《中国人的性格》是美国传教士阿瑟·史密斯（明恩溥）基于1872年赴华传教期间的社会观察撰写的著作，首版英文名《Chinese Characteristics》于19世纪末问世，。作者在华生活逾五十年，书中融合人类学视角与传教士立场，记录了晚清民众的性格特征与文化形态。
全书以27个主题章节剖析中国人行为模式，包含“保全面子”“省吃俭用”等生活哲学，以及“漠视精确”“因循守旧”等社会现象。通过对比西方工业文明，着重探讨东方特有的生存韧性，如环境适应力与疼痛耐受性。书中案例多源自山东乡村生活经历，涉及衣食住行、孝悌观念等主题，部分结论因宗教立场存在视角争议。该著作开创西方研究中国国民性先河，被译成多国文字，成为近代中西文化互鉴的重要文本。
第一章 “面子”问题
第一眼看去，把全人类都有的身体部位“脸面”，来概括中国人的性格，可能让人觉得十分荒谬。但是在中国，他们所讲的“面子”，可不仅仅指的是脑袋上朝前面的那一部分。它是一个具有特定的、多种复杂含义的名词，其内涵之丰富，比我们目前所能描述的或者所能理解的还要多。
为了大致理解“面子”的意思，哪怕是作一个不全面的理解，我们也必须指出这样一个事实，中国人是一个普遍具有爱演戏本事的民族。戏剧几乎可以说是中国唯一通行全国的娱乐活动。中国人热衷于看戏剧演出，犹如英国人爱好体育、西班牙人爱好斗牛。只要略略辨析，任何一个中国人都会有模有样地扮演起某出戏中的某个角色。他会摆出各种戏剧化的姿势，诸如鞠躬行礼、下跪叩拜、伏地不起、以头抢地。
对于一个西方人来说，这些姿态如果说看起来不是荒唐可笑的话，至少也是纯粹多余的。而中国人是用戏剧化的方式进行日常思维。当一个人要为自己辩解时，他面对两三个人的讲话，就好像是面对着千万个人。他大声地说道：“我可是当着你们的面说的，你，还有你，你们都在场。”如果他的麻烦去尽、心满意足，他会说自己是体面地“下了台”；如果没有摆平，心情糟糕，他会说自己没有脸面“下台去”。显然，所有这些状态，如果弄清楚了，你就会发现与实际毫不相干。关键不在于事实究竟如何，而完全是个形式的问题。只要把一切看做一场戏，在适当的时候，以适当的方式，说了一句漂亮话，这场戏就会赢得喝彩。我们并非要偷偷进入每一个幕后查看真相，因为那将会糟蹋世界上的所有好戏。
在中国一切复杂的生活关系中，完全依据戏剧化的样式做出行动，那就会有“面子”。如果明知对方在表演，不理会他们，小看他们，阻挠对方的展示，他们就会很“丢面子”。一旦正确理解了“面子”一词中所包含的意思，人们就会发现，“面子”这个词本身正是打开中国人最重要性格密码箱的钥匙。
应该一提的是，中国人如何做到向对方给足“面子”，其技巧和造诣远远超过了西方人的理解力。与中国人相处，西方人经常是忘记了其中戏剧的因素，而径直进入与之无关的事实领域。在西方人看来，中国人的“面子”就像是南太平洋诸岛的图腾禁忌，是一种潜在的、不可否认的力量。只是“面子”问题更加令人捉摸不透，不可简化为具体的规则，并且只是按照大家一致的感受而废止或变更。在这一点上，中国人与西方人必须承认彼此存在着巨大差异，因为他们绝不可能用同样的眼光看待同样的事情。
在调解各个村庄之间常见的那些纷争之时，“和事佬们”必须认真斟酌、推敲各方面的“面子”的平衡，这就像过去欧洲政治家考虑权力平衡一样。这样做的目的不在于贯彻客观公正的原则，而是按照适当的比例，对所有有关人等的“面子”进行分配。绝对的客观公正，对一个东方人来说，即使他们能从道理上认同这点，但实际操作起来还是认为不可能实现。同样，即使在法律的诉讼裁决中，按比例分配“面子”的事也常有发生。这使得相当大比例的法律裁决，在所谓各打五十大板的平衡中不了了之。
送人一份丰厚的礼物，算是“给面子”。但是，如果礼物纯粹是个人所送，受礼人千万不能照单全收，统统拒绝自然是很少见或者根本不可能的。一些渴望保住“面子”的事例，很能说明问题。犯了错误被揭发出来是“大失面子”的事情，所以，无论你掌握多么确凿的证据，也要为对方保住“面子”，委婉加以处置。一个网球不见了，被一位苦力拣了去，即使明证当前，他也会不客气地断然予以否认，然后，走到丢失球的地方，宣称找到了球（而球其实是从他的长袖里掉出来的），并且还说：“这是你‘丢’的球！”一位侍女把客人的小刀藏在她主人的房里，后来，她又在台布下把刀子找了出来，并且还煞有介事地宣称是她找到的。如是这般，他们的“面子”就被保住了。
一位仆人不小心丢失了主人的一件东西，他知道必须赔偿，或者被扣掉相当数目的工钱。于是，他会向主人提出辞职，并且傲气凌人地说：“用来赔偿那支银匙子的钱，我就不要了。”这样，他占得了上风，自己的“面子”便得以保全了。一个人放了一笔债，他知道他已不可能收回了，于是他便找到欠债人，当众发狠，威胁对方，以表明他知道该怎么对付你。虽然，他最终还是没有收回债款，但他保住了“面子”，并以此来保证将来不会有人再赖他的账了。一位仆人疏忽大意，或拒绝做某些分内之事，在他得知主人打算解雇他之前，他会故意再度犯错，并自己提出辞呈，以保住他的“面子”。
就算是死，也要保住“面子”，这对我们来说，似乎并没有任何吸引力。但我们听说这样一件事情，一位中国的地方官，在犯罪被朝廷斩首之前，可以享有一种特殊的恩惠，就是准许穿戴官袍用刑。其目的，也就是为了保住他的那个“面子”！
英文原版：
CHAPTER I. FACE.
AT first sight nothing can be more irrational than to callJTx. that which is shared with the whole human race a " characteristic " of the Chinese. But the word " face " does not inChina signify simply the front part of the head, but is Uterallya compound novm of multitude, with more meanings than weshall be able to describe, or perhaps to comprehend.
In order to understand, however imperfectly, what is meantby "face," we must take account of the fact that as a race theChinese have a strongly dramatic instinct. The theatre mayalmost be said to be the only national amusement, and theChinese have for theatricals a passion like that of the Englishman for athletics, or the Spaniard for bull-fights. Upon veryslight provocation, any Chinese regards himself in the light ofan actor in a drama. He throws himself into theatrical attitudes, performs the salaam, falls upon his knees, prostrates himself and strikes his head upon the earth, under circumstanceswhich to an Occidental seem to make such actions superfluous, not to say ridiculous. A Chinese thinks in theatrical terms.When roused in self-defence he addresses two orthree persons as if they were a multitude. He exclaims : " Isay this in the presence of You, and You, and You, who are allhere present." If his troubles are adjusted he speaks of himself as having " got off the stage " with credit, and if they arenot adjusted he finds no way to "retire from the stage." Allthis, be it clearly understood, has nothing to do with realities.
The question is never of facts, but always of form. If a finespeech has been dehvered at the proper time and in the properway, the requirement of the play is met. We are not to gobehind the scenes, for that would spoil all the plays in theworld. Properly to execute acts like these in all the complex Irelations of life, is to have " face." To fail of them, to ignore !them, to be thwarted in the performance of them, this is to \" lose face." Once rightly apprehended, " face " will be found_|to be in itself a key to the combination lock of many of themost important characteristics of the Chinese.
It should be added that the principles which regulate "face"and its attainment are often wholly beyond the intellectualapprehension of the Occidental, who is constantly forgettingthe theatrical element, and wandering off into the irrelevantregions of fact. To him it often seems that Chinese " face "is not unlike the South Sea Island taboo, a force of undeniablepotency, but capricious, and not reducible to rule, deserving only to be abohshed and replaced by common sense. At thispoint Chinese and Occidentals must agree to disagree, for theycan never be brought to view the same things in the same light.In the adjustment of the incessant quarrels whichdistract every hamlet, it is necessary for the "peace-talkers"to take as careful account of the balance of " face " as European statesmen once did of the balance of power. The objectin such cases is not the execution of even-handed justice,which, even if theoretically desirable, seldom occurs to anOriental as a possibility, but such an arrangement as will distribute to all concerned " face '' in due proportions. Thesame principle often obtains in the settlement of lawsuits, a \very large percentage of which end in what may be called adrawn game.
To offer a person a handsome present is to " give him face."But if the gift be from an individual it should be accepted onlyin part, but should seldom or never be altogether refused. A few examples of the thirst for keeping face will suffice for illusiration.To be accused of a fault is to " lose face," and thefact must be denied, no matter what the evidence, in orderto save face. A tennis-ball is missed, and it is more than suspected that a coolie picked it up. He indignantly denies it,but goes to the spot where the ball disappeared, and soonfinds it lying there (dropped out of his sleeve), remarking," Here is your ' lost ' ball." The waiting-woman who secretedthe penknife of a guest in her master's house afterwards discovers it under the table-cloth, and ostentatiously produces it.In each case " face " is saved. The servant who has carelessly lost an article which he knows he must replace or forfeitan equivalent from his wages, remarks loftily, as he takes hisdismissal, " The money for that silver spoon I do not want,"and thus his " face " is intact. A man has a debt owing tohim which he knows that he shall not collect ; but going tothe debtor, he raises a terrible disturbance, by which meanshe shows that he knows what ought to be done. He doesnot get the money, but he saves his " face," and thus secureshimself from imposition in the future. A servant neglects orrefuses to perform some duty. Ascertaining that his masterintends to tiun him off, he repeats his former offence, dismisseshimself, and saves his " face."
To save one's face and lose one's life would not seem tous very attractive, but we have heard of a Chinese DistrictMagistrate who, as a special favour, was allowed to be beheaded in his robes of office in order to save his face!
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