中西文化中的红色色彩分析

PAGEAnAnalysisoftheRedColorinChineseandWesternCulturesCONTENTSTOC\o"1-3"\h\u28510ABSTRACT I9005摘要 II19022I.INTRODUCTION 821745II.ANANALYSISOFTHEREDCOLORINCHINESEANDWESTERNCULTURES 976562.1SimilarConnotationsofRedinChineseandWesternCultures 934752.2DifferentConnotationsofRedinChineseandWesternCultures 1039172.2.1TheSpecialConnotationsofRedinChineseCulture 10180752.2.2TheSpecialConnotationsofRedinWesternCultures 1179812.3DifferentSocialCustomsaboutRedinChineseandWesternCultures 11159262.3.1SocialCustomsaboutRedinChina 12149272.3.2SocialCustomsConcerningRedinWesternCountries 1220III.FACTORSFORCULTURALDIFFERENCESOFREDBETWEENCHINAANDTHEWEST 13285533.1HistoricalFactors 13210063.2PoliticalFactors 13323153.3OtherFactors 142867III.CONCLUSION 错误!未定义书签。18881NOTES 错误!未定义书签。20452REFERENCES 错误!未定义书签。24967ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 错误!未定义书签。PAGEIABSTRACTRed,asacolorterm,cametoexistinproductionandlifeatthebeginningofhumanhistory.Thecolorrediscommoninallhumansocietiesintermsofitsowncolorattributes,butitsculturalconnotationsareverydifferentinChineseandWesterncultures.Thispaper,infourparts,probesintothedifferencesandmakesananalysisofthereasonswhythecolorreddiffersfromitselfindifferentcultures.PartOne,fromtherelationshipbetweencolorandculture,expoundsthereasonsforthecreationofthispaper.PartTwo,bymeansofcomparativeanalysis,exploresthesimilarconnotation,differentconnotationsanddifferentsocialcustomsofredinChineseandWesterncultures.PartThreemakesadetailedanalysisofthereasonsfortheculturaldifferencesinthreeaspects,suchashistoryandpolitics.AndPartFourmakesasummaryofthewholepaper.ThispaperstartsfromthesimilaritiesanddifferencesoftheconnotationsofredinChineseandWesterncultures,analyzesthedifferentexpressionsofredinChineseandWesternculturesinsocialcustoms,andthereasonsfortheculturaldifferencesinredbetweenChinaandtheWest.Keywords:red;culturalconnotations;culturaldifferences摘要红色作为颜色词，在人类诞生之初便存在于生产生活当中。从本身自带的颜色属性来讲，红色在全人类社会中都是通用的，但它的文化内涵在中西方文化中却存在很大差异。本论文从四个部分论述这种差异并分析背后的原因。第一部分从颜色与文化的关系出发，阐述了论文创作的原因。第二部分通过对比分析的方式，探究红色在中西方文化中的相似内涵、不同内涵以及不同的社会风俗。第三部分从历史、政治等三个方面，分析产生文化差异的原因。第四部分对全文进行归纳总结。本论文从红色在中西方文化中内涵的相同点和不同点开始，分析社会习俗上红色在中西文化中的不同体现，以及红色在中西方的文化差异存在的原因。关键词：红色；文化内涵；文化差异吉林建筑大学城建学院外语学院毕业论文PAGE11I.INTRODUCTIONColors,asanimportantmediumforhumanunderstandingandperceptionoftheworld,arenotonlyattachedtothesurfaceoftheactualobjectsthatexistobjectively,butalsoextendthemselvesintoindependentculturalconnotationsandarewidelyusedinthelanguagehabitsofdifferentethnicgroupsaroundtheworld.Colorshavebecomeanimportanttoolforpeopletoexpresstheirthoughts,emotions,likesanddislikes,cognitionandsoon.AlthoughtheChineseandWesternethnicgroupsaregenerallyconsistentinunderstandingandfeelingthetruecolorsofnature,colorsarenotthesameintheirpsychologicalassociativemeaning,symbolicmeaningandimpliedmeaning,andthusconstitutetheculturalconnotationswithnationalcharacteristics,duetothedifferencesingeographicalenvironments,customs,thewayofthinking,thereligiousbelief,thenationalpsychologyandotherculturalbackgrounds,aswellasthewayoflanguageexpression.①“Red”hasalwaysbeenknownasoneofthethreeprimarycolors,andthe“purecolor”intheChinesefive-colorsystem.Thestudyofithasalwaysremainedinchromatographicandcolorsystems.Infact,rednotonlyplaysaveryimportantroleinChineseculture,butalsohasaconsiderableextensioninwesterncultures,soitsmeaningofexpressionhasbeengreatlyexpanded.II.ANANALYSISOFTHEREDCOLORINCHINESEANDWESTERNCULTURESRedisthecolorwhichisfundamentallyadvocatedintraditionalChineseculture.Theextendedmeaningsoftheredcolornotonlycoverawiderange,butarealsohighlyrelatedtoeachother.Inthewesterncultures,however,redisnottheworshipedcolor,anditsmeaningshaveproducedaconsiderableextensionaswell,asaresultofitshighrecognition.Theextensionofthesetwodirectionsisthesameintermsofscale.However,therearealsodifferences,andevenpartoftheextendedmeaningistheopposite.2.1SimilarConnotationsofRedinChineseandWesternCulturesFirstofall,theredcolorisusedtosymbolizeahappyandfestiveatmosphereinbothChineseandWesterncultures.InChina,redisconsideredthemost“luckycolor”.A“red-hotday”symbolizespeople’sbestwishesforabetterlife.The“redlantern”andthe“redcouplet”areindispensableincreatingafestiveatmospherefortheSpringFestival.The“reddress”isthemostimportantcostumeforthebrideonherwedding,and“redflags,”“redflowers”and“redenvelopes”areallthemostcommonobjectsincelebrations.AndintheWest,happydaysorcommemorationdaysareindicatedby“red-letterdays”.Theordinarydaysonthecalendarareexpressedinblack,whileimportantfestivalssuchasChristmasareshowninred.Inreceptionofimportantguests,theWesternpeoplealsohavethecustomoflayingaredcarpetinordertoshowsolemnityandjoy.Secondly,theredcolorisusedtoexpressanemotionalstateinbothChineseandWesterncultures.Whendescribinganemotionalstatesuchasshynessorembarrassment,Westernersusetheexpression“Hebecameredfaced”toindicatethesamemeaning.Whenexpressingamoodof“anger”or“rage”,theChinesepeopletendtosay“One’sfaceturnsredwithanger”or“turnredintheface”,andWesternerstendtousethephrase“redwithanger”toindicatethesamemood.Thirdly,theredcolorisusedtoexpressrevolutionandsocialisminbothChinaandWesterncountries.InChina,redreferstotheextensionoftherevolution,includingsavingthecountry,independence,liberationandfreedom,whichendowstheredcolorwithastrongpoliticalsymbol.②TheleadershipoftheCommunistPartyofChinaiscalledthe“redregime”,thearmyiscalledthe“RedArmy”,andtheinvolvedareaiscalledthe“redbasearea”.ThenationalflagofnewChinahasaredbackground.Moreover,the“redguards”andthe“littleredbook”werestrongpoliticalsignalsreleasedduringthe10yearsoftheCulturalRevolutioninChina.WhileintheWest,theterm“red”itselfisusedtoexpress“Communists”or“CommunistPartymembers”.“Aredbelt”isusedtorefertoaregioncontrolledbyCommunism.“RedArmy”referstotheRedArmyFaction.“RedBrigade”referstotheRedArmybrigade.Fourthly,theredcolorisusedtocarryoutawarningfunctioninbothChineseandWesterncultures.Asredisthemoststrikingoneofallcolors,the“redlight”isastopsignbothinChinaandWesterncountries.The“redexclamationmark”oftenmeanstowatchoutorindicatesadangerousarea.Redsignssuchas“InflammablesandExplosives,”“HighVoltage”and“BewareofFire”arepostedinsomecertainplaceswherepeopleneedtopayspecialattention.The“redcard”isusedtorepresentaseriousfoulinafootballmatch.The“redpen”isusedtomarkimportantmattersormistakesinacompany..2.2DifferentConnotationsofRedinChineseandWesternCulturesThecolorredinChineseculturederivedfromthesunandtheflame.Theancientsfoundthatthesunshineisanessentialconditionforthegrowthofallthings,andthecomingoutofthesunwilldriveawaythecoldandbringlight.Andtheemergenceofflameshasbroughtgreatconveniencetohumanproductionandlife.Therefore,redhasalwayshadapositivetendencyintraditionalChineseculture.WhileinWesterncountries,thecolorredoriginatedfromthehumanblood.③IntheBible,Jesushandedtheredwinetothesaintsatthelastsupperandsaid,“Thisisthebloodofmycovenant,fortheflowofmanypeopleandtheforgivenessofsin.”Asaresult,redandbloodarecloselylinked.Asthelossofbloodcanleadtodeath,whichnaturallyremindspeopleof“danger”and“murder”andotherterribleevents,theredcolorintheWesternculturetendstohaveanegativeassociation.2.2.1TheSpecialConnotationsofRedinChineseCultureFirstly,theredcolorsymbolizessmoothgoingandsuccess.Chinesepeopleoftenuse“red”toshowthatsomethingisgoingsmoothly.Forinstance,thetermssuchasa“redgateopening”anda“redvictory”areusedtodescribegoodluckandsuccessfulresults.A“rednamelist”meansgoodresultsachievedfromanexamination.A“redsinger”meansthatasingerhasachievedconsiderablestatusinsingingandispopularamongagreatmanyfollowers.Secondly,theredcolorsymbolizesyouthandhealth.Chinesepeopletendtoindicatesomebodyashealthyandrefreshedbytheterm“areddishface,”describeawomanasprettybysayingthatshehasa“redface”orsheisaladywith“redcosmetics”or“redrougeandpowder”.Wealsouse“boysinredandgirlsingreen”torefertoyoungpeopleinthelookofbeautifulclothes.Wemeanthecomplexionofabeautifulwomanwiththeterm“redjade”,agirl’sboudoirwiththeterm“redboudoir”,andagirl’sletterwiththeterm“redpaper”.Thirdly,theredcolorsymbolizesprofit.InChina,redisgenerallyusedtorefertoasurplus.Forinstance,theterm“distributingredprofits”referstotheactofdistributingprofitsinanenterpriseattheendofayear.“Redprofits”referstotheprofitsdistributedamongshareholders.Furthermore,redisusedtosymbolizearise,andthegreencolorisusedtosymbolizeafallintheChinesestockmarket.Fourthly,theredcolorisasymbolofdrivingoutevilsandprayingforhappiness.Thereisasayingof“theyearoffate”intraditionalChineseculture.Peoplewouldwear“redsashes”topursuegoodfortuneandavoiddisasterintheyearoffate.Insometownsandvillages,peoplestillhavethecustomofpainting“redcinnabar”ongirls’lowerarmstoindicatevirginityandpreventdepravity.Inmanyscenicspots,thereare“divinetrees”withredribbonsinthem.Thedivinetreesareusedforpeopletoavoiddisasterandpursuegoodfortune.2.2.2TheSpecialConnotationsofRedinWesternCulturesFirstly,theredcolorsymbolizesviolenceandfightinginWesterncountries.ThissymbolismisespeciallyevidentinEuropeancountries.InWesterncultures,“themassacreandviolentrule”canbeexpressedbytheterm“theredrulesoftoothandclaw”.Abloodyrevengecanbeexpressedas“aredrevenge,”andabloodybattle“aredbattle”.Theword“red”alsoreferstothespecialmeaningofthearmyofsometerroristgroups,suchasJapan’s“RedArmy”.Secondly,theredcolorisasymbolofdebaucheryandobscenity.Anexamplecanfullyexplainthissymbolism.WhenDavidHawkstranslatedADreaminRedMansionsintoEnglish,hedidnottranslatethetitleliterally.Hetranslateditinto“TheStoryoftheStone”insteadof“ADreaminRedMansions”outofsuchconsideration.Inthewesterncultures,redhasthespecialmeaningof“debaucheryandobscenity”,Soatitlethatcontains“red”mayeasilygiverisetoreaders’misunderstanding.Similarly,thenovelTheScarletLetterwrittenbytheAmericanwriterHawthornewastranslatedinto“RedLetter”intheChineselanguageforthesamesymbolismoftheterm“red”.Theheroineinthenovelwasdespisedbypeople,andshewasforcedtoweararedletter“A”onherchest,whichrepresentsthedebaucheryandobscenityofawoman.Thirdly,theredcolorsymbolizesaloss.Inwesterncountries,redisgenerallyusedtorefertodebts,loss,andsoon,insteadofprofitsintheeconomicfield,suchas“redfigure,”“redink,”“inthered,”“red-inkentry”and“redbalance.”Inthestockmarket,westerncountriesareusingredtoexpresstheirlosses,andusinggreentoindicatearise.2.3DifferentSocialCustomsaboutRedinChineseandWesternCulturesSocialcustomsareexperiencesandpracticesofhumanbeingsintheirproductionandlives.Customsarealsothetheoreticalbasisforguidinghumanbeingstoengageinsocialactivities,andtheycanaffecttheculturaldevelopment.ThedifferencesintheredcolorbetweenChineseandWesterncultureshaveacertainrelationshipwithdifferentsocialcustoms.2.3.1SocialCustomsaboutRedinChinaRedisthedominantoneofthethree-primarycolors,andhasalwaysrepresentedtheorthodoxmeaningintraditionalChineseculture.Therearecountlesstraditionalsocialcustomsrelatedtotheredcolor,suchastheredChinese“LuckyCharacter”,“redlanterns”,and“theredflowersandredribbons”wornonthewedding.Inmodernsociety,themostpopularcoloroftheChinesenationisnothingbutred.AccordingtoChina’sfive-elementtheory,redrepresentsfire,summer,andbrilliance.Redisthecolorofthesun,anindispensablefirelightinhumanlife,andnaturallyanauspiciouscolor.IntheChinesepeople’simpression,redcanalwaysrepresentauspiciousness,joy,success,beauty,honor,loyalty,wealth,progressandsoon.Forinstance,peoplewillhangup“redlanterns”whentheyresignfromtheoldandusherinthenew.Peoplewillcutredribbonswhentheyholdanopeningceremony,openthereddoorwhentheyhaveagoodstart,andpostarednamelisttopublicizewhohavepassedanexamination.Aherowillwearredflowersonthechest;amatchmakerleadsthered-linewiththehand;anda“womaninred”willcontributetomarriage.Thesocialcustomrelatedto“red”hasalonghistoryinChina.2.3.2SocialCustomsConcerningRedinWesternCountriesUnlikeChina,redisnotan“auspiciouscolor"inwesterncultures,sothenumberoftimeswhenredisusedislessthanthatinChina.IntheWest,thewarningfunctionrepresentedbyredisveryobvious.Redoftenappearsinwarningsigns,trafficlights,andretailstorelabels.Inwesterncultures,theredcolorusedoncertainoccasionsoftencontainsameaningof“sexuallure”,suchasredfingernailpolish,redornamentsandsoon.Inaddition,itisimportanttonotethatreddoesnothavethesamemeaninginwesterncultures.Forinstance,intheUnitedKingdomandintheUnitedStates,youarenotdisrespectfulevenifyougivearedrosetoafriendsolongasitisnottheValentine’sDay.ButinGermany,onlyamongloverscanpeopleexpresstheirlovebygivingredroses.III.FACTORSFORCULTURALDIFFERENCESOFREDBETWEENCHINAANDTHEWEST“Red”isoneofthecolorwords,whichshouldbecategorizedinto"theculturaldeterminer.”Aculturaldeterminer,characterizedbystrongnationalculturalfeatures,carriestheculturalinformationthattranscendsthecoloritself,andreflectsthesocialattributesandthecharacteristicsofthetimes.④Intheprocessofcontinuousintegrationandevolution,ethniccultureisofteninfluencedbymanyfactorssuchashistoryandpolitics.Itisthesefactorsthatmakethewholeworldcolorfulanddistinctive.3.1HistoricalFactorsTheChinesenationisanationthatadvocatesred.Inprimitivesociety,ancienthumansintheYellowRiverBasinhadbeguntosmearredmudstonesontheirbodies,andalsodyedtheshellsorbeadswithhematite.CinnabarbecameapigmentandadyethattextilesusedingreatamountintheShangdynasty,whenclothingwasmainlydyedwithredandyellowcolors.IntheearlydaysoftheTangDynasty,mostofthebuildingwallscontinuedtobegreenandgrayinthetwodynastiesoftheQinandHanDynasties,butthedarkredhadbeguntoappearontheouterwallsoftheChangancity.Inthe15thyearofZhenguan,TangTaizongthoughtthatredwasasymbolofhonor.Allthewallsofthebuildingsturnedredatthispoint.FromtheNorthernSongDynasty,redbegantopopularizeinthefolk,andtheapplicationofredcolorwasflourishingintheYuanDynasty.InthedressesintheYuanDynasty,therewereeightkindsofcolorchromatographontheredsystem.Accordingtothe"HeavenlyCreations,"fivekindsofredintheporcelainoftheMingDynastywereused.IntheQingDynastyandtheperiodoftheRepublicofChina,redwasregardedasthesymboloftheChinesenation.Inwesterncultures,thereisacommon“red-hating”complex.Asmentionedabove,theBiblelinksbloodwithredwinetocreateafearofred.Notonlythat,BookofRevelationsmentionsareddragon,sayingthatthedragonwouldbringgreatdisastertomankindinthefuture（referringtonow），anditsfollowerswouldeventuallyfallintothesituationwheretheuniverseiseliminatedforeverduetothisdisaster.Inaddition,thelongtraditionofbullfightinginSpainwasclothedwithacloakof“bloodyviolence”.3.2PoliticalFactorsThepoliticalconnotationof“red”ismainlyduetotheinfluenceofthecolorasthesymbolofCommunism.In1917,theSovietpoliticiansLeninandTrotskyformedRedGuards.Fromthenon,socialistcountrieshavebeengenerallyusing“red”tosymbolizeCommunism.AftertheRedArmyoftheSovietUnion,themeaningof“red”wasextendedto“politicalrevolution”,andthesayingof“redarea”cameintobeingatthetime.AtthebeginningofthefoundingoftheCommunistPartyofChina,thePartyregardedRussiaasitsteacher,andformedRedArmyandestablishedtheredSovietregimeinRuijin,JiangxiProvince.Incontrast,thewesterncapitalistcountriesweregenerallyrepresentedby“white”,suchasthe“WhiteHouse”oftheUnitedStates,andtheBritishgovernment“WhiteH