天上芙蓉剑 人间竹叶舟
天上芙蓉剑 人间竹叶舟

“文明”的价值

Now in order to estimate the value of a civilisation, it seems to me, the question we must finally ask is not what great cities, what magnificent houses, what fine roads it has built and is able to build; what beautiful and comfortable furniture, what clever and useful implements, tools and instruments it has made and is able to make; no, not even what institutions, what arts and sciences it has invented: the question we must ask, in order to estimate the value of a civilisation, –is, what type of humanity, what kind of men and women it has been able to produce. In fact, the man and woman, –the type of human beings– which a civilisation produces, it is this which shows the essence, the personality, so to speak, the soul of that civilisation. (KU HUNG-MING, The Spirit of Chinese People. )

吾眼中文明价值之估量,其根本之究问非谓有否与能否修建繁华之都市、雄伟之建筑、恢弘之马路;亦非有否与能否制造舒适之家俱、精巧之器皿、实用之工具;甚或创造出何种体制、艺术与科学。夫文明之价值,欲审之而必问者惟其产育之人品类为何。其陶铸之男女诚显文明之本性,可谓文明之魂也。(辜鸿铭:春秋大义)

不通古文,硬译……

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