英语毕业论文之从尊卑与平权看中西方文化的道德差异.doc

从尊卑与平权看中西方
文化的道德差异

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Superiors and Inferiors, Equal Rights
——The Moral Differences Between China and the West

Contents

Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………I
Key Words…………………………………………………………………………………I
摘要………………………………………………………………………………………..II
关键词……………………………………………………………………………………..II
Introduction…………………………………………………………………………..........1
I. The Sense of Authority in Chinese Traditional Culture…………………………………2
A. Relationship Between Man and Woman………………………………………..2
1. Problem of Man and Woman in Society……………………………..........2
2. Problem of Man and Woman in Family………………………………......3
B. Relationship Between Parents and Children……….……………………………......3
1. Violence in Children’s Education...………………………………………….......3
2. Autocratical Treat on Children……………………………………………4
3. Accommodating and Spoiling on Children………………………………………4
C. Relationship between Teachers and Students……………………………….......... 5
1. Punishment…………………………………………………………………5
2. Be Obedient……………………………………………………………………5
II. The Sense of Equal Rights in the Western Culture………………………………....6
A. Relationship between Man and Woman…………………………………….6
1. History………………………………………………………………………….7
2. Achievements of Feminist Movement………………………………………8
B. Relationship between Parents and Children…………………………8
C. Relationship between Teachers and Students………………………………..9
III. The Awkward Position of the Young Generation in China………………………..9
A. Conflicts between Man and Woman……………………………………………….9
B. Conflicts between Parents and Children…………………………....10
C. Conflicts between Teachers and Students………………………………….11
1. Gap between Reality and Ideal on Teaching…………………12
2. Conflicts Caused by Hierarchy……………………………………………..13
3. Distance between Teachers and Students on Sense and Attitude…….13
Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………15
Acknowledgements……………………………………………………………………17
Bibliography………………………………………………………………………….18

Abstract

The moral sense of authority in Chinese traditional culture has always influenced people’s thought and life. Although the slogan of democracy and equality has been put forward for a long time, in today’s real life, the conflicts between the traditional sense of authority and the sense of equal rights in western countries make young generation fall into the awkward position. The phenomenon of superior and inferior still exists in the relationship between man and woman, parents and children, teachers and students. However young generation is being affected by the sense of equal rights of the west, it provides some developing clues for their future. The differences of the sense between China and the west left them enough space to think.
This essay compares the moral differences of China and western countries; its purpose is not to solve problems but to find the reasons for the differences. The author hopes that in the near future people can really find some effective methods to solve this problem, and hopes that everyone could enjoy equal rights and the society can become more harmonious.

Key Words

Superiors and inferiors; equal rights; moral sense; differences

摘　要

中国传统文化中权威制的道德观念一直影响着人们的思想和生活。尽管民主与平等的口号提出已久，但在今天的现实生活中，传统的权威观念与西方平权观念的冲突使年轻一代陷于尴尬的处境。男女之间，父母和子女间以及师生之间的尊卑现象依然存在，但西方的平权观念影响着青年一代，为他们的未来提供了发展线索。中西方的这种观念差异给他们留下了足够的思考空间。
本文将中西方道德差异进行了比较，但其目的不是为了解决问题，而是为了找到形成差异的原因。笔者希望在不久的将来人们能找到解决问题的有效办法，希望人们能享有平等，社会更加和谐。

关键词

尊卑； 平权； 道德观念；差异

Introduction

There are many cultural differences between China and the west. One of the differences is the problem of morality. The doctrine of Confucius and Mencius represents the traditional morals of China. Male superiority, Three Main Principles and the dignity of the teaching profession are all the ideologies of the doctrine. However, the sense of equal rights, democracy, liberty is always advocated by western countries. These new senses have gradually entered into China as the development of society. Thus it is unavoidable that two different kinds of senses conflict with each other. And these conflicts of morals between China and the west make young generation fall into some difficult positions.
The article will elaborate the question from two major aspects. The first aspect is the sense of authority in Chinese traditional culture; the second aspect is the sense of equal rights in western culture, and this article will be carried on from three angles separately: the sexual relations, the relations between parents and children as well as the relations between teachers and students. At present there is not too much research on the topic of superiors and inferiors and equal rights at home and abroad, and the research which could be used is quite scattered, therefore the methods of contrasting and giving examples will be adopted to simplify the proof process, and enable everybody to have a clear train of thought.
Although China and the west respectively have its fit and unfit quality in the two aspects of high and low and equal, the article puts its emphasis on the different performances of Chinese high and low idea in the social life and carries on the description of the thought of equal in the west as one side. Through two different ideas and their performances, people will know that there are some problems in Chinese traditional morals and the reasons for the moral differences. This paper will help Chinese people understand the difficult positions of morals and make them obtain some enlightenment.

I. The Sense of Authority in Chinese Traditional Culture

The Chinese traditional morals produced in the pre-Qin period, in the long process of history of several thousand years, it is affecting people’s thought and life throughout. The authority makes the idea also seep along with it to society’s aspects. Confucianism as the representative Confucian thought is precisely the root in which this idea can exist and develop. The treatment of women as inferiors, the precedence maintained between seniors and juniors and the teacher said the dignity are all the main performances of this idea. Regardless of any type of authorities, its characteristics could be summarized as observing custom strictly, obey the authority without criticize, trust destiny and so on. Because of the restraint of authority, many inferior phenomena appeared in the relations between human and human.

A. Relationship Between Man and Woman
In the traditional sexual relations, treatment of women as inferiors conforms to the moral standard, otherwise dose not regard as the morals. In social life, the role assignment of the social positions between man and woman can most manifest the thought of women as inferiors. But in the family life, as a result of Chinese several millennium of feudalism, the right not to be equal still exists between the husbands and wives. People should see that the legal equality of the sexes is not equal to the actual equality. The high and low idea still restricts society’s development.

1. Problem of Man and Woman in Society
In traditional China, the treatment of women as inferiors is continuously considered as “perfectly justified”, not only the male so affirmed, the female also think so. “Three obediences” stipulated: obedience to father before marriage, to husband after marriage, and to son after husband’s death. The female is only man’s accessories, they do not have the independent personality, also do not have the independent social position. The female has not enjoyed similar right in many aspects with the male, for instance accepts the education, the social participation, economy and property and so on.

In all these problems of role assignment, the female are all bow under the male. The equal rights between male and female in that society have not obtained realization in the true sense.

2. Problem of Man and Woman in Family
1). Mercenary marriage
This kind of marriage existed in the ancient China. And now in some rural areas of China, it still prevails. In fact, women are just like goods in the mercenary marriage. They have no freedom, no independence, and they have to obey. They are looked down upon even by their husbands. The relationship between man and woman in mercenary marriage is actually unequal. Women don’t get their proper rights and respect.
2). Violence in the family
Family violence is not a strange topic. Maybe it just exists not far away. The reason of this phenomenon is various. Some husbands use violence to their wives because they have bad temper, some regard their wives as something for them to let off, and some make mistakes intentionally… No matter what kind of reason it is, use violence is absolutely wrong. Basically speaking, these husbands haven’t formed the sense of respect in their mind. They usually think that they are superior and women are inferior.

B. Relationship Between Parents and Their Children
There are no parents who don’t love their children in this world. Parents have the responsibility to guardianship and teach their children, from this point of view, parents are the major force or we say, they own the guiding status in the family. But guiding doesn’t equal to autocracy, guiding can make a family happy and harmonious; however autocracy will just broken the relationship among the family members.

1. Violence in Children’s Education
In traditional China, this kind of way of disciplining children covers a certain part of market. Many parents regard their children as their private property, they have the rights to correct them, and so in their mind, beat and abuse children are just regarded as strict education. In fact, use violence to educate children will not only lead to heavy hurt to the children on body and mind, but also will violate the law, this action infringe upon the rights of children.
One eight-year-old child in Shenyang was beaten to death by his father; such a young life came to an end. In Wuhan, a child was hung on the roof beam by his father, he also lost his life. And another kid who was only 7, although he didn’t lose his life, there were more than 20 scars on his legs, arms and so on. These scars were ironed by his father. When the three fathers were asked why they were so angry, they all said that their kids didn’t like studying, or they didn’t listen to them.

2. Autocratical Treat on Children
In real life, autocratic phenomenon emerges in an endless stream.
The first kind of phenomenon is parents often arrange too much things for children to do. One mother once had such experience: when her daughter was 4 years old, she bought a piano for the little girl and employed a teacher to teach her. She didn’t know what her daughter really like is singing and dancing. Her action just add detest of her daughter. One day, when she brought her daughter to cross the road, a car came near to them, surprisingly, the daughter said: “little car, please come quickly, run over and kill my mum.” When she asked her daughter why she hoped mum to die, little girl said naively: “I will not practice piano any more!” This is just a common example in the daily life, parents often arrange their children to study English, to do drawing, to learn calligraphy and so on. These autocratic actions are not suitable.
The second kind is to order children. In the traditional education of China, parents’ authority is unshakable. Children must absolutely obey their parents, even if their parents are wrong. This “rule” still exists in many Chinese families. Many parents used to say “you must do it like this” when they are teaching their children. Sometimes they use command to ask their son or daughter to turn off the TV set, to finish homework, to go to bed or something like that. They think that teach children like this is the most easily way. But subject children to discipline can not be easily understood as giving order to them. If it is the situation, then the set membership is also unequal.

3. Accommodating and Spoiling on Children
Although this type can not manifest the unequal relationship between parents and children simply and clearly, it is definitely one expression of superiority and inferiority in the family. In many times, people often neglect the unequal phenomenon in this type.
Nowadays, there is a phenomenon that it is children manage parents instead of parents manage children in the family; it is the reason that people’s sense of value has been changed as the development of the society. In more and more modern families, there is only one child compared with more than one elder. So accommodate to children and spoil them is so common and popular.
The only child is often called “little emperor”, “little sun” and so on. No matter what the only child asks for, parents and grandparents will try their best to fulfill him or her. Patriarchs are not willing to let their “little sun” to do housework. They wash and cook for the child, give the child a lot of pocket money... they are perfectly happy to be the “slave” of the only child. So it is easy to see that this relationship is also unequal, adults have reversed their identities unconsciously. And it is also easy to imagine the consequences which are caused by patriarch themselves who spoil their children and think it is the way to express their love.

C. Relationship Between Teachers and Students
Equality is the core of democracy, and the opposite side of democracy is autocracy, so it is necessary for us to know the autocratic phenomenon in education. If someone is not familiar with superiority and inferiority, then the discussion can be carried on from autocracy which people know it very well.

1. Punishment
Many teachers have the habit to punish students. Sometimes they beat them, sometimes they ask them to go out of class or to stand in the back of the class, sometimes students are punished to do some cleaning or do homework which is several times of other students’
But every time after teacher punished students, people will usually condemn teachers, they hope that teachers who punished students should also be punished by law. Why not think over this problem from another angle? It means that students should protect their own rights but not so cowardly. It is the reason that the relationship of them is extremely unequal that lead to the coward of students.

2. Be Obedient
The education of being obedient aims at teaching students to listen to the teachers’. The result of this education is that there are more and more docile students.
The teacher’s autocracy and authority make students believe that teacher is always right. An incorrect question was asked to Chinese students, surprisingly, 90% of them could answer it, only 10% of the students thought it was absurd. But when the same question was asked in the class in France, 90% of French students express their objections, and some of them even lau