the soul of the far east(远东的灵魂)-第12章
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material。 The real reason why so much distinguished consideration is
shown the article in question lies in the fact that it is treated as existing
with reference to the person addressed； and therefore becomes ipso facto
august。
Here is a still subtler example。 You are； we will suppose； at a tea…
house； and you wish for sugar。 The following almost stereotyped
conversation is pretty sure to take place。 I translate it literally； simply
prefacing that every tea…house girl； usually in the first blush of youth； is
generically addressed as 〃elder sister；〃 another honorific； at least so
considered in Japan。
You clap your hands。 （Enter tea…house maiden。）
You。 Hai； elder sister； augustly exists there sugar？
The T。 H。 M。 The honorable sugar； augustly is it？
You。 So； augustly。
The T。 H。 M。 He （indescribable expression of assent）。 （Exit tea…
house maiden to fetch the sugar。）
Now； the 〃augustlies〃 go almost without saying； but why is the sugar
honorable？ Simply because it is eventually going to be offered to you。
But she would have spoken of it by precisely the same respectful title； if
she had been obliged to inform you that there was none； in which case it
never could have become yours。 Such is politeness。 We may note； in
passing； that all her remarks and all yours； barring your initial question；
meant absolutely nothing。 She understood you perfectly from the first； and
you knew she did； but then； if all of us were to say only what were
necessary； the delightful art of conversation would soon be nothing but a
science。
The average Far Oriental； indeed； talks as much to no purpose as his
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Western cousin； only in his chit…chat politeness replaces personalities。
With him； self is suppressed； and an ever…present regard for others is
substituted in its stead。
A lack of personality is； as we have seen； the occasion of this courtesy；
it is also its cause。
That politeness should be one of the most marked results of
impersonality may appear surprising； yet a slight examination will show it
to be a fact。 Looked at a posteriori； we find that where the one trait exists
the other is most developed； while an absence of the second seems to
prevent the full growth of the first。 This is true both in general and in
detail。 Courtesy increases； as we travel eastward round the world；
coincidently with a decrease in the sense of self。 Asia is more courteous
than Europe； Europe than America。 Particular races show the same
concomitance of characteristics。 France； the most impersonal nation of
Europe； is at the same time the most polite。
Considered a priori； the connection between the two is not far to seek。
Impersonality； by lessening the interest in one's self； induces one to take an
interest in others。 Introspection tends to make of man a solitary animal；
the absence of it a social one。 The more impersonal the people； the more
will the community supplant the individual in the popular estimation。
The type becomes the interesting thing to man； as it always is to nature。
Then； as the social desires develop； politeness； being the means to their
enjoyment； develops also。
A second omission in Japanese etymology is that of gender。 That
words should be credited with sex is a verbal anthropomorphism that
would seem to a Japanese exquisitely grotesque； if so be that it did not
strike him as actually immodest。 For the absence of gender is simply
symptomatic of a much more vital failing； a disregard of sex。 Originally；
as their language bears witness； the Japanese showed a childish reluctance
to recognizing sex at all。 Usually a single sexless term was held
sufficient for a given species； and did duty collectively for both sexes。
Only where a consideration of sex thrust itself upon them； beyond the
possibility of evasion； did they employ for the male and the female
distinctive expressions。 The more intimate the relation of the object to
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The Soul of the Far East
man； the more imperative the discriminating name。 Hence human beings
possessed a fair number of such special appellatives； for a man is a
palpably different sort of person from his grandmother； and a mother…in…
law from a wife。 But it is noteworthy that the artificial affinities of
society were as carefully differentiated as the distinctions due to sex； while
ancestral relationships were deemed more important than either。
Animals； though treated individually most humanely； are vouchsafed
but scant recognition on the score of sex。 With them； both sexes share
one common name； and commonly； indeed； this answers quite well
enough。 In those few instances where sex enters into the question in a
manner not to be ignored； particles denoting 〃male〃 or 〃female〃 are
prefixed to the general term。 How comparatively rare is the need of such
specification can be seen from the way in which； with us； in many species；
the name of one sex alone does duty indifferently for both。 That of the
male is the one usually selected； as in the case of the dog or horse。 If；
however； it be the female with which man has most to do； she is allowed
to bestow her name upon her male partner。 Examples of the latter
description occur in the use of 〃cows〃 for 〃cattle；〃 and 〃hens〃 for 〃fowls。〃
A Japanese can say only 〃fowl；〃 defined； if absolutely necessary； as 〃he…
fowl〃 or 〃she…fowl。〃
Now such a slighting of one of the most potent springs of human
action； sex； with all that the idea involves； is not due to a pronounced
misogynism on the part of these people； but to a much more effective
neglect； a great underlying impersonality。 Indifference to woman is but
included in a much more general indifference to mankind。 The fact
becomes all the more evident when we descend from sex to gender。 That
Father Ocean does not； in their verbal imagery； embrace Mother Earth；
with that subtle suggestion of humanity which in Aryan speech the gender
of the nouns hints without expressing； is not due to any lack of poesy in
the Far Oriental speaker； but to the essential impersonality of his mind；
embodied now in the very character of the words he uses。 A Japanese
noun is a crystallized concept； handed down unchanged from the
childhood of the Japanese race。 So primitive a conception does it
represent that it is neither a total nor a partial symbol； but rather the
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outcome of a first vague generality。 The word 〃man；〃 for instance；
means to them not one man； still less mankind； but that indefinite idea
which struggles for embodiment in the utterance of the infant。 It represents
not a person； but a thing； a material fact quite innocent of gender。 This
early state of semi…consciousness the Japanese never outgrew。 The world
continued to present itself to their minds as a collection of things。 Nor
did their subsequent Chinese education change their view。 Buddhism
simply infused all things with the one universal spirit。
As to inanimate objects； the idea of supposing sex where there is not
even life is altogether too fanciful a notion for the Far Eastern mind。
Impersonality first fashioned the nouns； and then the nouns； by their
very impersonality； helped keep impersonal the thought and fettered fancy。
All those temptings to poesy which to the Aryan imagination lie latent in
the sex with which his forefathers humanized their words； never stir the
Tartar nor the Chinese soul。 They feel the poetry of nature as much as；
indeed much more than； we； but it is a poetry unassociated with man。
And this； too； curiously enough； in spite of the fact that to explain the
cosmos the Chinamen invented； or perhaps only adapted； a singularly
sexual philosophy。 For possibly； like some other portions of their
intellectual wealth； they stole it from India。 The Chinese conception of
the origin of the world is based on the idea of sex。 According to their
notions the earth was begotten。 It is true that with them the cosmos
started in an abstract something； which self…produced two great principles；
but this pair once obtained； matters proceeded after the analogy of
mankind。 The two principles at work were themselves abstract enough to
have satisfied the most unimpassioned of philosophers。 They were
simply a positive essence and a negative one； correlated to sunshine and
shadow； but also correlated to male and female forces。 Through their
mutual action were born the earth and the air and the water； from these； in
turn； was begotten man。 The cosmical modus operandi was not creative
nor evolutionary； but sexual。 The whole scheme suggests an attempt to
wed abstract philosophy with primitive concrete mythology。
The same sexuality distinguishes the Japanese demonology。
