中國文化英語教程文本

1、PartIWisdomandBeliefsUnit1ConfucianthoughtonheavenandhumanityConfucius(551-479BC),knowninChinaasKongzi,givennameQiuandaliasZhongni,wasanativeofZouyi(present-dayQufuinShandongProvince)oftheStateofLuduringtheSpringandAutumnPeriod(770-476BC).Agreatthinker,educatorandfounderofConfucianism,Confuciusisana

2、ncientsagetotheChinesepeople.HiswordsandlifestorywererecordedbyhisdisciplesandtheirstudentsinTheAnalects(Lunyu).ConfuciusonHeaven:thesourceofEverythingIntheShang(1600-1046BC)andZhou(1046-256BC)dynasties,theprevalentconceptof“Heaven“wasthatofapersonifiedgod,whichinfluencedConfucius.Generally,however,

3、Confuciusregarded“Heaven"asnature.Hesaid,“Heavendoesnotspeakinwords.Itspeaksthroughtherotationofthefourseasonsandthegrowthofalllivingthings."Obviously,heavenequalednature,intheeyesofConfucius.Moreover,naturewasnotalifelessmechanismseparatefromhumans;instead,itwasthegreatworldoflifeandthepr

4、ocessofcreationoflife.Humanlifewaspartandparcelofnatureasawhole.ConfuciusonPeople:renandliRenandLiarethetwocoreconceptsofConfucius'sdoctrineaboutpeople.WhenhisstudentsFanChiaskedhimaboutren,Confuciusreplied,“l(fā)ovepeople.ThisisConfucius'mostimportantinterpretationofren.Loveforthepeopleisuniver

5、sallove.Confuciusfurtheremphasizedthatthiskindofloveshould“beginwiththeloveforone'sparents,.Hebelievednoonecouldlovepeopleingeneraliftheydidnotevenlovetheirownparents.Confuciusregarded“filialpietyandfraternalduty“astheessenceofren.TheDoctrineoftheMean(Zhongyong)quotesConfuciusassaying,“Thegreate

6、stloveforpeopleistheloveforone'sparents."Healsosaid,“Childrenshouldnottravelfarwhiletheirparentsarealive.Iftheyhavenochoicebuttodoso,theymustretainsomerestraint."Hedidnotmeanthatchildrenshouldnotleavetheirparentsatall.Whathemeantwasthatchildrenshouldnotmaketheparentsanxiousaboutthemwhi

7、leawayfromhome.Confuciussaidagain,aChildrenshouldthinkoftenoftheageoftheirparents.Theyshouldfeelhappyforthehealthandlongevityoftheirparents.Theyshouldalsofeelconcernfortheagingoftheirparents.Byren,Confuciusmeantuniversallovebasedonloveforone'sparents.HowshouldpeopleloveoneanotherthenConfuciussai

8、d,“Oneshouldbeawarethatotherpeoplemayhavesimilardesiresasoneself.Whilefulfillingone'sdesires,allowotherstofulfilltheirdesiresaswell."Hefurthersaid,“Donotdotowardothersanythingyouwouldnotwanttobedonetoyou."Thusfromoneselftoone'sfamily,fromfamilytosociety,oneshouldextendlovetoallpeop

9、le.Mencius(c.372-289BC),agreatConfucianscholar,bestsummarizedrenas,“l(fā)ovingone'sparents,lovingthepeople,lovingeverythingintheworld.Lireferstorituals,traditionsandnormsinsociallife.Ofthese,Confuciusregardedburialritualsandancestralworshipritualsasthemostimportant,becausetheyrosefromhumanfeelings.H

10、esaid,“Achildshouldnotleavehisparents'bosomuntilheisthreeyearsold.Henaturallylovehisparents.Theritualofwearingmourningforadeceasedparentforthreeyearswasanexpressionofthechildsloveandremembrance.ConfuciusontheStateoflifeBeforeConfucius,onlythenobilityhadtherighttoeducation.HewasthefirstfigureinCh

11、inesehistorytoinitiateprivateeducation.Accordingtohistoricalrecords,Confuciustaughtformanyyearsandtrained3,000disciples.Atotalof72ofthemexcelledinthe“sixarts",.,ritual,music,archery,(carriage)driving,calligraphy,andmathematics.Agreateducator,Confuciushasbeenadmiredbylatergenerationsasthe“sageof

12、sages.Confuciusbelievedthebasicgoalofeducationwastocultivateapersonsofvirtue,whoshouldhavesoundcharacterandupliftedminds.Suchpeopleshouldbeabletoshoulderimportantsocialresponsibilitiesandtomakecontributionstosociety.Confuciusregardedloftyideals,greatvirtue,loveofpeople,andthe“sixarts“asthegeneralpri

13、nciplesofeducation.Ofthese,virtuewasthemostimportant.Hisstudentswereinvolvedinavarietyofprofessions,includingpolitics,trade,education,diplomacy,ritualceremony,andclassifyingancientbooks.Whatevertheydid,theyallwantedtoimprovetheirlearningofthehumanitiesandtoenhancetheirvirtue.Unit2Laozi'sphilosop

14、hyofNon-actionThebookLaoziwaswrittenaroundthesixthcenturyBC.TheauthorisgenerallybelievedtobeLaoDan,orLaozi-areclusewholivedduringtheSpringandAutumnPeriod.FewrecordshavesurvivedaboutLaoDan,whowassaidtohaveonceheldalowcivilpositionintheroyalcourt,inchareofthearchivalrecordsoftheZhouDynasty.Yet,duetohi

15、sgreatlearning,evenConfuciuswassaidtohavetraveledmilestoconsulthim.Laozi,alsoknownasClassicoftheWayandVirtue(DaoDeJing),consistsofjustover5,000Chinesecharacters.Its81chaptersaredividedintotwoparts,Dao(theWay)andDe(Virtue).Shortasitis,thebookhasplayedatremendousroleinthedevelopmentofChineseculture.It

16、becamethebasisofDaoism,theschoolofphilosophyparalleltoConfucianisminancientChina.ThethoughtofLaoziformedthefoundationofDaoism,themostinfluentialindigenousschoolofreligioninChina.Ithasalsoexertedadirectimpactonthecharacteristics,trendsofthoughtandaestheticsensibilitiesoftheChinesenation.TodayLaozisti

17、llplaysaroleinthedevelopmentofChinesethinking.NaturalnessandNon-action“Naturalness"isanimportantconceptofLaozi'sphilosophy.Itreferstoanaturalstateofbeing,anattitudeoffollowingthewayofnature.Laoziemphasizedthateverythingintheworldhasitsownwayofbeinganddevelopment:birdsflyinthesky,fishswimint

18、hewater,cloudsfloatinthesky,flowersbloomandflowersfall.Allthesephenomenaoccurindependentlyandnaturallywithoutfollowinganyhumanwill,andhumansshouldnottrytochangeanythingnatural.Laoziadmonishedpeopletogiveuponanydesiretocontroltheworld.Followingthewayofnatureisthewaytoresolvingconflictsbetweenhumansan

19、dtheworld.“Non-action“isanotherimportantconceptofLaozi'sphilosophy.Itistheguaranteeof“Naturalness.Laozisaid,"(DaoortheWay)actsthroughnon-action,“bywhichhedidnomeanthatoneshoulddonothingandpassivelywaitforsomethingtobeachieved.Neitherdidhedenyhumancreativity.Whathemeantisthathumanenterprises

20、shouldbebuiltonthebasisofnaturalness,notonmanyattemptstointerrupttherhythmofnature.Humancreativityshouldbeincompliancewiththewaysofnature.ThephilosophyofNon-contentionOnthebasisofanaturalnessand“non-action,Laoziproposedtheviewofaovercomingthestrongbybeingweak.TheeraLaozilivedinwasrepletewithendlessw

21、ars.Therefore,warwasanimportanttremeforphilosophers,andant-warthinkingwasthenorm.EventhegreatstrategistSunziadvocatedawinningawarwithoutfightingit,nottomentionthegreatthinkerConfucius,whostronglychampionedagovernmentbasedonlove.TheircontemporaryMozi(c.468-376BC),founderofMohism,alsocondemnedwarswhil

22、ecallingfor“l(fā)oveforall".AccordingtoLaozi,warspringsfromhumanity;sbloateddesires.Conflictarisesoutofpeoplesstrugglestosatisfytheirdesires,andconflictescalatesintowar.Therefore,Laozisphilosophyisbasedon“non-contention.Tohim,humanstrivingandcompetitivestrifeistherootcauseofdecline;desiringnothingi

23、sthenaturalwayoflife.Laozisaid,“Thegreatestvirtueislikewater."Hecomparedhisphilosophyof“non-contention"towater,todistinguishitfromthelawofthejungle.Hesaid,“Waternourisheseverythingbutcontendsfornothing."ToLaozi,humanstendtoseekhigherpositionswhilewateralwaysflowstolowerplaces.Drivenby

24、desire,humanslikewhatevertheythinkissuperiorwhiledespisingwhatevertheythinkisinferior.Yetwateralwaysflowsdownward.Asthesourceoflife,waternourishesalllivingthingsonEarth.Nolifecanexistwithoutwater.Watercontributestotheworldwithoutregardforgainorloss.Remaininglow,levelandtranquil,waterembracesandrefle

25、ctseverythingunderheaven.Thewayofwateriscompletelydifferentfromthewayofpeoplewithaviddesires.ButthephilosophyofLaoziisbynomeansweak.Onthecontrary,itisfullofstrength.AccordingtoLaozi,wateraccumulatesgreatstrengthinitsweaknessandquietude.Itsstrengthcanbreakdownallbarriersintheworld.Hesaid,“Nothinginth

26、eworldisweakerthanwater.Yetnothingisstrongerthanwaterwhenitcomestobreakingsomethingstrong."Waterisatypicalexampleoftheweakwinningoverthestrong.Waterisinvinciblebecauseitdesiresnothingandcontendsfornothing.Unit3ChineseBuddhistCultureWhoamIWhereamIfromWhereamIgoingMenaremortal.Butdeathisnotanonce

27、-and-for-allthing.TheyentertherotatingWheelofSixRealms:Heaven,Human,Asura,Animal,HungryGhost,Hell.Documentsstoredincomputercanbecanceledatwill,butwhatwehavedoneinourlife,andactuallyinourinnumerablelives,cannot.Whathasbeendonehasbeendone.Theinformationisstoredinyourtrue"self"notthephysicalo

28、ne,andwillaccompanyyoulifeafterlife,anddetermineswhichRealmyouenter.Onlywhenwearecompletelyfreefromlust,hatred,andfolly,canwemanagetobreakawayfromthecaptureoftherotatingWheel,andachieveperpetualenlightenment,discoveringyourtrueInBuddhssmithereisn'tanydominatinggodwhocontrolsyourdestiny.Wearethem

29、akerofourownfate.Whatweareatpresentisaresultofwhatwehavedoneinthepast;andwhatwewillbeinthefutureisdecidedbywhatwearedoingatpresent.Whatwehavedoneformthe“karma,which,likeagene,decidesonyourfutuButstbiry."gene"canofcoursebemodified,bydoinggooddeedsandobtaininghealthybiologicalandspiritualene

30、rgy,soastochangeourfuturecourseofcareer.Weare,therefore,ourownmaster.WhatarethebasicrequirementsforaBuddhistFiveProhibitionsforthelaymen:1) Don'tkill;2) Don'tsteal;3) Dontseekaberrantsensualpleasures;4) Donttalkirresponsibly;5) Don'tdrinkalcohol.Part II CreativityandExchangeUnit4TheSilkR

31、oadThesilkroadreferstoatransportrouteconnectingancientChinawithCentralAsia,WestAsia,Africa,andtheEuropeancontinent.ItappearedasearlyasthesecondcenturyBCandwastraveledmainlybysilkmerchants.Theterm“SilkRoad",or"dieSeidenstrasseinGerman,wasfirstnoteddownbytheGermangeographerFerdinandVonRichth

32、ofenattheendofthe19thcentury.ThesilkroadbeganinChang'an(present-dayXi'an,capitalofShaanxiProvince),passingthroughGansuandXinjiangtoCentralAsia,WestAsia,andtolandsbytheMediterranean.TherewerenosignsofcommunicationbetweenancientChinesecivilizationandMediterraneancivilizationinearlierhistory.In

33、abouttheseventhcenturyBC,theancientGreeksbegantolearnaboutanancientcivilizationtotheeast,yetknewlittleaboutit.BeforetheSilkRoad,accordingtoarcheologicalfindings,therehadalreadyexistedanintermittenttraderouteonthegrasslandsfromtheYellowRiverandtheIndusRiverdrainageareastotheEuphratesandtheTigris,andt

34、heNiledrainageareas.YetrealcommunicationbetweenChina,CentralandWestAsiancountries,AfricaandtheEuropeancontinentdidnotdevelopuntiltheopeningoftheSilkRoad.ZhangQian,TrailBlazerThepioneerwhoblazedthetrailoftheSilkRoadwasZhangQian(c.164-114BC).InZhangQian'stime,theChinesehaslittleknowledgeaboutCentr

35、alandWestAsiancountries,AfricaorEurope,althoughtheywereawareoftheexistenceofmanydifferentcountriesandculturesinfarawayplacestothewest.DuringthereignofEmperorWu(r.140-135BC),therewere36smallkingdomsintheWesternRegions(present-dayXinjiangandpartsofCentralAsia).AllofthemwerelaterconqueredbytheHuns,whot

36、henposedadirectthreattotheWesternHanandblockedthedynastyspathwest.Underthesecircumstances,EmperorWuappointedZhangQiantoleadateamofmorethan100envoystotheWesternRegions.ThemissionwastounitetheIndo-ScythicpeopleagainsttheHuns,whooncekilledtheirchieftain.ZhangQian'steamsetoutin138BC.Nosoonerhadtheye

37、nteredtheHexiCorridor(northwestofpresent-dayGansuProvince),thantheywerecapturedbytheHuns.Afterbeingheldunderhousearrestforovertenyears,ZhangQianandonlyoneotherremainingenvoymanagedtoescapeandreturntoChang'anin126BC.TheiraccountsabouttheWesternRegionswerearevelationtoHunemperorandhisministers.Int

38、henexttwodecades,EmperorWulaunchedthreemajorcampaignsagainsttheHuns,forcingthemtoretreatfromtheWesternRegions.In119BC,theemperorsentZhangQianonasecondmissiontotheWesternRegions.ThistimeZhangQianwentfurtherwest,whilehisdeputiesreachedmorethanadozencountriesinSouthandWestAsia,andtheMediterranean.Zhang

39、QianstwomissionstotheWesternRegionsopeneduptheroadtothewest.EmperorWuadoptedaseriesofmeasurestostrengthentieswiththeWesternRegions,includingencouragingHanPeopletotradethere.Soontheroutewasbustlingwithcaravansofcamelscarryinggoodsofalltypesandreverberatingwiththetinklingoftheirbells.ThroughtheSilkRoa

40、d,tradeflourishedbetweenChinaandCentral,SouthandWestAsiancountries,AfricaandEurope.In166,envoysfromRomearrivedviatheSilkRoadinChang'an,weretheysetupanembassy.Part III ArtandAestheticsUnit5Music:GoverntheCountry,NourishtheMindThetraditionofChinesemusicdatesbacktoremoteantiquity.Governingthecountr

41、yandnourishingthemindthroughmusicaretwoofthemainfunctionsofthistradition.GovernanceThroughMusicAccordingtoancientChineseculture,ritualsprovidedthenormsofconductofpeople.Thegoalwastomaintainsocialorder.Musicwasforthemind'scultivationandexpression.Itspurposewastoenhancepeople'soutlookonlifeand

42、imbuethemwithenergyandcreativity,suchthattheycouldenjoyamoreharmoniousandhappierspirituallife.Individualcontentmentwouldthenleadtosocialharmony,aswellastoamoreharmoniousrelationshipbetweenpeopleandnature.ThehighestlevelofancientChinesemusicwastorepresentspiritualwithnature.Theprominentstatureofmusic

43、inancientChinaexplainstheemergenceofsophisticatedinstrumentsfromearlytimes.Chimebellswereoneexample.FirstusedintheShangDynasty,theybecamequitepopularduringtheWesternZhouDynasty1046-771BC.In1978,afinesetofchimebellswasunearthedinHubeiProvince,fromthetombofMarquisYi,alocallordinasmallstatecalledZengdu

44、ringtheWarringStatesPeriod.TheMarquisYichimebellsconsistof65bellsarrangedinthreerows.Thefirstrowincludes19niubells,andthesecondandthirdrowsinclude45yongbells.Thebellsineachrowdifferfromoneanotherinshapeandsize,emanating發(fā)出differenttones.Inaddition,thereisaseparateandmuchlargerbellusedtoadjustpitch.Li

45、kethebells,thefromismadeofbronze,weighingasmuchasfivetonsormore.Thetotalweightofthebellsismorethan440kilograms.Whilethebellsbearinscriptionstotalingmorethan2,800Chinesecharactersrelatingtomusicandthemakingoftheinstrument,theframeiscarvedwithexquisitepatternsinrelief浮雕andfretwork回紋細(xì)工.Instrumentsofsuc

46、hascaleandsuchfinecraftsmanshipwerequiterateintheworldatthetime.Fivemusicianswereneededtoplaytheinstrument.Eachbellproducestwotoneswhenstruckattherespectivesoundpointsasmarked.Theentiresetofchimebellsisabletoproduceallthetonesofamodernpiano.ConsolingtheMindwithMusicTheChinesezithertendstocreateatran

47、quilair.ThecompositionWildGeeseLandingontheShallowShoressuchanexample.Witharelaxedrhythm,thefirstpartofthepiecedepictsacalmYangtzeRiverunderaclearautumnsky.Thesecondpartprogressesintolivelierrhythmstoimitatethechirpingofmanybirds.Thethirdpartpresentsathematicsceneofwildgeeseleisurelylandingontheshal

48、lowshoresoftheYangtze,asagentlebreezemakesthewaterripple.ToChinesemusiciansandmusiclovers,thecontentmentofthewildgeeserepresentsthehumanheart.Thezitherwasalsoinstrumentalincommunicationbetweenancientscholarsandartist.Thefamouszithercomposition,ThreeStanzasofPlumBlossomwasbasedonanEasternJinDynastyst

49、oryofthepoetWangZiyou王子猷c.338-386andthefluteplayerHuanYi旭彳-383.OnedaythepoetwastakingaboattripwhenheoverheardsomeoneontheriverbanksayHuanYiwaspassingby.Althoughthetwohadnevermetbefore,theyadmiredeachotheraspoetandfluteplayer.Despitehislowerrankofoffice,ZiyousentafamilymembertorequestHuanYitoplaythef

50、lute.Withouthesitation,HuanYidismountedfromhiscarriageandplayedThreeStanzasofPlumBlossoms,whileZiyoulistenedfromhisboat.Afterfinishing,HuanYimountedhiscarriageanddroveon.Ziyou,too,continuedwithhisboatjourney.Thetwoofthemexchangednotasingleword,yetbothwerecontentwiththecommunicationoftheirheartsthrou

51、ghthemusic.Theflute'sthreestanzaswerelaterconvertedintoacompositionfortheChinesezither,whichhasbecomeoneofthebest-knownmusicalworksasanexpressionofotherworldlyfeelingsthroughitseulogyoftheplumflower'spurity,fragranceandresistancetothecold.Unit6FlyingstrokesofCalligraphyTheevolutionofChinesec

52、haractersfont甲骨文theOraclebonescript金文Jinwen(Inscriptionsonbronze)篆書Sealscript隸書Officialscript楷書Regularscript草書Cursivescript行書runningscriptWangXizhiandPrefacetotheLantingPavilionCollectionIntheHallforCultivationofMindofthePalaceMuseum,thereisaThree-treasurerStudy,whichderivesitsnameforthethreemostval

53、uablecalligraphicworkshousedhere.Thesethreetreasures,mostvaluedandadoredbyEmperorQianling(r.1736-1795)oftheQingDynasty,wereASunnySceneafteraQuickSnowbyWangXizhi,Mid-AutumnbyWangXianzhiandBoyuanbyWangXun(349-400).Asfatherandson,WangXizhiandWangXianzhihaebeenknownasthe“TwoWangs,theirworksuniversallyre

54、cognizedasthepeakofChinesecalligraphy.Unit7PorcelainCallingCardofChineseCultureInEnglish,thecountryand“porcelain"sharethesamename-"China.ThisprovesthatEuropeanshavelongknownofChina'srelationshiptoporcelain.PorcelainfounditswaytoEuropeinthe15thcentury,occupyinganimportantpositionintheex

55、changesbetweenChinaandothercountries.TheKeiselRandyMuseuminGermanyhousesablue-and-whitebowldatingbacktotheMingDynasty.Throughouthistory,China,alongwithotherAsiancountries,andEuropemaintainedabusyandvasttradeinporcelain.From1602to1682,theDutchEastIndiaCompanytransportedmorethan16millionarticlesofporc

56、elaintoEurope.PorcelaingarneredagoodreputationforChinaforitssophisticationandelegance,andplayedanimportantroleinthewaveoftheEuropeanidealizationofChinaduringthe17thand18thcenturies.IntherococostylepopularinEuropeofthattime,onecouldsense,fromtimetotime,theinfluenceofaChinesevogue"representedbyCh

57、inasstylesofporcelainandgardens.PorcelainisofgreatsignificanceinthehistoryofChinesecivilization.Potterywasthepredecessorofporcelain,whileglazedpotterywasthebasisfortheemergenceofporcelain.Aroundthefirstcentury,porcelainproductionfirstemergedinChina,andbyTheSongDynastyithadbecomemature.Song-Dynastypo

58、rcelainrepresentedtheacmeofChineseporcelaintechnique.Fivefamouskilns,theJun,Ding,Guan,Ge,andRu,wereallcreativeandoriginalintheirrespectiveproducts,andtheirporcelainwarehasbeenimitatedbylatergenerationsthroughouttheages.IntheYuanDynasty,JingdezhenbecamethecenteroftheChinesePorcelainindustry.PureBlue-

59、and-WhitePorcelainPureandelegantbeautyisthegoalthatporcelainpursues,andthisidealisbestexplainedintheproductionofblue-and-whiteporcelain.Blue-and-whiteporcelainisatypicalartifactofporcelaininChina.AmongtheporcelainexportedduringtheMingandQingdynasties,80percentwasblue-and-white.Chinese-madeblue-and-w

60、hiteporcelainwareemergedlongbeforethefoundingoftheTangDynasty,butitwasnotuntiltheYuanDynastythatthistypeofporcelaincametobeproducedinquantity,withtheattendantmasterpieces.TheMingDynastywitnessedthematurityoftheart,andalargenumberofvaluablepieceswereproducedinthisperiod.Jingdezhen,asmalltownthatcreatedtheenchantingblue-and-whiteporcelainoftheYuanDynasty,be