the soul of the far east(远东的灵魂)-第35节
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the mongrel speech； Chinese in form and English in diction； which goes
by the name of pidgin English）。
Their own tongues show the same prosaic character； picturesque as
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they appear to us at first sight。 That effect is due simply to the novelty to
us of their expressions。 To talk of a pass as an 〃up…down〃 has a
refreshing turn to our unused ear； but it is a much more descriptive than
imaginative figure of speech。 Nor is the phrase 〃the being （so） is
difficult；〃 in place of 〃thank you；〃 a surprisingly beautiful bit of imagery；
delightful as it sounds for a change。 Our own tongue has； in its daily
vocabulary； far more suggestive expressions； only familiarity has rendered
us callous to their use。 We employ at every instant words which； could
we but stop to think of them； would strike us as poetic in the ideas they
call up。 As has been well said； they were once happy thoughts of some
bright particular genius bequeathed to posterity without so much as an
accompanying name； and which proved so popular that they soon became
but symbols themselves。
Their languages are paralleled by their whole life。 A lack of any
fanciful ideas is one of the most salient traits of all Far Eastern races； if
indeed a sad dearth of anything can properly be spoken of as salient。
Indirectly their want of imagination betrays itself in their every…day
sayings and doings； and more directly in every branch of thought。
Originality is not their strong point。 Their utter ignorance of science
shows this； and paradoxical as it may seem； their art； in spite of its merit
and its universality； does the same。 That art and imagination are
necessarily bound together receives no very forcible confirmation from a
land where； nationally speaking； at any rate； the first is easily first and the
last easily last； as nations go。 It is to quite another quality that their
artistic excellence must be ascribed。 That the Chinese and later the
Japanese have accomplished results at which the rest of the world will yet
live to marvel； is due to theirtaste。 But taste or delicacy of perception
has absolutely nothing to do with imagination。 That certain of the senses
of Far Orientals are wonderfully keen； as also those parts of the brain that
directly respond to them； is beyond question； but such sensitiveness does
not in the least involve the less earth…tied portions of the intellect。 A
peculiar responsiveness to natural beauty； a sort of mental agreement with
its earthly environment； is a marked feature of the Japanese mind。 But
appreciation； however intimate； is a very different thing from originality。
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The one is commonly the handmaid of the other； but the other by no
means always accompanies the one。
So much for the cause； now for the effect which we might expect to
find if our diagnosis be correct。
If the evolving force be less active in one race than in another； three
relative results should follow。 In the first place； the race in question will
at any given moment be less advanced than its fellow； secondly； its rate of
progress will be less rapid； and lastly； its individual members will all be
nearer together； just as a stream； in falling from a cliff； starts one compact
mass； then gradually increasing in speed； divides into drops； which；
growing finer and finer and farther and farther apart； descend at last as
spray。 All three of these consequences are visible in the career of the Far
Eastern peoples。 The first result scarcely needs to be proved to us； who
are only too ready to believe it without proof。 It is； nevertheless； a fact。
Viewed unprejudicedly； their civilization is not so advanced a one as our
own。 Although they are certainly our superiors in some very desirable
particulars； their whole scheme is distinctly more aboriginal
fundamentally。 It is more finished； as far as it goes； but it does not go so
far。 Less rude； it is more rudimentary。 Indeed； as we have seen； its
surface…perfection really shows that nature has given less thought to its
substance。 One may say of it that it is the adult form of a lower type of
mind…specification。
The second effect is scarcely less patent。 How slow their progress
has been； if for centuries now it can be called progress at all； is world…
known。 Chinese conservatism has passed into a proverb。 The pendulum
of pulsation in the Middle Kingdom long since came to a stop at the
medial point of rest。 Centre of civilization； as they call themselves； one
would imagine that their mind…machinery had got caught on their own
dead centre； and now could not be made to move。 Life； which elsewhere is
a condition of unstable equilibrium； there is of a fatally stable kind。 For
the Chinaman's disinclination to progress is something more than vis
inertiae； it has become an ardent devotion to the status quo。 Jostled； he at
once settles back to his previous condition again； much as more materially；
after a lifetime spent in California； at his death his body is punctiliously
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embalmed and sent home across five thousand miles of sea for burial。
With the Japanese the condition of affairs is somewhat different。 Their
tendency to stand still is of a purely passive kind。 It is a state of neutral
equilibrium； stationary of itself but perfectly responsive to an impulse
from without。 Left to their own devices； they are conservative enough；
but they instantly copy a more advanced civilization the moment they get
a chance。 This proclivity on their part is not out of keeping with our
theory。 On the contrary； it is precisely what was to have been expected；
for we see the very same apparent contradiction in characters we are
thrown with every day。 Imitation is the natural substitute for originality。
The less strong a man's personality the more prone is he to adopt the ideas
of others； on the same principle that a void more easily admits a foreign
body than does space that is already occupied； or as a blank piece of paper
takes a dye more brilliantly for not being already tinted itself。
The third result； the remarkable homogeneity of the people； is not；
perhaps； so universally appreciated； but it is equally evident on inspection；
and no less weighty in proof。 Indeed； the Far Eastern state of things is a
kind of charade on the word； for humanity there is singularly uniform。
The distance between the extremes of mind…development in Japan is much
less than with us。 This lack of divergence exists not simply in certain
lines of thought； but in all those characteristics by which man is parted
from the brutes。 In reasoning power； in artistic sensibility； in delicacy of
perception； it is the same story。 If this were simply the impression at first
sight； no deductions could be drawn from it； for an impression of racial
similarity invariably marks the first stage of acquaintance of one people by
another。 Even in outward appearance it is so。 We find it at first
impossible to tell the Japanese apart； they find it equally impossible to
differentiate us。 But the present resemblance is not a matter of first
impressions。 The fact is patent historically。 The men whom Japan
reveres are much less removed from the common herd than is the case in
any Western land。 And this has been so from the earliest times。
Shakspeares
