中国文化通览(1)

1、 中国文化通览 (2014.3)教学宗旨：本课程旨在引导学生把握优秀的中国文化的精神，产生对于中国文化的热爱与浓厚兴趣，大致了解中国概况及中国文化的历史沿革、中国人的传统世界观、价值观和思维模式、中国文化中的宝贵遗产、主要次文化的基本内容等。向学生们提供恰当的英语翻译方法，启发他们提供与汉语内容基本对应的英语译文，向学生介绍中国文化的英语关键词语，并有针对性地对中外文化进行对比。一、 授课内容1.主题： 第一章：古代中国概况 The basic national conditions of ancient China a) 地理环境和经济结构The geographical surroundi

2、ngs and the economic structure of the Chinese cultureb) 中国文化的历史发展The historical development of the Chinese culture c) 中国人的传统世界观、价值观和思维模式The traditional worldview, values and mode of thinking of the Chinese people d) 以儒、道两家为基干的古代思想文化The ancient Chinese thought 第二章：Chinese Historical tales, myths, fab

3、les and legends a) 历史故事Chinese historical tales b) 神话Myths c) 寓言Fables d)民间传说 Folklores 第三章：中国文化名人 Eminent personnel in the history of the Chinese culture a) 古代文化名人Eminent personnel in the ancient times b)近现代文化名人Eminent personnel in the modern times 第四章：中国名篇名著 famous Chinese literary works a) 中国文化名著

4、Masterpieces b)中国文化名篇Well-known literary pieces第5章 ：中国文化瑰宝 Gems of the Chinese Culture a)四书五经The Four Books and The Five Classics b)京剧与地方戏曲 Beijing Opera and local operas c)中国书画 Chinese painting and calligraphy d)生活中的文化符号 Cultural tokens in daily life 第六章：中国民间艺术与竞技 Folk arts and sports a)民间工艺 Folk h

5、andicraft b)民间游艺 Folk performance and Entertainment c)民间竞技 Folk sports 第7章 ：中国风土人情 Chinese folk cultures a) 饮食文化The dietetic culture b) 酒文化The wine culture c) 茶文化The tea culture d) 姓氏文化The name culture e) 节日文化The festival culture第8章 ：中国地理文化 Chinese geographical culture a) 古城古迹Ancient cities and hist

6、orical sites b) 景点景观Famous scenic spots c) 名山Famous Mountains d)河流湖泊 Famous rivers and lakes 第9章 ：中国建筑与园林 Chinese architecture and gardening a) 传统建筑风格Ancient architectural styles b)著名传统建筑 Famous ancient constructions c) 园林及其特色Chinese gardening I. Translate the following terms or expressions:1. 四大发明

7、2. 儒家文化 3.春联 4.针灸 5. 草书 6.贵妃醉酒 7. 兵马俑 8. 四大古典名著 9. 四大菜系 10. 脸谱 1. The compass, the gunpowder, the art of paper-making and the movable type printing 2.Confucianism 3. Chinese (spring) couplets 4. acupuncture 5 cursive script 6.The Drunken Concubine 7. The terra cotta armies and horses 8. 西游记Pilgrimag

8、e to the West; Journey to the West 三国演义The Romance of the Three Kingdoms 红楼梦A Dream in Red Mansions (The Story of the Stone) 水浒传 Heroes of the Marshes; Water Margins 9. Four major groups (styles) of Chinese Cuisine 10. Facial paintings (facial masks?) II. When Shakespeare was busy producing his work

9、s, one of his contemporaries in China was also writing his later well-known work, who was he? What work was it? (ppt sy)III. Confucius has been a unique symbolic figure of Chinese culture, do you know much about him, e.g. the years (dates) of his birth and death? Why do Chinese people believe that 7

10、3 84 are ominous(esp. for old people)?中国文化通览中国文化是一个历史的范畴，它经历了五千年的发展才形成了今天的面貌，底蕴厚重，博大精深。中国文化在某种程度上指的就是传统文化。同时它又是一个民族的范畴，在长期的相对独立的发展以及之后中外文化的冲撞交流中，以我为主，中国文化形成了自己的特色，使之卓然立于世界民族文化之林，成为东方民族文化的主要代表。Chapter One The Basic National Conditions of Ancient China （第一章 古代中国概况）Chapter Two Chinese Historical Tales

11、, Myths, Fables and Legends （第二章 中国历史故事、神话、寓言与民间传说）Chapter Three Eminent Personnel in the History of Chinese Culture （ 第三章 中国文化名人）Chapter Four Famous Chinese Literary Works.（第四章 中国名言名篇）Chapter Five Gems of Chinese Culture.（第五章 中国文化瑰宝）Chapter Six Folk Arts and Sports .（第六章 中国民间艺术与竞技）Chapter Seven Chi

12、nese Folk Cultures.（第七章 中国风土人情）Chapter Eight Chinese Geographical Culture.（第八章 中国地理文化）Chapter Nine Chinese Architecture and Gardening （第九章 中国建筑与园林） 第一章：a) 地理环境和经济结构The geographical surroundings and the economic structure of the Chinese cultureb) 中国文化的历史发展The historical development of the Chinese cul

13、ture c) 中国人的传统世界观、价值观和思维模式The traditional worldview, values and mode of thinking of the Chinese people d) 以儒、道两家为基干的古代思想文化The ancient Chinese thoughtSection 1 The Geographical Surroundings and the Economic Structure of the Chinese CultureThe Chinese culture can be defined as a cultural system rich i

14、n distinct national style which took shape within the terrain of China. The culture includes the spiritual culture and behavioral culture as well as their materialized presentations. It is these cultural forms that typify the fundamental features of the Chinese culture. It belongs to the historical

15、category, having undergone 5 000-year development before it turns into todays splendid sight, both extensive and profound. To some extent the Chinese culture indicates the Chinese tradition. Meanwhile it can be relegated to the national category. After a long process of relatively independent develo

16、pment followed by the collision and exchange afterwards between China and foreign countries, the Chinese culture assumed unique characteristics, became an outstanding member in the brilliant global family of national cultures, and grew to be a main representative of Oriental national cultures.For an

17、yone to understand the basic national conditions of ancient China, the Chinese culture is a must, and vice versa. The basic national conditions in China owed its formation to the development of the Chinese culture in the specific historical background and geographical surroundings. Grasping the basi

18、c national conditions promises an indispensable channel to the Chinese culture. The following is an introduction of the Chinese culture from the perspectives of the geographical surroundings, economic structure, and historical development and traits. The Geographical Surroundings地理环境中国是一个疆域辽阔、人口众多的多

19、民族的统一国家。它立国的地理环境对中国文化的形成发展起到了至关重要的作用。中国位于东亚大陆，处于一个相对隔绝封闭的地理环境中：北部是辽阔的大漠与草原，西部是浩瀚的戈壁沙漠和青藏高原，西南部是云贵山地和莽莽雨林，东部和东南部的平原与丘陵地带则面向大洋。这种相对封闭的地理环境为中国古代文化相对独立的发展提供了自然条件。所以在相当长的一段时间里，中国文化与外来文化的武力冲撞较少。这对中国文化形成一个历史悠久又自成体系，具有鲜明的地域特征且具有一定的稳定性的文化系统，有着重要的作用。The relatively enclosed geographical surroundings provided e

20、xceptional natural advantages for the ancient Chinese culture to develop independently, for a fairly long period free from the impact of foreign cultures. These facilitated the Chinese culture to evolve into a stable and independent system with distinctive regional culture. 中国内部的地理环境西高东低，东西走向的几条大河较为

21、均匀地分布于其间，构成了辽河、黄河、长江、珠江几个流域。流域内纵横其间的支流为农业的发展和交通提供了有利的自然条件，也促成了区域文化的发展。风格多样各异的区域文化融合为一体，丰富了中国文化的内涵。但又产生了区域文化间几次的冲突，这里面既有民族间的，也有地方政权间的，但最终是复归于文化的融合和政治的一统。中国的疆域处于温带和亚热带地区，光、热、水、土和生物等自然资源和自然条件都比较适合农业经济的发展。特别在黄河流域与长江流域，农耕生产是其主要的经济方式。中国的古代文明，其性质是农业文明，这是一种早熟型的人类文明。中国的古代文明主要发生在黄河流域和长江流域，尤其是黄河流域。黄河流域那四季分明的温带

22、气候，肥沃厚实的黄土层，大河及其支流所提供的可资开发利用的水利资源，使黄河流域的农业文明很早就发展起来，在很长的一段历史时期内，成为中华古代文明的主要发祥地和根据地。农业文明给予中国文化的形成和发展以决定性的影响，是构成中国文化不同于西方文化的基本点。China is a unitary multinational country with a vast territory and a large population. The geographical surroundings play a vital role in the formation and development of the

23、 Chinese culture. Situated in the continent of East Asia, China is located in relatively enclosed geographical surroundings. In the north stretches the vast desert and prairie; in the west, the vast expanse of Gobi and desert and Qinghai-Tibet plateau; in the southwest, Yunnan-Guizhou mountainous re

24、gion and boundless tropical rain forests; in the east and southeast, the ocean. The relatively enclosed geographical surroundings provided exceptional natural advantages for the ancient Chinese culture to develop independently, for a fairly long period free from the impact of foreign cultures, espec

25、ially those powerful ones. These facilitated the Chinese culture to evolve into a stable and independent system with distinctive regional features.Since the terrain of China is high in the west and low in the east, several long rivers running from west to east are distributed evenly to form the vall

26、eys of Liaohe River, Yellow River, Yangtze River and Pearl River. The large rivers and their tributaries facilitate the agricultural development and transportation as well as the growth of regional cultures. Chinese cultural system is an organic unity with multi-elements. Different styles of regiona

27、l cultures enrich the connotation of the Chinese culture. Meanwhile, conflicts among different regional cultures came into being between various nationalities as well as regional regimes, due to the difference in geographical surroundings and the regional cultures arising therefrom. The general tren

28、d, however, is cultural fusion and political unity.With the territory in the temperate and subtropical zones, the natural resources such as light, heat, water and soil are fit for the development of agricultural economy. Especially in the Yellow River Valley and the Yangtze River Valley, farming is

29、the major economic mode. Ancient Chinese civilization is of agricultural nature, which is an early-maturing type of human civilization. Hence, Chinas ancient civilization originated mainly in the Yellow River Valley and the Yangtze River Valley. Agricultural civilization developed early in the Yello

30、w River Valley. People here enjoy seasonal climate of temperate zone. Besides, the thick and fertile layer of loess, and the water resources provided by the river and its tributaries also contribute to its development. For quite a long period, the Yellow River Valley has been the major birthplace an

31、d base of the ancient civilization. Agricultural civilization plays a decisive role in forming and promoting the Chinese culture, which constitutes its fundamental differences from Western culture.第二节 中国文化的历史发展中国已有5 000年的文明发展史，中国文化是世界最古老的文化之一，而且是世界上唯一的长期延续没有中断的文化。中国文化之所以具有如此强大的生命力，主要由其本身所固有的内在结构和基本素

32、质所决定。中国文化的结构是“多元一体”的，“多元”是指它早期由多种文化融合而成，后来又接纳了各少数民族文化，且对外来文化具有极强的包容性，从而形成了一种“多元”文化兼容并包的格局；“一体”指多元文化熔铸为一个整体，形成了有着共同的价值观念和鲜明特色的中华民族文化。中国文化“多元一体”的结构造就了它自信宽容的素质，中国文化以我为主，不断吸收外来文化，在吐故纳新中获得了生命的活力。面临当今世界的挑战，饱经风霜的中国文化从容应对，在自我改造和改造世界中展示自己的文化魅力，并永葆青春。 Section 2 The Historical Development of the Chinese Cultur

33、e China has a 5 000-year history of the development of civilization. The Chinese culture is one of the most ancient cultures in the world, and the only one that has lasted for thousands of years without suspension. The strong vitality could be attributed to its innate structure and essential quality

34、. The structure of the Chinese culture is typical of integrated pluralism. “Pluralism” refers to the fact that the Chinese culture is a blending of so many different cultures and it displays strong tolerance to embrace the cultures of ethnic groups and those from extraneous places. “Integrated” mean

35、s various cultures melt into a unity, forming a distinctly Chinese culture with common values. The integrated pluralism has developed a self-confident magnanimity so that the Chinese culture, which gives priority to itself, can absorb foreign cultures constantly, thereby getting revitalized in the p

36、rocess of discarding the old and embracing the new. Throughout the history, the Chinese culture has survived all kinds of ordeals and turmoil. Confronted with todays challenges, it is sure to face them calmly, revealing its fascination and keeping its youthful vigor in the process of remolding itsel

37、f and transforming the world.中国古代的经济结构长达数千年的、以小农经济占主导地位的农业社会，给中国文化的发展打下了深刻的印记。在中国的古代社会，社会经济结构是以农耕为主要生产方式，以家庭为基本单位的自然经济形态。远古时期，由于不同的自然地理环境，逐渐形成了农耕、游牧和渔猎三种不同生产方式的区域经济。夏、商、周以后，中国形成了比较稳定的以黄河和长江中下游地区为中心的农耕经济区、北和西北边疆的游牧经济区和东北的渔猎经济区。由于当时农业经济的早熟发达和分布广阔，农业经济在古代中国社会始终居于主导地位，古代中国的主流文化是建立在农业文明基础之上的。在历史上，位于北方的游牧

38、或渔猎民族曾多次凭借着强盛的武力大举南下，并先后在黄河中下游地区建立了政权，但都被中原地区的农业文明所驯服同化，融入到华夏族和汉族中去，最终还原于以汉族为主体的，以农业经济为基础的传统社会模式。中国最少已经有8 000年的农耕历史。农耕经济塑造了古代中国的基本社会面貌，在此基础上形成了与之相适应的政治制度和观念形态。古代中国的历代统治者都不约而同地实行了保护农业经济的政策，具体讲就是劝农政策和抑商政策。劝农政策是鼓励从事农耕活动。至少从西周开始，已产生了籍田制度。每年立春之日，天子、诸侯都要举行一个盛大的礼仪活动，由天子、诸侯亲自执耒耜，耕籍田，为民众做榜样，表达政府对农业生产活动的重视，以后

39、形成惯例。此外政府还要表彰“力田”，即在农业生产中有卓越表现者。抑商政策则是惩罚压制从事工商业活动的人，从而抑制工商业的发展，消除对农业经济的冲击。历代统治者的“抑商”有时是非常严厉的，其中包括不准商人衣丝绸、携剑、乘车等，甚至有没收财产的处罚。这些政策保证了农业经济在古代社会的主导地位。The Economic StructureChinese economic structure has undergone a process of change from the ancient pattern composed mainly of agriculture to that of techn

40、ology in a modern industrial society. The agricultural society, which lasted for several thousand years, with the small-scale peasant economy in the leading position, exerted a strong influence on the development of the Chinese culture.In ancient China, the natural economic pattern went like this: f

41、arming was the major mode of production and family, the basic unit. In primitive society, three types of regional economy farming, pasturage and fishing gradually came into existence because of the discrepancies in natural geographical surroundings. After the Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties, some rela

42、tively stable economic zones developed: the farming zone in the middle and lower valleys of the Yellow River and the Yangtze River, the nomadic zone in the northern and northwestern frontiers and the fishing and hunting zone in the northeast. However, due to the early-maturing prosperity and wide di

43、spersion, the agricultural economy always had a leading role in ancient China. The mainstream of the ancient Chinese culture was based on the agricultural civilization. The nationalities engaged in pasturage or fishing and hunting in the north mounted large-scale offences southward many times by tak

44、ing advantage of their military might, and managed to establish their political power successively, but each time they were brought under the control of the agricultural civilization of the Central Plains. Assimilated by and integrated with the Hua Xia and Han nationalities, they reverted to the tra

45、ditional social pattern with Han nationality as its main body and agricultural economy as its foundation.Agriculture was fundamental to the development of ancient China. Farming, the origin of which can at least be traced back to 8 000 years ago, has been instrumental in molding the basic social out

46、look of ancient China. Agriculture shaped the political system and ideology. In ancient China, rulers of each dynasty happened to coincide in their policy of protecting agriculture, i.e. encouraging farming but limiting commerce. Incentive measures were adopted to develop farming. With the beginning

47、 of the Western Zhou Dynasty, emerged the system of household land. Every year at the Beginning of Spring (first solar term) of each year, a grand ceremony would be held. The Emperor, as well as dukes and princes would plough their own household land, setting a model for the common people to follow,

48、 and conveying the message that the government attached high importance to agriculture. Later, this became a conventional practice. The government also commended those who had scored outstanding achievements in the area of farming. In order to discourage the development of the craft and commercial s

49、ector, measures were taken to punish and restrain those handicraftsmen and businessmen. The punishments were sometimes very stern, such as forbidding businessmen to wear silk clothes, carry swords or use a chariot and even to confiscate their property. All these measures guaranteed the dominant role

50、 of agricultural economy in the ancient society.The economy of ancient China, no matter which type it took, suzerain economy, landlord economy or owner-peasant economy, judging from the nature and mode, belonged to the category of a small-scale economy. This kind of economy had the following charact

51、eristics.Firstly, the family was the basic unit. In ancient China, farming was conducted for thousands of years with each household as a productive unit. Originally each family was fairly large with a complex structure. During the three dynasties of Xia, Shang and Zhou, the extended families consist

52、ing of three or four generations were the basic cells of the social economy. Since then, it became popular to divide the family property and to live apart, which led to a trend of reducing the size and structure of the family. During the Warring States Period and the Qin Dynasty, a nuclear family of

53、 five members became the most common pattern, and this continued to the present.Secondly, the major productive mode was the natural family economy with the man cultivating the land and the woman weaving at home. This type of economy and the simple division of labor were sufficient to meet peoples ne

54、eds. Therefore, it was a type of self-sufficient natural economy, with limited reliance on the market economy. As a result, the market economy in ancient China was not flourishing and the society was loosely organized, just like a sheet of loose sand in a state of disunity.Thirdly, the scale of production was small. Because of the family management a