《中國人的性格》第三章　勤勞刻苦

《中國人的性格》是美國傳教士阿瑟·史密斯（明恩溥）基于1872年赴華傳教期間的社會觀察撰寫的著作，首版英文名《Chinese Characteristics》于19世紀末問世，。作者在華生活逾五十年，書中融合人類學視角與傳教士立場，記錄了晚清民眾的性格特征與文化形態。

全書以27個主題章節剖析中國人行為模式，包含“保全面子”“省吃儉用”等生活哲學，以及“漠視精確”“因循守舊”等社會現象。通過對比西方工業文明，著重探討東方特有的生存韌性，如環境適應力與疼痛耐受性。書中案例多源自山東鄉村生活經歷，涉及衣食住行、孝悌觀念等主題，部分結論因宗教立場存在視角爭議。該著作開創西方研究中國國民性先河，被譯成多國文字，成為近代中西文化互鑒的重要文本。

第三章　勤勞刻苦

“勤勞”指的是努力不懈、勤勉地去做任何工作——即對事務堅持不變的關注。在當今的世界上，勤勞是最值得高度贊美的美德之一，是永遠受到尊敬的美德。

一般來說，一個民族的勤勞，大致可以由三個方面來衡量：長度、廣度和強度；換句話說，它可以分解為兩個表示規模一個表示力度的性質。所謂長度，是指保持勤勞的時間范疇；所謂廣度，是指真正可以算做勤勞者的數量；所謂強度，是指“投身于勤奮”和“專心致志”的精力。這三個因素綜合作用，才會有所成就。

通常看來，偶爾到中國游玩的旅行者與長期定居此處的僑民，兩者對于獲得的印象是不盡相同的，但是他們都確實相信中國人的勤奮。初到中國的人，他們對中國人的第一印象是，這個民族的人正認真履行著約翰·衛斯理的格言：“全力以赴，始終如一。”在中國，懶漢是非常難得一見的，似乎每個人都在忙什么。中國社會自然也會有不少富人，盡管他們在全部人口中所占的比例非常低，他們也可以不用干事而過著富裕的生活。然而，他們的生活并不像外國人在表面上所看到的那樣。中國的有錢人仍然像他在白手起家時那樣，專注于他的事業，他們工作起來很努力，不會有絲毫的放棄。

中國人把自己分為：士、農、工、商。讓我們分別看一看不同的階層所體現的勤勞美德。

西方人很難認同像中國那樣的教育模式。這種體制的整體的弊端是非常明顯的，但仍有一點卻總是引起人們的注意，那就是在這種學習體制中能很好鍛煉“只為勤奮、不求回報”的精神。對于那些有錢人購買學位和官銜，這種后門永遠敞開。這點，似乎會挫傷一些讀書人的熱情。但買賣官職的不公正行為并不影響大局。每一個省份都在抱怨，從最低級別的考場，到最高級別的考場，每一個職位上的合格考生遠遠多于空缺的職位。所有各級的考場都是人滿為患，經常是一萬多人競考一個職位。

只要我們去估算一下中國的讀書人，為了能進入這樣的考場而花費的心血，就會鮮明地感受到他們的勤奮。在《三字經》中所提及的傳統讀書人勤奮的典型，或者如借著螢火蟲的微光讀書，把書本綁在耕牛角上一邊犁田一邊溫習，時至今日依然被中國各地成千上萬的讀書人所效仿。在很多情況下，不少人能獲得諸如“秀才”這樣的初步學銜就開始放棄走讀書這條路了。但是中國人根本不把此類人當做“士”。而把這一榮耀的稱呼留給那些在充滿荊棘的狹窄小路上不斷奮斗直至學業有成的人。除了在中國，我們又能在世界其他什么地方可以看到祖孫三代為了做官參加同樣的科舉考試競爭，經過漫長的不屈不撓的努力，終于直到八十歲時才能獲得盼望已久的榮譽？

1889年春，北京的《邸報》上刊登了一些資料，其中有關于各省科舉中老年考生的事。在福建巡撫的報告中說，福州秋季鄉試的考場，有九位考生超過八十歲，有兩位考生超過了九十歲。他們都通過了規定的考試，他們提交的文章結構嚴謹，書法有力、準確。他還說，這些老年考生中秀才時已年過六十，在此期間已參加了三次鄉試，如果這第四次再不通過，當被授予一個名譽學銜。河南巡撫也以同樣報告說，有十三位超過八十歲的考生，一位超過九十歲的考生。他們全部“經歷為期九日之科察，其文筆精練，行文甚佳，并無垂暮之氣也”。這個報告已經很驚人，但更令人吃驚的是安徽省，那里有三十五位考生超過八十高齡，十九位考生超過九十歲！除了中國，還有哪一個國家能見到這樣的奇觀呢？

如果說，中國的讀書人始終勤奮不止，那么，農民的勤奮則絲毫不亞于他們。中國農民的勞作如一位莊園大管家所操的心那樣，沒完沒了。在北方各省里，除了冬至前后有一小段的空閑時間之外，一年到頭，農民們根本沒有閑的時候，總有大量的活要干。無疑，其他各國的農民也多少都是很忙碌的，但是，中國農民的勤勞是其他民族所難以比擬的。

農民階級是這樣，那些長期過著非常貧困的日子、在無盡的折磨中度過一生的勞工同樣也是如此。一個農民要細心照料他的每一棵白菜，小心地清除掉葉子上各種害蟲。同樣，一名勞工也同樣要照料好他的工作，這樣才能填飽他自己的肚子，也填飽他一家人的肚子。那些偶爾經由鄉間行走的人，往往過了半夜就要起身趕路；他們說這是一種風俗。無論你何時走在鄉間的路上，都可看見手拿糞耙，肩背背簍的農民矮小的身影，在彎腰拾糞。當沒有其他的活計可干的時候，這是一樁不變的、永遠做不完的事。

人們還經常為了養家糊口，尋找兩份不同的工作以互相銜接。這種情景在中國也是比比皆是。天津的船夫在河水封凍沒事干時，就拉冰橇，搞搬運，賺點小錢。這種冰橇可以提供價格極低的運輸。同樣，某些地區的大多數農民會充分利用農閑時間編制帽子，編織穗帶，如今這種帽子已經作為大宗出口產品外銷。中國婦女總是不停歇地手納鞋底，即使是在村口閑聊時，她們也不會停下手中的活計；除此之外，她們還在紡棉線，以備紡成紗織成布。總之，她們從來不會閑著無事。

上面所提及的那兩個階層的勤勉，在商人及其雇員身上也得以充分體現。即使是在西方，身為商店職員的生活也不是清閑的。但相比較起來，中國店員要更加忙碌，他們的工作永遠沒個頭。他們幾乎沒有任何節假日，活計很是繁重，只是在相對不忙時才可稍停片刻。

中國的店鋪總是開市很早，打烊很晚。那種記賬制度采用傳統的復式簿記法，非常復雜，使得賬房先生為了獲得收支和平衡的賬目，常常要忙到深夜。實在無事可做，店員們就坐下來，挑揀收進來的銅錢，尋找那些能賣出大價錢的上古時代的銅板。

令人吃驚的是，在中國，勞動強度最大的階層，乃是最讓人羨慕，每一個有志的中國人都夢寐以求的官僚階層。中國的各層各級官員，都需要親自埋頭于各種公務，且都必須對每樁事理論上和實踐上的成敗負責到底。而此類公務數量之巨、事務之繁雜，同樣令人吃驚。如今，正為每天八小時工作制而斗爭的我們的工會組織，看到下面的這張日程安排，會做何感想呢？

這份日程表摘自北京外國使館的一位翻譯對中國一位政治要員的采訪報告：“我曾經詢問過一位中國內閣大臣，每天究竟有多少的要務需要處理。因為他一直抱怨日常事務太過于繁忙，使他過于疲憊和勞累。他說，他每天凌晨兩點鐘從家里出門，因為三點至六點他要在宮中值班。作為軍機大臣，六點至九點他要在朝中內閣議事。他是兵部大臣，九點至十一點要在兵部辦公。他又是刑部的要員，每天十一點至下午兩點要在刑部辦公室。他還是總理衙門的資深大臣之一，每天下午兩點至五六點要在總理衙門辦公。這些還只是他每天的例行公務。除此之外，他在工作的空隙，還要參加其他一些特別或者臨時的會議，他得見縫插針地為這些臨時事務和其他的部門工作。因此，他很少在傍晚七八點鐘之前到家。”

據說，在與這位外國翻譯官做了此次訪談的六個月之后，那位官員就因勞累過度而感到心力交瘁，不久去世了。我聽到這個消息后并不感到奇怪，在中國，那些仍能為政府效勞的官員身上，發生此類的事件并非不可能。顯然，若他們能堅持下去，自然對政府而言是很有益的事情。

在前文，我們已經說過，所謂勤勞的外延是指勤勞者的人數以及勤勞所持續的時間長度。正如我們所看到的那樣，中國人的勤勞在這兩個方面是很廣大的。中國人的一日，開始于天色未明之時，甚至常常是后半夜時分。正當歐洲各國的宮廷還沉睡在睡夢之神墨菲斯的懷抱里，中國的皇帝已經開始準備一天的早朝。這對西方人來說，簡直是不可思議，而對中國人來說則是世界上最自然不過的事情。

天子的一言一行不同程度地被各地臣民效仿，如風靡草，舉國上下，皆是如此。廣州的銅匠、福州的錫匠、寧波的木雕匠、上海的磨坊伙計，以及北方各省的紡織匠和篩面公都是睡得晚、起得早。天亮之前很久，旅行者就會在集市上遇到賣菜的村民，他們早已從數里路以外的家里趕來，佇立在黑暗之中等待著天亮。天一亮，他們就可以出售自己的蔬菜了！

西方人吃早飯的時候，中國人的早市早已經結束。在某個夏季清晨的五點半過后，如果沿著上海的主要街道走走，就更能充分感受到東西方兩種生活方式的強烈反差了。那些在黃浦江邊的高樓洋房里辦公、做生意的慵懶歐洲人，此刻還毫無動靜，而亞洲人卻擠滿了街道，并且這種狀況已經持續很久了。再過上幾小時之后，當西方人開始擠上人行道，輕松自在地與中國人擦肩而過去上班時，當地人已經干完了他們半天的活計。

約翰·戴維斯爵士關于中國人“熱愛勞動”的評價是完全正確的。他認為，中國人永遠愉快地進行著自己的勞動，這標志著中國政府在使人民滿足于自己的現狀方面是相當成功的。這種熱愛勞動的素質，是中國人最顯著的性格之一，但要正確地理解它，則需要得到長期的高度重視和細致的推敲。

接下來，關于中國人勤勞的內涵，值得再說上幾句。中國人是典型的亞洲人。他們的工作模式也是典型的亞細亞式的。試圖以我們的模式對這個生機勃勃的民族進行改造，那將只是一種徒勞。在我們看來，他們顯然缺乏我們所高度尊崇的誠信。盎格魯撒克遜人用不著《圣經》的指點，便能知道竭盡全力做好自己應當做的事是非常的重要。但是盡管有悠久的宗教和哲學交替影響，中國人卻很難改變他們固有的步伐。他們受益于幾千年以來所積累的經驗，就像是荷馬史詩里的諸神一樣，他們從來都是不慌不忙。

人們不禁想到，有朝一日，當白種人與黃種人之間不可避免地展開一場空前激烈的競爭，哪一方將會敗下陣來？

勤勞的雙手可以致富，這正是所羅門王所敘之經濟格言。假如這一格言是完全正確的，那么，中國人理所應當能夠成為地球上最興旺的民族。毫無疑問，如果他們能有一種全面的美德，用以克服品德素質發展不平衡的問題，比如他們缺乏諸多如信仰之類“恒久美德”的基本素養。那么，這個民族的興旺，更是毫無疑問指日可待的了。無論如何，當中國人的道德意識中求真和誠信這樣的品質重新恢復其應有的地位時，那么中國人將會（在不久的將來）獲得因他們的無與倫比的勤勞所帶來的圓滿的回報。

英文原版

CHAPTER III. INDUSTRY.

INDUSTRY is defined as habitual diligence in any employment—steady attention to business. In this age of theworld industry is one of the most highly prized among thevirtues, and it is one which invariably commands respect.

The industry of a people, speaking roughly, may be said tounite the three dimensions of length, breadth, and thicknessor, to use a different expression, it may be said to have twoqualities of extension, and one of intension. By the qualityof length, we mean the amount of time during which the industry is exercised. By the quality of breadth, we mean thenumber of persons to whom the predicate of industrious maybe fairly applied. By intension, we mean the amount ofenergy which is displayed in the " habitual dihgence," and in" steady attention to business." The aggregate result will bethe product of these three factors. It is by no means alwaysthe case that the impressions of the casual traveller and thoseof the old residents are the same, but there can be little doubt,that casual travellers, and residents of the longest standing,will agree in a profound conviction of the diligence of theChinese people. The very first glance which a new-comergets of the Chinese, induces him to think that this people iscarrying out in social affairs the maxim which John Wesleynamed as the rule for a successful church—"All at it, andalways at it." Idleness in China is not conspicuous. Everyone seems to be doing something. There are of covurse plenty of wealthy persons, albeit a mere microscopic fraction of thewhole community, who can abundantly live without doing anywork, but their life is not ordinarily of a kind which is externally visible to the foreigner. Wealthy people in China donot commonly retire from business, but devote themselves toit with the same kind and degree of attention as when theywere poor.

The Chinese classify themselves as Scholars, Farmers, Workmen, and Merchants. Let us glance a*: each of these subdivisions of society, and see what they have to say for the industryof the people.

it is exceedingly difficult for Occidentals to enter sympathetically into such a scheme of education as that of theChinese. Its gross defects are not Hkely to be overlooked,but one feature of it is adapted to thrust itself on the attentionat all timesYr^—it has no real rewards, except for diligence. Themany back doors which are always open to those who havethe money to purchase degrees would seem well calculated todampen the ardour of any student, but such is not the maineffect of the sale of office. The complaint is made in all theprovinces that there are far more eligible candidates for everyposition than there are positions to be filled. All the examination halls, from the lowest to the highest, seem to beperpetually crowded, and the number of students who compete in any single prefecture often rises to above ten thousand.When we consider the amount of mental toil which the mereentrance to any one of these examinations involves, we get avivid conception of the intellectual industry of the Chinese.The traditional diligence of the standard heroes mentioned inthe Trimetrical Classic, who studied by the light of a glowworm, or who tied their books to the horns of the ox withwhich they were ploughing, is imitated at the present day,with various degrees of approximation, by thousands in allparts of China. In many cases this industry begins to disappear with the initial success of the first degree, but theChinese do not consider such a one a scholar at all, but reserve this title of honour for those who keep on in the narrowand thorny path, until at length their perseverance is crownedwith success. In what land but China would it be possibleto find examples of a grandfather, son, and grandson all competing in the same examination for the same degree, age andindomitable perseverance being rewarded at the age of eightyyears by the long-coveted honour

*In the spring of 1889 various memorials appeared in thePeking Gazette relating to aged candidates at the provincialexaminations.The Governor-General reported that at theautumnal examination in Foochow nine candidates over eightyyears of age, and two over ninety, went through the prescribedtests and sent in essays of which the composition was goodand the handwriting firm and distinct. Aged candidates, hesays, who have passed through an interval of sixty years fromattaining their bachelor's degree, and who have attended thethree last examinations for the higher, are, if unsuccessful thefourth time, entitled to an honorary degree. The Governorof Honan in like manner reported thirteen candidates overeighty years of age, and one over ninety, who all "wentthrough the whole nine days' ordeal, and wrote essays whichwere perfectly accurate in diction and showed no signs of failing years." But even this astonishing record was surpassed inthe province of Anhui, where thirty-five of the competitorswere over eighty years of age, and eighteen over ninety!Could any other country afford a spectacle like this ?

If the life of the scholar in China is one of unremitting diligence, that of the farmer is not less so. His work, like that ofa housekeeper, is never done. With the exception of a comparatively brief period in the middle of the winter, throughoutthe northern provinces there never appears to be a time whenthere is not only something to do, but a great deal of it.

Doubtless this is more or less true of farming everywhere,but the Chinese farmer is industrious with an industry whichit would be difficult to surpass.

That which is true of the farmer class, is true with stillgreater emphasis of the mere labourer, who is driven by theconstant and chronic reappearance of the wolf at his door tospend his hfe in an everlasting grind. As the farmer bestowsthe most painstaking thought and care upon every separatestalk of cabbage, picking oR carefully each minute insect,thus at last tiring out the ceaseless swarms by his own greaterperseverance, so does the labourer watch for the most insignificant job, that he may have something for his stomach andfor his back, and for other stomachs and backs that are whollydependent upon him. Those who have occasion to travelwhere cart-roads exist, will often be obliged to rise soon aftermidnight and pursue their journey, for such, they are told, isthe custom. But no matter at what hour one is on the way,there are small bodies of peasants patroUing the roads, withfork in hand and basket on their back, watching for oppor.tunities to collect a little manure. When there is no otheiwork pressing, this is an invariable and an inexhaustible resource.

t is by no means uncommon to see those who are hardssed to find the means of support, following two differentlines of occupation which dovetail into each other. Thus theboatmen of Tientsin, whose business is spoiled by the closingof the rivers, take to the swift ice-sled, by which means it ispossible to be transported rapidly at a minimum cost. In thesame way, most of the rural population of some districts spendall the time which can be spared from the exigencies of farmwork in making hats or in plaiting the braid, now so large anarticle of export. Chinese women are not often seen withouta shoe-sole in their hands on which they are perpetually taking stitches, even while talking gossip at the entrance of their alleys ;or perhaps it is a reel of cotton which they are spinning.But idle they are not.

The indefatigable activity of the classes which have beennamed is well matched by that of the merchants and tlieir employes. The life of a merchant's clerk, even in Western lands,is not that of one who holds a sinecm^e, but as compared withthat of a Chinese clerk it is comparative idleness. For to thework of the latter there is no end. His hoHdays are few andhis tasks heavy, though they may be interspersed with periodsof comparative torpor.

Chinese shops are always opened early, and they close late.The system of bookkeeping by a species of double entry appears to be so minute that the accountants are often keptbusy till a very late hour recording the sales and balancingthe entries. When nothing else remains to be done, clerkscan be set to sorting over the brass cash taken in, in quest ofrare coins which may be sold at a profit.

It is a matter of surprise that the most hard-worked classof the Chinese race is that class which is most envied, and; 1 \into which every ambitious Chinese strives to raise himself—towit, the official. The number and variety of transactions withwhich a Chinese official of any rank must occupy himself, andfor the success of which he is not only theoretically but verypractically responsible, is likewise surprising. How would ourLabom- Unions, who are so strenuous about the coming EightHours a Day, relish a programme of a day's work such as thefollowing, which is taken from a statement made to an interpreter in one of the Foreign Legations in Peking by an eminent Chinese statesman? <^I once asked a member of theChinese cabinet, who was complaining of fatigue and overwork, for an account of his daily routine. He replied that heleft home every morning at two o'clock, as he was on dutyat the Palace from three to six. As a member of the PrivyCouncil, he was engaged in that body from six until nine.

From nine until eleven he was at the War Department, ofwhich he was President. Being a member of the Board ofPunishment, he was in attendance at the office of that bodydaily from twelve until two, and, as one of the senior Ministers of the Foreign Office, he spent every day, from two tillfive or six in the afternoon, there. These were his regulardaily duties. In addition to them he was frequently appointedto serve on special boards or commissions, and these he sandwiched in between the others as he could. He seldomreached home before seven or eight o'clock in the evening."It is not strange to be told that this officer died six monthsafter this conversation, from overwork and exhaustion, nor isit at all unlikely that the same state of things may put an endto many careers in China the continuance of which would havebeen valuable to the interests of the government.

The quality of extension, of which we have spoken, appliesto the number of those who are industrious, but it also appliesto the extent of time covered by that industry, which, as wehave seen, is very great. The Chinese day begins at a dimperiod, often not at a great remove from midnight. TheEmperor holds his daily audiences at an hour when everyCourt of Europe is wrapped in the embrace of Morpheus. Toan Occidental this seems simply inexplicable, but to a Chineseit doubtless appears the most natural thing in the world. Andthe conduct of the Son of Heaven is imitated more or lessclosely by the subjects of the Son of Heaven, in all parts of hisEmpire. The copper workers of Canton, the tinfoil workersof Foochow, the wood-carvers of Ningpo, the rice-mill workersof Shanghai, the cotton-cleaners and workers in the treadmillfor bolting flour in the northern provinces, may all be heardlate at night, and at a preposterous hour in the morning.Long before daylight the traveller comes upon a countrymanwho has already reached a distance of many miles from hishome, where he is posted in the darkness waiting for the coming of dayhght, when he will begin the sale of his cabbages!

By the time an Occidental has had his breakfast, a Chinesemarket is nearly over. There are few more significant contrasts than are suggested by a stroll along the principal streetin Shanghai, at the hour of half-past five on a summer's morning. The lordly European, who built those palaces whichhne the water-front, and who does his business therein, isconspicuous by his total absence, but the Asiatic is on handin full force, and has been on hand for a long time. It will be hours before the Occidentals begin to jostle the Chinesefrom the sidewalks, and to enter with luxurious ease on theirround of work, and by that time the native will have finishedhalf his day's labour.

Sir John Davis was quite right in his comments on thecheerful labour of the Chinese, as a sign that their governmenthas succeeded in sectu"ing them great content with their condition.This quality of their labour is one of its most strikingcharacteristics, and to be comprehended must be long observedand well weighed.

It remains to say a word of the quaUty of intension in Chinese industry. The Chinese are Asiatics, and they work assuch. It is in vain to attempt to make over this virile race onthe model of our own. To us they certainly appear lackingin the heartiness which we esteem so highly. The AngloSaxon needs no scriptural hint to enable him to see the importance of doing with his might what his hand finds to do,but the Chinese cannot be made to change his pace, though the combined religions and philosophy of the ages were brought to bear upon him. He has profited by the accumulated experience of millenniums, and, like the gods of Homer,he is never in a hurry.

One cannot help forecasting a time when the white and the yellow races will come into a keener competition than any yet known.When that ijieyitable day shall have arrived, whicly^of them will have to go to the wall?

Surely if Solomon was right in his economic maxim that the hand of the diligent maketh rich, the Chinese ought to beamong the most prosperous of the peoples of the earth. Andso they doubtless would be, if there were with them a balanceof virtues, instead of a conspicuous absence of some of thosefundamental qualities which, however they may be enumeratedas " constant virtues," are chiefly " constant " in their absence.When, by whatever means, these qualities of honesty and sincerity shall have been restored to their theoretical place in theChinese moral consciousness, then (and not sooner) will theChinese reap the full reward of their unmatched Industry.