the soul of the far east(远东的灵魂)-第20章
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views of life we have but to ask of our own memories to know。 With
each one of us； if we are to advance beyond the steps of the last generation；
there comes a time when our growing ideas refuse any longer to fit the
childish grooves in which we were taught to let them run。 How great the
wrench is when this supreme moment arrives we have all felt too keenly
ever to forget。 We hesitate； we delay； to abandon the beliefs which；
dating from the dawn of our being； seem to us even as a part of our very
selves。 From the religion of our mother to the birth of our boyish first love；
all our early associations send down roots so deep that long after our
minds have outgrown them our hearts refuse to give them up。 Even
when reason conquers at last； sentiment still throbs at the voids they
necessarily have left。
In the Far East； this fondness for the old is further consecrated by
religion。 The worship of ancestors sets its seal upon the traditions of the
past； to break which were impious as well as sad。 The golden age； that
time when each man himself was young； has lingered on in the lands
where it is always morning； and where man has never passed to his prosaic
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noon。 Befitting the place is the mind we find there。 As its language so
clearly shows； it still is in that early impersonal state to which we all
awake first before we become aware of that something we later know so
well as self。
Particularly potent with these people is their language； for a reason
that also lends it additional interest to us；because it is their own。
Among the mass of foreign thought the Japanese imitativeness has caused
the nation to adopt； here is one thing which is indigenous。 Half of the
present speech； it is true； is of Chinese importation； but conservatism has
kept the other half pure。 From what it reveals we can see how each man
starts to…day with the same impersonal outlook upon life the race had
reached centuries ago； and which it has since kept unchanged。 The man's
mind has done likewise。
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CHAPTER 5。 Nature and Art。
We have seen how impersonal is the form which Far Eastern thought
assumes when it crystallizes into words。 Let us turn now to a
consideration of the thoughts themselves before they are thus stereotyped
for transmission to others； and scan them as they find expression
unconsciously in the man's doings； or seek it consciously in his deeds。
To the Far Oriental there is one subject which so permeates and
pervades his whole being as to be to him； not so much a conscious matter
of thought as an unconscious mode of thinking。 For it is a thing which
shapes all his thoughts instead of constituting the substance of one
particular set of them。 That subject is art。 To it he is born as to a
birthright。 Artistic perception is with him an instinct to which he
intuitively conforms； and for which he inherits the skill of countless
generations。 From the tips of his fingers to the tips of his toes； in whose
use he is surprisingly proficient； he is the artist all over。 Admirable；
however； as is his manual dexterity； his mental altitude is still more to be
admired； for it is artistic to perfection。 His perception of beauty is as
keen as his comprehension of the cosmos is crude； for while with science
he has not even a speaking acquaintance； with art he is on terms of the
most affectionate intimacy。
To the whole Far Eastern world science is a stranger。 Such nescience
is patent even in matters seemingly scientific。 For although the Chinese
civilization； even in the so…called modern inventions； was already old
while ours lay still in the cradle； it was to no scientific spirit that its
discoveries were due。 Notwithstanding the fact that Cathay was the
happy possessor of gunpowder； movable type； and the compass before
such things were dreamt of in Europe； she owed them to no knowledge of
physics； chemistry； or mechanics。 It was as arts； not as sciences； they
were invented。 And it speaks volumes for her civilization that she burnt
her powder for fireworks； not for firearms。 To the West alone belongs the
credit of manufacturing that article for the sake of killing people instead of
merely killing time。
The scientific is not the Far Oriental point of view。 To wish to know
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the reasons of things； that irrepressible yearning of the Western spirit； is no
characteristic of the Chinaman's mind； nor is it a Tartar trait。
Metaphysics； a species of speculation that has usually proved peculiarly
attractive to mankind； probably from its not requiring any scientific capital
whatever； would seem the most likely place to seek it。 But upon such
matters he has expended no imagination of his own； having quietly taken
on trust from India what he now professes。 As for science proper； it has
reached at his hands only the quasimorphologic stage； that is； it consists of
catalogues concocted according to the ingenuity of the individual and
resembles the real thing about as much as a haphazard arrangement of
human bones might be expected to resemble a man。 Not only is the spirit
of the subject left out altogether； but the mere outward semblance is
misleading。 For pseudo…scientific collections of facts which never rise to
be classifications of phenomena forms to his idea the acme of erudition。
His mathematics； for example； consists of a set of empiric rules； of which
no explanation is ever vouchsafed the taught for the simple reason that it is
quite unknown to the teacher。 It is not even easy to decide how much of
what there is is Jesuitical。 Of more recent sciences he has still less notion；
particularly of the natural ones。 Physics； chemistry； geology； and the like
are matters that have never entered his head。 Even in studies more
immediately connected with obvious everyday life； such as language；
history； customs； it is truly remarkable how little he possesses the power of
generalization and inference。 His elaborate lists of facts are imposing
typographically； but are not even formally important； while his reasoning
about them is as exquisite a bit of scientific satire as could well be
imagined。
But with the arts it is quite another matter。 While you will search in
vain； in his civilization； for explanations of even the most simple of
nature's laws； you will meet at every turn
