penetrativeness and fusibility 渗透性及可融性 Accumulation and tradition 积淀与传统 Linearity and Circularity 线性与环性
My idea about the contrastive study is based on a western diagram and a Chinese picture.
Plato 柏拉图 Plato’s divided line of knowledge The development of western philosophy is a series of footnotes to Plato. -- Whitehead 西方哲学的发展是对柏拉图的一系列注脚。 — 怀特海 Plato 柏拉图 Plato’s divided line of knowledge gnosis / knowledge noesis / reason A line of abstraction dianoia / idea pistis / faith eikasia / imagination
中华第一图太极图 —— 环性中国文化的象征
Contrast in respect of : Worldview （宇宙观） Core values （核心价值观） Outlook on time （时间观） Modes of thinking （思维模式） Linguistic expression （语言表达） Outlook on Arts (艺术观)
How is the world observed and viewed in both cultures? 在中西两种文化中 人们是怎样看待世界的？
人 与 自 然 Man and Nature
Linear division and circular enclosure 1. Worldview 宇宙观 Linear division and circular enclosure （线分环合） Western: one dividing into two (一分为二) Chinese: two combining into one (合二为一) 西方文化呈线性，人与自然、凡与神均一分为二，界线分明，强调二元的并存与对立； 中国文化呈环性，人与自然、凡与神均合而为一，环抱涵容，注重二元的依存和统一。 Opposites: Western: independence and opposition Chinese: interdependence and integration
Western Linear division (线分) One dividing into two (一分为二)
Ancient Greek Philosophers 古希腊哲学家 Thales泰勒斯 （624 – 547 BC） Plato柏拉图 （427 – 347 BC） Heracleitus赫拉克利特 （540 – 480 BC）
Linear dividing philosophy Thales, the first Greek philosopher 泰勒斯—古希腊第一位哲学家 Philosophy begins with Thales. — Bertrand Russell （罗素） Matter Vs Mind Matter Vs Energy Body Vs Soul Mind shaped and created all things from water. — Thales
Linear dividing philosophy Heracleitus, one of the founders of dialectics 赫拉克利特—辩证法的奠基人 Everything is in a state of flux. Strife is justice. We both step and do not step in the same rivers. All things come into being by conflict of opposites, and the sum of things (ta hola, "the whole") flows like a stream.
Plato’s distinction between the sensible world and the ideal world Plato’s Theory of Forms contrasts reality with phenomena; soul with body; knowledge with opinion; reason with sensation; and rationality with emotion. 柏拉图的理念论把实在和现象、灵魂和肉体、知识和意见、理性和感觉、理智和激情相对应。
Modern Philosophers 西方近现代哲学家 Descartes笛卡尔 (1596 – 1650) Kant康德 (1724 – 1804) Russell罗素 (1872 – 1970)
Philosopher: Descartes （French) Father of Modern Philosophy —— Hegel （黑格尔） Je pense, donc je suis. I think, therefore I am. I am thinking, therefore I exist. 我思故我在。 Perception through senses is unreliable, but thinking is indubitable.
Philosopher: Descartes （French) Substance dualism （实体二元论）: Descartes divided the world into extended substance (matter) and thinking substance (mind), and these two have mutually incompatible properties. Accordingly the soul is entirely distinct from the body. 笛卡尔把世界划分为广延的实体(物质)和能思维的实体(心灵)，这两种实体的性质是不相容的。因此，灵魂与身体是截然区分的。 The body works like a machine, with the material properties of extension and motion, and it follows the laws of physics. The mind (or soul) is a nonmaterial entity that does not follow the laws of physics.
Kant （康德, German ） Russell （罗素, British） Causal dualism （因果二元论）: physical causal laws vs. psychological causal laws （物理因果律与心理因果律） Phenomenal world vs. noumenal world（现象世界与本体世界）
Christianity and Bible Christianity: God and Man God creates Man and Man sins against God. 基督教：上帝创造人，人违抗上帝而犯罪。 Theme of Bible: Human redemption 圣经主题：人的灵魂拯救 God occupies a dominant position.
West: linear division Scientist: Archemedes （阿基米德, 287~212 BC ） Give me but one firm spot on which to stand, and I will move the earth. 只要给我一个稳固的立足点，我就能移动地球。
Chinese circular enclosure（环合） Two combining into one (合二为一)
Chinese: circular enclosure Philosophical Concept: Tao （道） 《易经》：一阴一阳之谓道。 Tao consists in Yin and Yang. The Book of Changes (600 BC)
老子：道生一，一生二，二生三，三生万物。万物负阴而抱阳,冲气以为和。 《道德经》第42章 Tao gave birth to the One; the One gave birth successively to two things, three things, up to ten thousand. These ten thousand creatures cannot turn their backs to the shade (Yin) without having the sun (Yang) on their bellies, and it is this blending of the breaths (Yin and Yang) that their harmony depends. Translated by Arthur Waley Lao Tzu （571- 471 BC)
庄子 （369 – 286 BC） 天地与我并生，而万物与我为一。 Heaven and earth co-exist with me, and I am identified with everything in the universe. 故其好之也一,其弗好之也一。天与人不相胜也。 Nature and Man are unified as one whether you like it or not. They are not in conflict. 庄子 （369 – 286 BC）
天人合一 天人感应 天地之气，合而为一，分为阴阳，判为四时，列为五行。 The energy of heaven and earth are a unified one. It consists in Yin and Yang and manifests itself in four seasons and five elements. – Gardener Murphy 天亦有喜怒之气，哀乐之心。以类合之，天人一也。 Heaven also has feelings like delight and anger, joy and sorrow. Heaven and Man can be classified under the same category. 董仲舒 179 – 104 BC
Chinese Circularity：Idioms 天人感应 Heaven and Man interact with each other. / Natural phenomena and human affairs find response in each other. 天理人情 The law of nature and feeling of Man are in unison.
Chinese Circularity：Idioms 天从人愿 Heaven accords with human wishes. 天怒人怨 Nature is angry while people resentful.
Nature and Man turn to one. 天意人缘 Heaven’s will brings about human affinity. 天与人归 Nature and Man turn to one.
Chinese Circularity: Literature Poetic lines: 花迎喜气皆知笑，鸟识欢心亦解歌。 ——王维 Flowers smile on the happy occasion; Birds sing with the joyful congregation.
Chinese Circularity: Literature Poetic lines: 高树多悲风，海水扬其波。 ——曹植 Trees sway in a mournful gale; Waves surge like hill and dale.
Catkins scattered by wind, My motherland is being disintegrated; Poetic lines 山河破碎风抛絮，身世浮沉雨打萍。 ——文天祥 Catkins scattered by wind, My motherland is being disintegrated; Rain striking duckweed, I sink against the tide, broken-hearted.
Chinese: circular enclosure 《周易大传》： 观天之神道，而四时不忒，圣人以神道设教，而天下服矣。．．． 牟宗三： 中国哲学是圆盈之教。
The Advantages of Each Worldview 两种宇宙观各有优势 一分为二的线性宇宙观强调二元的并存与对立，有利于发展科技探索自然，在与天奋斗中求生存；合而为一的环性宇宙观注重二元的依存和统一，有利于发展伦理改革社会，在天人和谐中求生存。 The Advantages of Each Worldview The one-dividing-into-two linear worldview contributes to the development of science and technology in exploring nature and to Man’s survival through his struggle against nature. The two-combining-into-one circular worldview facilitates the development of ethics in transforming society and benefits Man’s survival in seeking harmony with nature.
Linear division and circular enclosure 1. Worldview 宇宙观 Linear division and circular enclosure （线分环合） Western: one dividing into two (一分为二) Chinese: two combining into one (合二为一) 西方文化呈线性，人与自然、凡与神均一分为二，界线分明，强调二元的并存与对立； 中国文化呈环性，人与自然、凡与神均合而为一，环抱涵容，注重二元的依存和统一。 Opposites: Western: independence and opposition Chinese: interdependence and integration
Friends From Denmark Welcome to Shanghai Hello!
Welcome to Shanghai, Friends from Denmark!
“It’s such a great delight to have friends visiting from afar. A Chinese saying goes, “It’s such a great delight to have friends visiting from afar.
brings a distant land near.” A Chinese poem says, “A bosom friend afar brings a distant land near.”