中国文化英语教程Unit-2

IntroductionNaturalnessandNon-actionThePhilosophyofNon-contentionReturningtoNewbornStateTextstudyApplicationDozensofwebsitesnowadaysofferessaywritingservices,whichcanhelpstudentswiththeirstudies.Studentscangetalmosteverythingfromtipsonhowtowriteanessay,rightthroughtoafull,modelessay.However,somestudentsaretryingtodownloadamodelessayandpassitoffastheirown,whichisactuallycalled“plagiarism”.ReturningtoaNewbornStateLaozisawtheworldasamaddingcrowdofvanity.Hechosetoliveasimple,quietlife,andtokeephismindundisturbedinthefaceoftemptation.Hesaidhewouldratherremaina“newbornbaby”.Anewbornstate“TheDaothatcanbetroddenisnottheenduringandunchangingDao.Thenamethatcanbenamedisnottheenduringandunchangingname.(Conceivedofas)havingnoname,itistheOriginatorofheavenandearth;(conceivedofas)havinganame,itistheMotherofallthings.”Lead-inWhat’stheChineseversionoftheselines?道可道非常道名可名非常名无名天地之始有名万物之母Laoziwasamanofgreatlearning.EvenConfuciuswassaidtohavetraveledmilestoconsulthim.ConfuciusconsultingLaoziaboutliIntroductionAdditionalInfoWhyisLiRanknownasLaoziratherthanLizi?Therearetwoexplanationsastothesourceof“Laozi”.SomesayduringtheperiodwhenLiRanwasalive,LaoandLiwerepronouncedinthesameway.So“Laozi”actuallysoundedthesameas“Lizi”atthattime.ThesecondlegendisthatLiRanwasbornwithwhiteeyebrowandwhitebeardlikeanoldman.Thushewascalled“Laozi”.IntroductionLaozi(《老子》),alsoknownasClassicoftheWayandVirtue(DaoDeJing.TheauthorisgenerallybelievedtobeLaozi.Itconsistsofjustover5,000Chinesecharacters.Its81chaptersaredividedintotwoparts,Dao(theWay)andDe(Virtue).IntroductionLaoziThebookhasplayedatremendousroleinthedevelopmentofChineseculture.ItbecamethebasisofDaoism,theschoolofphilosophyparalleltoConfucianisminancientChina.ThethoughtofLaoziformedthefoundationofDaoism,themostinfluentialindigenousschoolofreligioninChina.IntroductionTheinfluenceofLaoziItalsoexertsadirectimpactonthecharacteristics,trendsofthoughtandaestheticsensibilitiesoftheChinesenationandisstillplayingaroleinthedevelopmentofChinesethinking.IntroductionFamousversionsofitstranslationincludethatofJamesLeggeandthatofStephenMitchell.LaoziintheworldItisfirstintroducedintoEuropepossiblyasearlyasthe15thcenturyIthasbecomeoneofthemosttranslatedphilosophicalworksofancientChina.AdditionalInfoIntroductionThecoreofLaozi’sphilosophyManyofLaozi’senlighteningviewsarebasedonhisphilosophyofnaturalnessandnon-action.IntroductionFollowingthewayofnatureisthewaytoresolvingconflictsbetweenhumansandtheworld.NaturalnessandNon-actionNon-actionistheguaranteeof“naturalness”.Non-action(无为)NaturalnessandNon-actionBysaying“(DaoortheWay)actsthroughnon-action”,Laozididnotmeanthatoneshoulddonothingandpassivelywaitforsomethingtobeachieved.Neitherdidhedenyhumancreativity.Whathemeantisthathumanenterprisesshouldbebuiltonthebasisofnaturalness,notonanyattemptstointerrupttherhythmofnature.Humancreativityshouldbeincompliancewiththewaysofnature.NaturalnessandNon-action“(DaoortheWay)actsthroughnon-action(无为而无不为).”—SelectedfromLaoziHowdoyouunderstandthisline?“Greatingenuityappearstobestupidity(大智若愚).”—SelectedfromLaoziHowdoyouunderstandthisline?“Greatingenuity”referstothehighestlevelofingenuity,arisingsonaturallythatitdoesnotresembleingenuityatall.Ingenuitycanbeachievedthroughhumaneffort,but“greatingenuity”issuperiortoordinaryingenuity.NaturalnessandNon-actionDeceitToLaozi,resortingtodeceitistruefutilityandwouldaccomplishjusttheoppositeresult.Thosewhointendtoplaytricksarenotgenuineandthereforearenotnatural.Deceitisdetrimentaltonaturalnessandtotheharmonyoflife.NaturalnessandNon-actionThePhilosophyofNon-contentionAccordingtoLaozi,warspringsfromhumanity’sbloateddesires.Conflictsarisesoutofpeople’sstruggletosatisfytheirdesires,andconflictescalatesintowar.Humanstrivingandcompetitivestrifeistherootcauseofdecline;desiringnothingisthenaturalwayoflife.Therefore,Laozi’sphilosophyisbasedon“non-contention”.ThePhilosophyofNon-contention“Thegreatestvirtueislikewater.”Laozicomparedhisphilosophyof“non-contention”towater,todistinguishitfromthelawofjungle.ThePhilosophyofNon-contention“Thegreatestvirtueislikewater.”上善若水，水善利万物而不争，处众人之所恶，故几于道。      居善地，心善渊，与善仁，言善信，事善能，动善时，夫惟不争，故无尤。       ——《老子·八章》AdditionalInfoThePhilosophyofNon-contention上善若水，水善利万物而不争，处众人之所恶，故几于道。Legge:Thehighestexcellenceislike(thatof)water.Theexcellenceofwaterappearsinitsbenefitingallthings,andinitsoccupying,withoutstriving(tothecontrary),thelowplacewhichallmendislike.Hence(itsway)isnearto(thatof)theTao.AdditionalInfoThePhilosophyofNon-contentionMitchell:Thesupremegoodislikewater,whichnourishesallthingswithouttryingto.Itiscontentwiththelowplacesthatpeopledisdain.ThusitisliketheTao.居善地，心善渊，与善仁，言善信，事善能，动善时，Legge:Theexcellenceofaresidenceisin(thesuitabilityof)theplace;thatofthemindisinabysmalstillness;thatofassociationsisintheirbeingwiththevirtuous;thatofgovernmentisinitssecuringgoodorder;thatof(theconductof)affairsisinitsability;andthatof(theinitiationof)anymovementisinitstimeliness.Mitchell:Indwelling,liveclosetotheground.Inthinking,keeptothesimple.Inconflict,befairandgenerous.Ingoverning,don’ttrytocontrol.Inwork,dowhatyouenjoy.Infamilylife,becompletelypresent.ThePhilosophyofNon-contention夫惟不争，故无尤。Legge:Andwhen(onewiththehighestexcellence)doesnotwrangle(abouthislowposition),noonefindsfaultwithhim.Mitchell:Whenyouarecontenttobesimplyyourselfanddon’tcompareorcompete,everybodywillrespectyou.ThePhilosophyofNon-contentionThephilosophyofLaoziisbynomeansweak.Onthecontrary,itisfullofstrength.Waterisatypicalexampleoftheweakwinningoverthestrong.Waterisinvinciblebecauseitdesiresnothingandcontendsfornothing.“Nothingintheworldisweakerthanwater.Yetnothingisstrongerthanwaterwhenitcomestobreakingsomethingstrong(天下莫柔弱于水，而攻坚强者莫之能胜。).”—SelectedfromLaoziThePhilosophyofNon-contention“人之生也柔弱，其死也坚强。草木之生也柔弱，其死也枯槁。故坚强者死之徒，柔弱者生之徒。强大处下，柔弱处上。”(选自《老子·七十六章》)Manathisbirthissuppleandweak;athisdeath,firmandstrong.(Soitiswith)allthings.Treesandplants,intheirearlygrowth,aresoftandbrittle;attheirdeath,dryandwithered.Thusitisthatfirmnessandstrengtharetheconcomitantsofdeath;softnessandweakness,theconcomitantsoflife.Thereforetheplaceofwhatisfirmandstrongisbelow,andthatofwhatissoftandweakisabove.ThePhilosophyofNon-contentionAdditionalInfoThePhilosophyofNon-contentionHowdoyouunderstandLaozi’s“newbornbaby”state?ReturningtoaNewbornStateThestateofthenewbornisfreeofanyknowledge,desire,impurityorfalsehood.Whenhumanbeingscomeintotheworld,thegraduallyacquireexternalknowledgeandacceptsocialnorms.Ashumansmature,theybecomemoreandmorehypocritical.Theprocessofacculturationistheprocessoflosingone’strueself.ThisdoesnotmeanLaoziwantedtoremainchildishlyignorant.Laozi’sstateofthenewbornrefersto“completeinnocence”.Laozibelievedthatsages—peoplewiththehighestvirtue—allresemblednewborns.Thehighestlevelofone’scultivationwastoreturntothe“completeinnocence”ofanewbornbaby.ReturningtoaNewbornStateToLaozi,civilizationistoacertaindegreeadeparturefromthe“trueself”.Thedevelopmentofhumancultureisaprocessof“decoration”.Such“decorations”oftenturnintobloateddesires.Desire-driven,humanbeingsfightanddeceiveoneanother,leadingtowar.ReturningtoaNewbornStateDesiredisturbspeaceofmind.Ifimmersedinaseaofdesire,intheendhumanswouldbesubmerged.“Beautifulcolorsblindtheeyes,complexmusicharmstheears,richflavorsnumbtaste,whileridingandhuntingmaddenthemind(五色令人目盲；五音令人耳聋；五味令人口爽；驰骋畋猎，令人心发狂。).”—SelectedfromLaoziBloateddesirehasdamagedtheexternalworldaswellaspoisonedthehumanmind.ReturningtoaNewbornStateReturningtoaNewbornState___4)Thestoryofa“uselesstree”mentionedinParagraph7mainlytellsusthatsomelivingthingsinnaturecansurviveothersbecauseoftheirnaturalness.___5)Thephilosophyofnon-contentionstatesthatkeepingman’sdesireavidcanhelpresolveconflicts,thusavoidingwars.___6)Laozi'sphilosophyof“non-contention”iscomparabletothelawofthejungle.TFFComprehension___7)AccordingtoLaozi,whenitcomestobreakingthestrong,thestrengthofwaterissuperiortoanythingelse.___8)Thebasicwaytoprosperityistokeepsuperiorineveryway.___9)Laoziwouldratherremaina“newbornbaby”,becauseithasnothingtoworryabout.___10)AccordingtoLaozi,theprocessofaman'sgrowingupisthatoflosinghistrueego.TFFTComprehensionII.CarefulReading1.ReadthefirsttwoparagraphsandfillinthefollowingtablewiththeinformationaboutthebookLaozi.ComprehensionClassicoftheWayandVirtue(DaoDeJing)Aroundthe6thcenturyBCAbout5,000Chinesecharactersin81chaptersAdirectimpactonthecharacteristics,trendsofthought,andaestheticsensibilitiesoftheChinesenationFirstintroducedintoEuropeasearlyasthe15thcenturyandoneofthemosttranslatedphilosophicalworksofancientChina2.Readthepassagecarefullyandfillinthefollowingblankswiththemissinginformation.1)Laozi’sthoughthasagreatinfluenceonthe,andoftheChinesepeople.2)Theexamplesofbirds,fish,cloudsandflowersareusedtoillustratethat__________________.3)Thedifferencebetweengreatingenuityandordinaryingenuityliesinthefactthat_________________________________________________________________.Comprehensioncharacteristicstrendsofthoughtaestheticsensibilitieseverythingintheworldhasitsownwayofbeinganddevelopmentthelattercanbeachievedthroughhumaneffort,buttheformerissuperiortothelatter4)Inordertobecomestrong,oneshouldinsteadof.6)Thehighestlevelofone’scultivationistoreturntothestateofanewbornbaby,whoisfreeofanyknowledge,,__.7)Peoplefightanddeceiveoneanotheroutof.5)InLaozi’sopinion,isthesymboloflife.8)Accordingtothelawsofnature,peopleshouldnotthepoorandtheweak.Comprehensionstartwithone’sownweakpointsoppressingtheweakfragilitydesireimpurityorfalsehooddesireroboppress1)顺应自然。5)不战而屈人之兵。2)无为而无不为。3)大巧若拙。4)以柔弱胜刚强。Followthewayofnature.Actthroughnon-action.Greatingenuityappearstobestupidity.Overcomethestrongbybeingweak.Winawarwithoutfightingit.3.PuteachofthefollowingintoEnglishandthencompareyourtranslationwiththatinthepassage.Comprehension6)兼爱。Loveforall.7)上善若水。8)人往高处走，水往低处流。9)无欲则刚。Thegreatestvirtueislikewater.Humanstendtoseekhigherpositionswhilewateralwaysflowstolowerplaces.Oneisinvinciblebecausehedesiresnothingandcontendsfornothing.10)返璞归真。Returntothestateofanewbornbaby.Comprehension1.TranslatethefollowingEnglishsayingsorproverbsintoChineseandthentellhowtheyarerelatedtoLaozi’sphilosophy.3)Thedropofrainsmakesaholeinthestone,notbyviolence,butbythefrequencyoffalling.1)Natureisconqueredbyobeyingher.2)Hethatfollowsnatureisneveroutofhisway.顺应自然方能征服自然。按自然规律办事的人绝不会迷失方向。滴水穿石，非蛮力所致，皆因坚持不懈。CommunicationWhenIwasjustalittlegirl,Iaskedmymother,"WhatwillIbe?WillIbepretty?WillIberich?"Here'swhatshesaidtome:"Quesera,sera,Whateverwillbe,willbe;Thefuture'snotourstosee.Quesera,sera,Whatwillbe,willbe.”WhenIgrewupandfellinlove,Iaskedmysweetheart,"Whatliesahead?Willwehaverainbowsdayafterday?"Here'swhatmysweetheartsaid:"Quesera,sera,WhateverWillBeWhateverwillbe,willbe;Thefuture'snotourstoseeQuesera,sera,Whatwillbe,willbe.”NowIhavechildrenofmyownTheyasktheirmother,"WhatwillIbe?WillIbehandsome?WillIberich?“Itellthemtenderly:"Quesera,sera,Whateverwillbe,willbe;Thefuture'snotourstosee.Quesera,sera,Whatwillbe,willbe.Quesera,sera!"CommunicationQ1:DoyouthinktheideaconveyedbythesonghasanythingtodowithLaozi’sphilosophy?Q2:Doyouagreeordisagreewiththeidea?Q3:Whatistheroleofhumaneffortinresolvingproblems?WriteanessaycommentingontheideaconveyedbythesongaccordingtoLaozi’sphilosophy.ApplicationQ1:AccordingtoLaozi,whatkindofbehavioristhis?Q2:Whatconsequencewillsuchbehaviorleadto?AnAmericanoncesaidironically:“Tocopyoneisplagiarism,buttocopymanyisdoingresearch.”Q3:Whatshallwedotolearnessaywritingwithoutplagiarizing?Discusstheabovequestionswithyourpartner.ThankYou!