Year: 1984/2007
Author: Arthur H. Smith
Translator from English to Chinese: Liang Genshun
Genre: geography, ethnology
Publisher: Evangelical Literature. Fleming H. Revell Company (English edition) / Taibaiveni (Chinese edition)
ISBN: 1891936263 (English edition) / 978-7-80680-465-0 (Chinese edition)
Language: English / Chinese
Format: PDF
Number of pages: 388 (English edition) / 156 (Chinese edition)
English Sinologist Arthur Smith at the end of the XIX century. published a large monograph entitled "Characteristic features of the Chinese," which begins with an explanation of the concept of "face". He writes: "In order to have at least the most imperfect idea of what is meant by the word" face, "we must take into account the fact that among the national characteristics of the Chinese is a strong propensity for dramatic action.The theater can be called almost the only one Chinese national entertainment, and the Chinese have the same passion for the whole theater as the English for the athletic games or the Spanish for the bullfights.This is the most insignificant occasion for the Chinese to imagine himself in the role of dramas His posture takes on a theatrical appearance, he "plays a greeting", rushes to his knees, falls down and strikes his head on the ground under circumstances that in the eyes of the inhabitants of the West make such actions superfluous, to say the least, ridiculous. The Chinese think with theatrical terms. "
And further: "We should not go behind the scenes, because it would spoil any view. To perform such theatrical actions properly in all the generally possible difficult circumstances of life is to have a "face," to sin against them, not to know them, or to misfire when they are committed means to "lose face." "Face", if we understand it correctly, will be the key to a complex lock that connects in its springs many of the most important characteristics of the Chinese. "
Originally the book was translated into Japanese and soon into Chinese. The famous Chinese writer Lu Xun, after reading this book, was delighted with her, because even the Chinese themselves find it difficult to analyze the character of their people, what to say about what kind of work Arthur Smith put into writing this work.
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ----------------------------------------7
INTRODUCTION ---------------------------------------------------9
I. FACE ------------------------------------------------------------16
II. ECONOMY -----------------------------------------------------19
III. INDUSTRY -----------------------------------------------------27
IV. POLITENESS --------------------------------------------------35
V. THE DISREGARD OF TIME ------------------------------------41
VI. THE DISREGARD OF ACCURACY ----------------------------48
VII. THE TALENT FOR MISUNDERSTANDING ------------------58
VIII. THE TALENT FOR INDIRECTION --------------------------65
IX. FLEXIBLE INFLEXIBILITY ------------------------------------74
X. INTELLECTUAL TURBIDITY -----------------------------------82
'XI. THE ABSENCE OF NERVES ---------------------------------90
XII. CONTEMPT FOR FOREIGNERS -----------------------------98
XIII. THE ABSENCE OF PUBLIC SPIRIT -----------------------107
XIV. CONSERVATISM --------------------------------------------115
XV. INDIFFERENCE TO COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE ----125
XVI. PHYSICAL VITALITY ----------------------------------------144
XVII. PATIENCE AND PERSEVERANCE ------------------------152
XVIII. CONTENT AND CHEERFULNESS ------------------------162
XIX. FILIAL PIETY -------------------------------------------------171
XX. BENEVOLENCE -----------------------------------------------186
XXI. THE ABSENCE OF SYMPATHY -----------------------------194
XXII. SOCIAL TYPHOONS ----------------------------------------217
XXIII. MUTUAL RESPONSIBILITY AND RESPECT FOR LAW -226
XXIV. MUTUAL SUSPICION --------------------------------------242
XXV. THE ABSENCE OF SINCERITY -----------------------------266
XXVI. POLYTHEISM, PANTHEISM, ATHEISM -------------------287
XXVII. THE REAL CONDITION OF CHINA AND HER PRESENT
NEEDS --------------------------------------------------------------314
GLOSSARY ----------------------------------------------------------331
INDEX ---------------------------------------------------------------333
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