中國傳統：把消極轉變為積極

文/龍安志（Laurence Brahm，美） 譯/李藝雯

不久前，我在《中國日報》發表專欄文章《中國必勝》，指出中國人民和中華民族已經戰勝了一個又一個危機，有足夠的資金和決心再次戰勝冠狀病毒危機。

在中國生活的40年里，我親身觀察并參與了為應對各種挑戰而作出的許多政策改革。我看到了中國人民團結合作的一貫作風，看到了政府的政策在面臨危機和挑戰時的細致把握。經驗一次又一次地告訴我，當危機發生時，中國領導人以理性、清醒的頭腦面對危機。中國人民也會很自覺地與政府的組織機構協同工作，共同應對這些危機時刻。

我生活在中國時，這種模式一直在重復出現，我相信這是植根于儒家傳統。道家和佛家的哲學影響對民族的文化心理的影響深遠，使人們能夠靈活應對危機，并在面對逆境時看到積極的希望。這種從消極中看到積極的能力，并利用這種感知將最困難的情況轉化為優勢，是中國文化植根于人民思想中根深蒂固的表現。

在繁榮時期，事情進展順利，每個人都在做自己的事情。但在危機時刻，每個人都團結在一起。這是中國文化的獨特之處，使人民可以共同反饋共同應對。這就是我們在這場令人難以置信的新冠病毒危機中所看到的情況。世界上還有哪里能夠因為政府的政策協調力而使得十億以上的人待在家里自我隔離呢？這是對前所未有的流行病作出的集體反應。世界上很少有地方是每個人都能以一種耐心的集體力量攜手抗疫。這是中國和中國人民獨有的。

在關鍵時刻，湖北省多地采取了封城措施。這不僅是對本國人民的責任，也是對國際社會的責任。我們現在都意識到這種冠狀病毒的致命威力，以及它無法解釋地在空氣中快速傳播的事實。封鎖和隔離的能力是能夠遏制任何病毒的第一步。但是，如果你想象一下，為了防止疫情在中國其他地區乃至整個世界傳播，湖北封城的規模之大令人難以置信。這是全球人道主義責任的真正行動，甚至以中國自己的經濟和社會成本作為代價。

Not too long ago, I wrote a column forChina Daily, “China Shall Overcome,” observing that the Chinese people and nation have overcome one crisis after another in the past, and have the wherewithal and determination to do this again facing the coronavirus crisis.

I have both observed and participated in many of the reforms and policies of China to overcome challenges over the four decades living here. I have seen a consistent pattern of unity and cooperation among the Chinese people, and meticulous coordination of government policies when faced with a crisis or challenge. Experience has shown me, time and again, when a crisis occurs, China’s leadership faces it with a rational clear-headedness. Something seems to kick into the subconscious of both people and they work together in synergy with the organizational institutions of government to overcome these moments of crisis.

This pattern has been re-occurring throughout my life living in China and I believe that it is an innate aspect that has roots in Confucian tradition. Philosophical influences that are both Taoist and Buddhist embedded in the national cultural psyche allow for adept flexibility in response to crisis and a vision of positive hope when faced with negative adversity. This ability to see positive through negative and to use that perception to turn even the most dif ficult situations into advantages is a deeply rooted part of Chinese culture and the Chinese people.

At times of prosperity, when things are going well, everybody is out there doing their own thing. But in those moments of crisis everybody comes together. This is unique to the Chinese culture that allows them to respond and work together. This is what we see happening during this incredible coronavirus crisis. Where on earth could you have 100 billion plus people stay at home and self-quarantine as part of a coordinated government policy? This represents a collective response to an unprecedented epidemic. There are very few places in the world where everyone can come together in a patient collective force. This is unique to China and its people.

China has cordoned and locked down Hubei province. This is an act of responsibility not only to its own people, but to the global community as well. We are all aware now of the deathly potency of this coronavirus and the unexplainable occurrence of its rapid airborne spread. The ability to lock down and isolate is the first step to be able to contain any virus.But if you imagine the scale of what is happening in Hubei province to prevent this from affecting other parts of China and the world as a whole,it is incredible. This is a true act of global humanitarian responsibility.Even at China’s own economic and social costs.

When you talk about humanitarianism this is an act in the global interest. This ability of the Chinese culture, social fabric of its people and the organizational capability of the institutions that have been established in the country that allow China to respond quickly,decisively and collectively to a crisis of unbelievable and unforeseeable proportion.

Under such circumstances where the threat of this coronavirus is a threat to anybody, we can see everybody is collectively and patiently staying at home. Self-isolation and working at home remotely, working around the dangers in order to meet this challenge. I don’t think one would see this response in any of the western countries whose politicians and mainstream media are so quick to criticize China for everything it does.This is a distinctive, collective response among people to work and bond together in order to get through this crisis together.

One of the reasons why China is able to respond so effectively is the system of macro-management that evolved to address economic reform but is now being used to address a health and humanitarian crisis. Throughout the 1980s-1990s a system evolved of state guidance of the economy, together with checks and balances to prevent economic crisis, and the ability to tighten and loosen valves to allow the market to function in free- flow, or to use administrative means to guide the market to ward more stable conditions to prevent volatility.This is in the interest of everyone collectively rather than the selfinterest of a few.

Of course this coronavirus is having a terrible impact on China’s economy. Shops are closed, movement of goods restricted. This will have implications throughout the entire chain of production, transport and supplies not only in China but globally.

We see America isolationist policies causing alienation of other nations such as China. So it is foreseeable that we could see more collaborative arrangements in Asia, not only in economic policy and business,but also in combatting disease and crisis. This may be just a natural evolution of the times we live in now.

Once we get through this stage of containment and control of the coronavirus and its spread, then China will enter a new stage of its own economic growth, a re-boot period. The same types of reforms applied to business and enterprise and economy now need to be applied to the health care sector. These are areas that now offer opportunity for more state investment and private investment and there will be a new growth era with breakthroughs In science, technology and A.I. for health care.I believe these are areas where China will lead in bringing together other countries of the region, such as India, where there are similar challenges with population concentrations, water and food security,and health care. We could see a new regional growth and economic revitalization. It is a question of using negative to create positive. That is core to Chinese philosophy and culture.

當你談論人道主義時，這是一種符合全球利益的行為。中國文化的這種能力、中國人民的社會結構以及中國已經建立的機構的組織能力，使中國能夠迅速、果斷和集體地對難以置信并且無法預見的危機作出反應。

在新冠肺炎疫情對任何人都構成威脅的情況下，我們可以看到大家都在集體、耐心地待在家里。大家都自我隔離，在家遠程工作，在危險中工作，以迎接這一挑戰。我認為在西方國家不會看到這樣的反應，然而他們的政客和主流媒體卻如此迅速地批評中國所做的一切。這是中國人民為了共同應對這場危機而共同努力、團結起來的一種獨特的集體反應。

中國之所以能夠作出如此有效的反應，原因之一是曾用于應對經濟改革的中國的宏觀管理體系現在正被用于應對衛生和人道主義危機。在20世紀80年代至90年代，中國以一種政府指導的經濟系統，來防止經濟危機。系統可采取收緊和放松的方式，保證市場的自由流通功能，也可使用行政手段來保護穩定的市場環境，以防止波動。這符合所有人的集體利益，而不是少數人的私利。

當然，此次的新冠病毒正在對中國的經濟產生著可怕的影響。商店關門，貨物流通受到限制。這將對中國乃至全球的整個生產、運輸和供應鏈條產生影響。

我們看到美國的孤立主義政策導致了其他國家的疏遠，比如中國。因此，可以預見的是，我們可以在亞洲看到更多的合作，不僅在經濟政策和商業方面，而且是在抗擊疾病和危機方面。這或許是我們現在生活的時代的自然演變。

一旦我們度過了這個遏制和控制新冠病毒及其傳播的階段，那么中國將進入一個新的經濟增長階段，一個重新啟動的時期。適用于商業、企業和經濟的改革現在需要適用于衛生保健部門。這些領域現在需要更多的國家投資和私募投資機會，我們將迎來一個在科學、技術和醫療人工智能方面取得突破的新增長時代。我相信，在這些領域，中國將發揮帶頭作用，把該地區的其他國家團結起來，例如印度，那里同樣在人口密集、水和糧食安全以及醫療保健方面面臨著類似的挑戰。我們可以看到新的區域增長和經濟振興。把消極轉變為積極，這是中國哲學和文化的核心。