Quora討論 西方對中國文明的最大禮物

西方對中國文明的最大禮物是什麽？

今濤拍案 ｜2023-01-10  

西方近代物質文明和生活方式對中國產生了雙重的影響：一方麵，西方的一切是伴隨著大炮和殖民主義野蠻侵略強行進入中國人的生活的，它破壞了中國長期安定、寧靜的社會環境。另一方麵，西方傳入中國的新器具、新事物和新的生活方式又有一定的先進性，有力地推動了中國近代社會結構的轉型，引發了中國社會邁向近代化的新變革。在美版知乎Quora上，美國網友提問道：西方對中國文明的最大禮物是什麽？禮物這個詞很諷刺，也很傲慢，我們看看網友們的回答。

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問題

中國網友貝文•褚的回答

China (the Qing Dynasty) is different from many countries (regions) that were also invaded by Western colonialism at that time. China itself is an extremely mature political body, with stable cultural continuity and identity, with extremely large territory and population, and has the economic strength at the forefront of the world.

中國近代（清王朝）不同於當時很多同樣被西方殖民侵略的國家（地區）的一點是，中國本身是一個極其成熟的政治體，有著穩定的文化延續和認同，有著極為龐大的疆域與人口，有占世界前列的經濟實力。

Taken apart, the Ming and Qing dynasties were the peak of the development of feudal autocracy. It has to be admitted that the autocratic monarchy, especially China's autocratic monarchy with extremely powerful centralized power, is indeed the most efficient social organization of agricultural society.

拆開來說，明清是封建專製製度發展的頂峰時期。不得不承認的是，君主專製製度，尤其是中國這種擁有極為強有力的中央集權能力的君主專製政體，確實是農業社會最高效的社會組織方式。

In the agricultural society, its advantages obviously outweigh its disadvantages, making China maintain a vast territory and a huge population for a long time, and at the same time, it has also produced brilliant culture and technology. As a result, it has become one of the major civilizations in the world, and also a regional setter and arbiter of international relations. The four words "heaven and kingdom" reflect the great advantages of politics, economy, culture and even military power over surrounding regions and countries.

在農業社會，它的優點明顯蓋過了缺點，使得中國在長時間裏保持了遼闊的疆域和巨大的人口，同時還誕生出燦爛的文化和科技。由此成為世界主要文明之一，同時還是地區性的國際關係製定者與裁決者。“天朝上國”這四個字，體現出的是政治，經濟，文化甚至軍事上對周邊地區和國家的巨大優勢。

After the emergence of Western colonial aggression, all aspects of China were broken down, and then our martyrs took a full 100 years to restore the unity and stability of the imperial era. In this light, the cost and sacrifice of the Chinese nation are unprecedented. In the 100 years since 1840, our country has faced the reality and crisis of being divided, annexed, colonized and exterminated several times. The resulting social unrest, the loss of wealth, the reduction of territory, the massive reduction of population, and all the losses are even more incalculable.

而當西方殖民侵略出現後，中國的方方麵麵都被蠻橫打破，而後我們的先烈用了整整一百年時間，才恢複到帝製時代的統一、穩定局麵。光這一點，中華民族付出的代價和犧牲都是前所未有的巨大。 1840後的這一百年間，我們國家數次麵臨被分割，被侵吞，被殖民，被亡國滅種的現實和危機。 由此產生出的整個社會的動蕩，財富的流失，疆域的縮小，人口的大量減少，所有的損失加起來更 是難以估量。

The New China in 1949 was not richer than it was in 1840. The 100 years and a lot of wealth were stolen and stolen by Westerners and Japanese! At the time of Western colonial aggression, we were different from many regions and countries. For example, South Asia, India, Middle East Arabia, the Ottoman Empire, the South American Maya and the Inca, and so on. These countries and regions are full of ethnic contradictions, cultural fragmentation, strange languages, religious conflicts, and some have not even produced mature civilizations.

1949年的新中國，其實並不比1840年的時候富裕，這一百年的時光以及大量財富就那麽被西方人，日本人搶走了，偷走了！ 西方殖民侵略之時，我們同很多地區和國家都不一樣。比如南亞印度、中東阿拉伯、奧斯曼帝國 、南美瑪雅與印加等等。這些國家和地區，本身就民族矛盾重重、文化分崩離析、語言千奇百怪、宗教衝突不斷、有一些甚至都還沒有產生成熟的文明。

Therefore, India has become a unified country with the help of colonialists, and is still complacent until now; A large number of nationalities in the Ottoman Empire applauded the colonists for accelerating the disintegration of the country; The Middle East region lingers between resistance and compromise, and is ambiguous; Native Americans in South America and North America had no chance to speak, so they were wiped out by the colonists.

所以，印度借殖民者之手成為統一國家，直到如今還沾沾自喜；奧斯曼帝國內部的大量民族對於殖民者加速國家分崩離析，更是拍手稱快；中東地區在反抗和妥協之間徘徊，曖昧不明；南美北美土著更是連發聲的機會都沒有，就被殖民者抹去了曆史。

Only China is different. We have a very long and unbroken cultural heritage. Cultural heritage and cultural identity complement each other, which together constitute the cultural character of this land, and is the only cultural exporter in the region, forming a strong national self-confidence.

唯獨中國不同。 我們有著非常悠久而且未曾斷絕的文化傳承。文化傳承和文化認同相輔相成，共同組成了這片土地的文化性格，而且是區域內唯一的文化輸出國，形成了強大的民族自信。

With this as the support, we are constantly fighting the invaders ideologically, culturally and militarily. Because the glory of the past does not allow us to bow! The dangers of the colonial aggression of the West are too numerous to record. For example, cultural aggression, the colonial invaders rely on their discourse power. It has greatly confused the thinking of the Chinese people, hit the confidence of the Chinese people, and trampled on the wisdom crystallization of language, writing, literature, faith, religion and so on in this land. It has poisoned the thinking of generations after generations, and even now it has not been able to eliminate these cultural malignant tumors.

以此為支撐，不斷在與侵略者作思想上，文化上，軍事上的鬥爭。因為過去的榮光不允許我們低頭！ 西方的殖民侵略的危害之多，簡直罄竹難書 。比如，文化侵略，殖民侵略者憑借掌握的話語權。 極大地混亂了中國人的思維，打擊了國人的自信心，踐踏了這片土地上的語言、文字、文學、信仰、宗教等等智慧結晶。戕害了一代又一代人的思維，甚至直到如今都未能清除掉這些文化毒瘤。

Another example is the shrinking of China's modern territory and border disputes. Let's see how much trouble they have caused today's China. These are the legacy of the scourge of Western colonialism. In the Qing Dynasty of 1840, GDP still accounted for one third of the world; In 1949, the share of GDP in the world was negligible. Such a huge gap cannot be simply summed up by the rise of capitalism and the fall of feudal autocracy. There is also unfair and cruel plunder and oppression under the laws of colonialism.

再比如，中國近代疆域的縮小，邊界爭端，看看它們給今天的中國造成了多麽大的麻煩。這都是西方殖民主義的禍害遺留。 1840的清朝，GDP還占世界三分之一；1949的新中國，GDP占世界份額可以忽略不計。如此巨大的差距，絕不能單純用資本主義興起，封建專製落後來概括總結。這裏麵還有殖民主義法則下不公平的殘忍的掠奪和壓榨。

The western colonial aggression caused more pain to modern China than its appendage, that is, the benefits brought by modernization to the Chinese people. That is why we hate and condemn the history of Western colonialism and consider our modern history as a history of humiliation.

西方殖民侵略給近代中國造成的苦痛遠遠大於它的附屬品也就是近代化給中國人帶來的好處。所以，我們才會如此痛恨和譴責西方殖民史，以及認為自己的近代史是屈辱史。

China has always been a rich and handsome country. Suddenly, it was beaten, robbed, stolen, and turned into a poor man. Of course, it felt humiliated more. The sentence "lagging behind will be beaten" is certainly correct, but it is not the truth, because it is an argument derived from abandoning the jungle law of human nature. "Why should we fall behind and be beaten"?! This is the thinking of human nature.

中國一直是高富帥，突然就被人揍了、搶了、偷了，還變成窮光蛋，當然覺得屈辱更多。 “落後就要挨打”這句話當然有正確性，但它不是真理，因為這句話是拋棄了人性的叢林法則演繹出來的論調。 “憑什麽落後就該挨打”？！這才是對人性的思考。

Modern history is a history of humiliation, a history of blood and tears, and a history of struggle of the Chinese people. It allows us to see clearly the "five facial imperfections" under the mask of civilization in the western world, and also lets us re-examine our own advantages and disadvantages.

近代史是一部屈辱史，是一部血淚史，也是一部中華兒女的奮鬥史。它讓我們看清了西方世界文明麵具下的“五官不全”，也讓我們重新審視了自身的優缺點。

Looking back on the history of modern China, China really tasted the benefits of modernization. It was precisely after the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 and the Chinese people took the lead. It is not the time when the western colonists used strong boats and sharp guns to make great strides in China.

回顧近現代中國曆史，中國真正嚐到近代化，現代化甜頭的階段，恰恰是1949新中國成立，中國人自己當家做主之後。絕不是西方殖民者用堅船利炮在中華大地耀武揚威的時期。

中國網友郤海倫的回答

The so-called greatest gift given by the West to Chinese civilization is not a gift, because it is not a gift, but a naked invasion.

西方給予中國文明的所謂最大禮物並不是禮物，因為它不是作為禮物，而是赤裸裸的侵略。

But... ironically, this is a gift, not only from the "West", but also from "nature" or "destiny".

但……諷刺的是，這是一份禮物，不隻是來自“西方”，更多是來自“自然”或“命運”。

Chinese civilization has successfully lasted for such a long time, and the Chinese people have become complacent. They let the industrial revolution pass by them, and they thought they were "all in heaven".

中國文明成功延續了這麽長時間，中國人變得自滿了。他們讓工業革命從他們身邊經過，他們認為自己是“天朝上國，無所不有”。

The Opium War, the War of Japanese Aggression against China, the Allied Forces of Eight and other unequal treaties have completely humiliated the modern Chinese government and the Chinese people.

鴉片戰爭、日本侵華戰爭、八國聯軍和其他不平等條約徹底羞辱了中國近代政府和中國人民。

However, it is ironic that these traumatic experiences have lifted China out of its doldrums and brought it back to life. As of 2017, China has the seven fastest supercomputers in the world, and some aspects of its aerospace technology are even more advanced than the United States.

然而，具有諷刺意味的是，這些創傷性的經曆使中國擺脫了萎靡不振的狀態，並重新振作起來。截至2017年，中國擁有世界上速度最快的七台超級計算機，其航空航天技術的某些方麵甚至比美國更先進。

Napoleon Bonaparte warned: "China is a sleeping giant. Let her sleep, because when she wakes up, she will shake the world."

拿破侖·波拿巴警告說：“中國是一個沉睡的巨人。讓她睡覺吧，因為當她醒來時，她會撼動世界。”

Thank you for your wake-up call.

謝謝你們的叫醒服務。

 

美國網友阿巴迪的回答

External impetus

外部刺激

China has been standing at the top of the world for a long time and is usually lonely. Surrounded by mountains, deserts and oceans, China has always been a relatively isolated system. It is not that there is no interaction with the outside world; In fact, there are many contacts among Mongols, Romans, Parthians, Japanese, Koreans, etc. However, in addition to Buddhism, nomadic invasion or trade, the external influence is relatively small.

 

中國長期以來一直站在世界之巔，而且通常是孤獨的。中國被高山、沙漠和海洋包圍，一直是一個相對孤立的係統。並不是說與外界沒有互動；事實上，蒙古人、羅馬人、帕提亞人、日本人、韓國人等之間有很多接觸。但除了佛教、遊牧民族入侵或貿易之外，外界的影響相對較小。

The problem brought by this is stagnation. China has become a cyclical and stable country, easy to unify and difficult to split. From governance to roads and dams, the system used by the State of Qin to maintain national unity is still in use. Confucius' thought is deeply rooted in Chinese society, and people generally have the virtue of respect and hard work.

這方麵帶來的問題是停滯。中國成為一個周期性、穩定的國家，容易統一，難以分裂。從治理到道路和水壩，秦國用來維係國家團結的製度至今仍在使用。孔子的思想深深植根於中國社會，人們普遍具有尊重和努力工作的品德。

The turbulence caused by Western colonialism has given China unprecedented stimulus. Previously, this stimulus came from serious external threats, such as Mongolia or Xiongnu, or internal chaos, such as the Three Kingdoms. Does China have innovation in a stable period? Of course, from gunpowder to paper, to writing to steel, China's invention has a great influence. But these inventions are often buried or used passively.

西方殖民造成的動蕩給了中國前所未有的刺激。此前，這種刺激來自嚴重的外部威脅，如蒙古或匈奴，或內部混亂，如三國。中國在穩定時期有創新嗎？當然，從火藥到紙張，再到書寫到鋼鐵，中國的發明影響力不小。但這些發明往往被埋沒或被動使用。

By the Song Dynasty, China had already had the economic foundation for industrialization. But it failed because there was no motivation. There is no incentive to improve the stable social life that can operate for a long time. When the disaster came, the peasants revolted and set up a new emperor; But destiny did not give up its rule over China.

到了宋朝，中國已經具備了工業化的經濟基礎。但它失敗了，因為沒有動力。沒有改善能夠長期運行的穩定社會生活的動力。當災難來臨時，農民們起義了，並擁立了一位新皇帝，如此循環；但天命並沒有放棄對中國的統治。

When the Qing Dynasty did not innovate during the Meiji Restoration as the Japanese did, the feudal rule collapsed. As a result, a long series of disasters and wars began, eventually leading China out of the late Middle Ages and into modern times.

當清朝沒有像日本人那樣在明治維新期間進行革新之後，封建統治就滅亡了。於是，一長串的災難和戰爭開始了，最終導致中國走出中世紀晚期，走向現代。

The West provides threats, incentives, tools and opportunities. For hundreds of years, their threats, arrogance and goodwill have affected China today. But between threats and opportunities, China has found itself pushed into today's state. The influence of the West is very strong. The threat of opium, the threat of foreign powers, the threat of the Japanese army invading China, and the threat of survival between the two major powers in the world during the cold war all stimulated this country.

 

 

讚助信息

 

 

西方提供了威脅刺激、工具和機會。百年來，他們的威脅、傲慢，影響了今天的中國。但在威脅和機遇之間，中國發現自己被推向了今天的狀態。西方的影響力很強。對於鴉片戰爭的威脅、列強的威脅，侵華日軍的威脅，冷戰期間夾在世界的兩個大國之間的求生存的威脅，都刺激了這個國家。

In recent decades, in the face of the development gap, the concept of modern country and modern economy, concrete roads, electric power, advanced sewage treatment system, modern medical care and other technologies have been gradually introduced, and the Chinese government and people are doing better and better every year, supporting its huge economy and bringing prosperity.

近幾十年來，麵對發展差距，現代國家和現代經濟的概念，混凝土道路、電力、先進的汙水處理係統、現代醫療保健等技術，所有這些逐漸引入，中國政府和人民每年都做得越來越好，支撐了其龐大的經濟並帶來了繁榮。

 

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After thousands of years of stable stagnation, the existence of the West has promoted China's innovation and progress. China's huge world economy, which creates wealth through endless exports, and the complex but delicate balance of the world situation of the United States as a faltering superpower, have pushed China to an unprecedented height.

在經曆了千年的穩定停滯之後，西方的存在推動了中國的創新和進步。中國通過無止境的出口創造財富的巨大世界經濟，以及美國作為一個搖搖欲墜的超級大國的複雜但微妙平衡的世界局勢，這些都將中國推向了前所未有的高度。

China is not perfect, far from it, and the response to the West has also enabled both sides to achieve a win-win situation. But in the end, the conflict between Eastern and Western cultures has led to the formation of some amazing things; Improve the lives of 1.3 billion people at the rate of several centuries in decades.

中國並不完美，遠非如此，而對西方的回應也讓雙方實現了雙贏。但最終，東西方文化的衝突讓一些驚人的東西得以形成；以幾十年超過西方幾個世紀積累的速度改善13億人的生活。

 

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海外網友約翰•羅傑斯的回答

 

 

讚助信息

 

 

The greatest gift from the West to China is also the gift from the West to the rest of the world. The scientific, industrial and technological revolution and innovation in the West have pushed the world to adopt them as never before, and thus develop and grow. Yes, Chinese, Islamic and Indian civilizations have contributed to the evolution of the way of thinking that paved the way for the scientific revolution, but scientific and technological innovation took place in the West, so its tremendous impact has changed the history and direction of the West, paved the way for its leading position, and become a "model" for other regions of the world, including China.

西方對中國的最大禮物也是西方對世界其他地區的禮物。西方的科學、工業和技術革命和創新推動了全世界前所未有地采用它們，並由此發展壯大。是的，中國、伊斯蘭和印度文明為科學革命鋪平道路的思維方式的演變做出了貢獻，但科技革新發生在西方，因此其巨大影響改變了西方的曆史和方向，為其主導地位鋪平了道路，成為包括中國在內的世界其他地區的“榜樣”。

Today, the Chinese, Indians and some Muslims all want to prove their contribution to modern society, but the Prometheus gift left by the West to the rest of the world, the scientific thinking set, is produced by accident, which cannot be denied in any case.

今天，中國人、印度人和一些穆斯林都想證明自己對現代社會的貢獻，但西方留給世界其他地方的普羅米修斯禮物——科學思維定勢，是以偶然的方式產生的，無論如何都不能否認。

University system, peer-reviewed scientific papers, patent rights, technology transfer and manufacturing transfer are also ways for the West to benefit the world.

大學體係、同行評審的科學論文、專利權、技術轉讓、製造業轉讓也是西方影響世界的方式。

With the opening of the new air route, America was discovered, and the crops brought from the new continent brought a population explosion, and also brought the gospel to the local cuisine. Tomatoes, peppers, corn, peanuts and potatoes have made indelible contributions to Chinese cuisine. The greater contribution of the globalized world will ultimately benefit China.

新航路的開辟，美洲被發現也很重要，從新大陸帶來的農作物帶來了人口激增，也給各地的美食帶來了福音。番茄、辣椒、玉米、花生和土豆對中國美食做出了不可磨滅的貢獻。全球化世界的更大貢獻最終也使中國受益。

 

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Therefore, after the contact with Europe, the most important impact on China may be the crops of the new world, which made China's population surge from 100 million to 400 million between 1700 and 1800. It led to a lot of chaos, but also laid the foundation for China's modernization after 1900.

因此，在與歐洲接觸之後，對中國最重要的影響可能是新世界的農作物，這使得中國人口在1700年至1800年間從1億激增至4億。它導致了大量的混亂，但也奠定了1900年後中國現代化的基礎。

 

 

讚助信息

 

 

The May 4th Movement is the greatest revolution in China's modern history.

五四運動是中國近代史上最偉大的革命。

 

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澳大利亞網友喬治•胡的回答

Science and democracy.

科學與民主。

 

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Chinese nationalists call for abandoning traditional values and selectively adopting the Western "Mr. Science" (Chinese: Mr. Sai; Pinyin: s á i xi sheng) and "Mr. Democracy" (Chinese: Mr. De; Pinyin: d é xi sheng) to strengthen the new country. These traditional and anti-traditional views and programs have always affected China's politics and culture.

中國民族主義者呼籲摒棄傳統價值觀，選擇性地采納西方的“科學先生”（中文：賽先生; 拚音：sái xi生）和“民主先生”（中文：德先生; 拚音：déxi生）以加強新國家。這些打破傳統和反傳統的觀點和方案一直影響著中國的政治和文化。

 

 

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Nationalism, scientific thought, Darwinism, and enterprising spirit.

民族主義、科學思想、達爾文主義和進取精神等內涵豐富的名詞。

Evolution is the greatest influence of the West on China.

進化是西方對中國最大的影響。

China's previous world outlook was static.

中國以前的世界觀是靜態的。

Now, no Chinese believe that the world is stable.

現在，沒有中國人認為世界是穩定的。

The sense of competition is deeply rooted.

競爭意識根深蒂固。

If you come to China, you will find that the Chinese people have made great efforts for their dreams.

如果你來到中國，你會發現中國人民為他們的夢想付出了巨大的努力和努力。

Parents never let their children lose at the starting line.

父母從不讓孩子輸在起跑線上。

The child must be the first, or you will be laughed at.

孩子必須是第一個，否則你會被嘲笑的。

In China, you can feel competition every day.

在中國，你每天都能感受到競爭。

This is the biggest gift from the West to China.

這是西方帶給中國的最大禮物。