《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。
第十八章 知足常乐
我们已经看到，中国人在忍受任何痛苦方面惊人的、不可思议的能力。在大多数情况下，这种能力对我们而言或许可称为一种无法理解的心理矛盾：明明是身陷毫无希望的境地，他们也似乎没有表现出一种失望。或者更确切地说，他们似乎在做毫无胜算的抗争，并且常常是和唯一的一线希望作斗争。而据我们所观察，在中国民族中间，我们并没有看到十九世纪末叶其他大多数民族都有的一种烦躁焦虑的特性。他们似乎并不期待去计划什么最终能给他们带来“一个美好时代的到来”，他们甚至从不认为会有这样的时代出现。
但是，“忍耐”和“坚韧”这两个概念，根本无法涵盖中国人在这一方面的全部美德。我们还必须注意到他们往往能在逆境中保持心灵的安宁和长期的精神愉快，我们把这种持续性的好心情称之为“常乐”。我们的主要目的是呼吁人们对这种美德加以注意，当然，我们也可能会顺便提一提某些值得思考的问题，以帮助大家对这种美德的理解。
我们说中国人“知足”，并不意味着每一个中国人都只是满足于已经获得的，以至于他们对改善自己的状况到了毫不感兴趣的地步。正如我们在谈论中国人的保守时已经讨论过他们的知足，在对他们的政治体制进行考察时，这点最能表现出来。他们从来也没想过要改变那种政体。这就是大多中国人的心态，对此，我们毫无疑问。就一般的意义而言，被称为“保守”的这一概念，并非为中国人所独有，所有的民族都有这种现象，不过中国人比我们所知的民族更为典型。
显而易见，中国人的保守观念充满着整个社会，世代流传，有力地压制了人们对于命运的既定安排表示不满的行为。他们自然会感受到各种不幸，但他们却认为这是命中注定的。固守这种观点的人，是不可能会努力去推翻既定的秩序。原因很简单，因为他们所承受的压力太过于沉重了。
没有一个国家像中国这样，知识界实际上更像是思想和行动的领导者。但是，中国的知识阶级却极力说服中国人去坚信这点：对于中国和中国人来说，现存的体制是最好的体制。中国最漫长的历史所提供了丰富多彩的经验，可供他们旁征博引，一堂又一堂生动、直观的教学课程来告诫中国人，对他们的体制尝试进行任何的改良都是徒劳的。他们这种顽固不化的经验慢慢积累起来，生长出顽固的保守主义。
人们还没有完全能够意识到这点，中国人是一个相信宿命论的民族。在中国古代的经典中，有大量有关“天命”的说法。百姓之间也经常说到所谓“天意”。这种表达方式与我们时常所说的“上帝无所不能”极其相似。但这两者在基本思想上还是有着根本性的区别的：对我们而言，“上帝”就是意味着一个观念中完全拥有并创造万物、能给我们带来关照和预见的造物主；而对中国人而言，“天”实际上是一个非常实际的概念，却又非常模糊，不指向任何人格化的事物，而且还是完全说不清的东西。但对他们而言，无论“上天”实际指对什么，其实就是命运。对中国人来说，所谓的“好命”、“歹命”，其意思类似于儿童故事书中的“好神”与“坏神”。依据这些神秘的魔力，什么事情就可能做不成功，或者就能一举成功。
中国人的占卜、巫术、算命，有着一整套复杂的理论与实践，是依据各种力量的显现和在相互作用的基础上而产生的。数量惊人的中国人，正是依据这种普遍实用理论来谋生，总数超出任何一种大胆的估算。尽管在中华帝国的不同地区，这种迷信对人们日常生活的影响在实际程度上有很大的相同，但在每一个地方，它们却总是真实地存在于人们的精神世界之中。
中国人，无论是男人或是女人，都总爱说：“这就是我的命。”这种话再常见不过了。尤其是那些运气不佳的人更是这样。这样一种相信命运的信念，必然地导致人们走向失望，乃至绝望。而人们，尤其是中国人，也同时被赋予了某种获救的希望，能像病人一样等待着最后的解脱，等待着命运的再度垂青。也许，中国人并不像土耳其人那样是坚定的宿命论者。或许，中国人的所谓的“命”不同于土耳其人的“真主之意”。但是，一个民族如果像中国人那样坚信命运的存在，相信宿命是不可违抗的，那么在面对他们认为不可改变的那些事物时，就肯定不会为改变自己的命运而坚决抗争。
希腊人有一个令人尊敬的发现，历史就是一种以事实教人的哲学。正如我们刚刚所论及的，中国人自己的历史就一直是他们自己的老师。他们从历史中汲取了无数的教训，就形成他们这样一种保守的性格。但是，没有一个民族能仅靠着自己的历史分析来获得全面的教育，就像一个人仅仅知道他自己的事情，完全不能说他什么都懂。正是在这一点上，中国人的现有知识有着致命的缺陷。对于世界现代历史中我们熟知的“文艺复兴”、“宗教改革”、“美洲大发现”、“现代科学”等这样一些伟大事件，他们一概不知。这些事件使得各民族间的联系比任何之前的时代都要紧密，人权的观念也在慢慢得到发展，然而，作为一个民族的中国却完全不受影响。
对于那些依然顽固地全身心生活在既往灭亡王朝时代的人们而言，人们生活条件的改善并不是一个很现实的问题。政治经济学中那些伟大法则的运用，给国家的各个部门都带来好处。可这对于那些守旧的中国人来说，是完全没有任何吸引力的。他们对政治经济学的了解，并不比我们在十字军时代的祖先更多。即便是他们能有所了解，也不会在意。
人们改善生活条件的首要动力是来自于知晓别的国家更优越。中华民族的广大民众却对外面世界中更好的生活条件知之甚少，因为他们对其他国家和地区是一无所知。另一方面，他们当中那些对其他国家略有所知的，甚至可以知道的更多的人，却为保守所束缚。除非能够大规模组织改良变法，否则没有什么能够真正造福民众。可是在中国，那些能够推广广大改良的人士当中，没有一个人愿意去做这类的事情。这显然无法令民众感到满意，可惜这种不满意还没有能够得以表露，就被压制了下去。这样一来，从社会的角度来看，中国人的知足是与进步相对立，会阻碍进步。
我们已经讨论过这个事实，即中国人的经验使得他们反对对现有的生活进行任何的改良。对于一位在其他国家生活过的外国人来说，为了减少中国人所遭受的诸多苦难，一个简单又绝对必要的办法是移居国外。我们会自然而然的认为，这个办法是中国人最容易采纳的，而且成功的把握性也最大。但是中国人永远不会采纳这个办法，因为这样一来，他们就要离开祖祖辈辈生活过的老屋，离开埋葬祖先的坟地。根据儒家学说，他们理应坚守故土的。总的来说，除非被逼无奈，中国人是不愿背井离乡，去异乡谋生的。中国人的生活理想是：扎根于故土，叶落而归根。
总得来说，中国人没有一个离家之后不准备回去的。他们所希望的永远是衣锦还乡，叶落而归根，最终葬入祖坟。“渴望在后代脚下的土中化为尘埃。”只要这种命中注定的渴望一直在继续，中国人是不会改变其原则性的情感。那么，他们永远就不会采取这种能有效减缓他们痛苦程度的方式——移民。我们相信，目前，中国大众生活条件想要真正改善是几乎不可能的。他们也不会做任何的族群迁徙，除非要让他们相信那是“命之所使”。纵然有许多能引起愤懑的原因，但一种集体的无意识却一直在阻止这种愤懑的发泄。
但是，由于我们西方人并不具备中国人这种容易满足的才能，所以我们对中国人的论述因此一直还没有切入肯綮。看来是这样子的，中国人养成知足常乐的性格，就好比鱼儿长出鳍来以适应在水中游动，鸟儿长出翅膀来是为了在天空中飞翔。中国人勤劳、低调，遵守社会规则，这些都是他们所谓的“禀赋”。他们还有着无可比拟的耐性，以及无可比拟的承受痛苦的毅力，因为他们坚信那些痛苦是他们无能为力的。
中国人是常乐的，因为他们神经系统不用说，消化能力赶得上鸵鸟。由于这些以及其他林林总总我们不能说清楚的原因，中国人是不会白费力气拿脑袋撞石头墙的。他们知道那些石头墙是难以撼动的，他们对大多数自认为无能为力的事情表示遵从，也没有任何动怒的怨怼。他们按照一句老话来活着：“治不了病，由它去吧。”简而言之，中国人懂得如何拥有，如何追求，更为重要的是不管拥有与否，他们更懂得知足常乐。
对于中国人的“常乐”，我们必须视为一种民族特性，与他们精神上的“知足”有着密切的联系。他们所获得的幸福总是能令他们喜出望外，但是与我们不同，他们总是尽量地自得其乐，过分讲究的毛病在普通的中国人身上很少见。他们大多数是模范的宾客。不管在什么地方，无论是吃饭或是吃其他什么，他们都觉得够满意的了。甚至即使是为数众多的缺穿少吃的人，也能用一种令我们吃惊的方式，始终保持着精神上的悠然自得。
中国人的常乐，表现在对社交的热衷，这可与盎格鲁撒克逊人喜欢忧郁孤傲地独处形成鲜明的对照。中国人的主要娱乐方式之一，似乎就是与人聊天，无论是老朋友还是陌生人，都没有什么太大的区别。毫无疑问，中国人所遭受的许多痛苦，可以通过人际交往而大为缓解。
值得一提的是，许多的中国人喜欢在他们简陋的环境中种树养花加以点缀，此举并能成为一种非常开心的爱好。有这样一句含义很难以表达清楚的说法：“我们的东西并不多，但尽可能地做到了物尽其用。”
关于我们的中国仆人，虽然我们已经公允地做出了许多批评，但平心而论，他们经常克服种种不便，任劳任怨，花上了很多时间为许多人做额外的工作，不仅没有什么怨言，而且经常意识不到有什么可以抱怨的，这的确又是难能可贵的。
一个中国的仆人，若是习惯于叫命苦，就会常常受到同伴的嘲笑，有时还会成为一个笑柄和话题中人。在前面的章节中，我们已经说过中国人不知疲倦地辛勤劳作。但值得注意的是，那些纺线的人不仅能一直纺到半夜，为了节省一点油钱而在黑暗中劳作，可在他们嘴里却听不到任何诉苦的话。他们起早贪黑，并视之为理所当然。像苦力、纤夫和独轮车夫之类，他们的劳动最为辛苦，然而，他们从不抱怨这个世界分配不公平，而且他们还常常放弃休息的机会依然精神抖擞地干活，一顿粗茶淡饭也能使他们感到心满意足。那些有眼力的旅行者，经常提请人们注意中国劳工的这种非常突出的特点。
谢立山先生在《华西三年纪实》中谈及扬子江上游所看到的情景说道：“纤夫也值得关注。除了一位乐师和一位潜水工之外，他们几乎清一色都是心灵手巧的小伙子；他们总是随时随地愿意在岸上奔忙，他们吃饭的时间从不超过一刻钟，并且从来不闹脾气。”里德先生在《长江三峡之行》中也提供了相似的证据：“我们的五名纤夫手脚并用，紧紧攥住纤绳，踏着凹凸不平的岩石，一寸一寸地拉着船逆流而上。我不能不高度赞美这些贫苦劳动者的顽强和耐力，他们拉上两个月才能挣得两美元，每天三餐只是粗糙的米饭，配上一点炒白菜。他们就是靠这些食物支撑着，每天从早到晚，使尽力气干苦活。”
笔者认识一位受雇于外国人的车夫，他经常是推着沉重的独轮车，路程长达数月之久。在这些个旅程中，不论季节，不论天气，每一天，他都必须很早起身，走到很晚，推着沉重的货物翻山越岭。他要赤脚渡过冰冷的河水，每到一处旅馆，还要负责为雇主准备好食宿。干了所有这些艰苦的活，也只能换来一份并不丰厚的报酬，而他却没有任何怨言。干了几年的活，他的主人后来证明说，他从来没见过这个仆人发脾气！看了这些文章陈述的每位读者，是不是都可以在对细节推敲之后得出同样真实的判断呢？
也许在生病的时候，中国人最能表现出他们乐观的天性。通常来说，他们都带有最为乐观的态度对待一切，无论别人生病还是自己生病，他们都希望人人对境况保持乐观。即使对于身体虚弱、极度的病痛，他们也常常没有放弃那种充满希望的乐观。我们知道，许多中国病人的故事，他们身患严重疾病，往往又极度贫穷，也无法得到充足的营养，身在他乡，甚至还可能遭到亲戚的冷遇或抛弃，他们的未来几乎看不到一线希望。但是，他们仍然一直保持快乐、镇定的态度。而在相似的情况下，盎格鲁撒克逊人性格中一定会表现出那种烦躁不安的情绪。
我们相信，具有这种快乐性格的中国人决不在少数。每个在中国稍有见识的外国人，都会遇见这样的人。我们需要再一次重申的是，如果历史所告诉的“适者生存”是真实可信的，那么中国民族就必将有一个非常美好的未来。
英文原版：
XVIII. CONTENT AND CHEERFULNESS
WE have already seen that the capacity of the Chinese to the ills they have, is a wonderful, and to us in bear most "cases an incomprehensible talent, which has well been called a psychological paradox. Notwithstanding their apparently hopeless condition, they do not appear to lose hope, or rather, they seem to struggle on without it and often against it. We do not perceive among them that restlessness which characterises the people of most other nations, especially towards the close of the nineteenth century. They do not cherish plans which seem to them to lead ultimately to " a good time coming," and they do not appear to suppose that there is any such time to be expected.
But the terms "patience" and "perseverance" by no means cover the whole field of the Chinese virtues in this direction. We must also take account of their quietness of mind in conditions often very unfavourable to it, and of that chronic state of good spirits which we designate by the term "cheerfulness."
By the term "contentedness" we do not mean to imply that any individual in China is satisfied with what he possesses in such a way and to such a degree that he does not wish to better his condition. The contentedness of the Chinese, as we have seen in speaking of their conservatism, is most conspicuously seen when we consider the system under which they live. That system they do not wish to change. That this is the temper of the great mass of the Chinese, we have no doubt whatever. It is a mode of viewing the phenomena of life which we designate by the general name " conservative," and of this the Chinese are as conspicuous examples as any people of whom we have any record. It must be evident that such conceptions of Chinese society, permeating the whole mass of the people and inherited from distant ages, powerfully tend to repress any practical exhibitions of discontent with the allotments of fortune. Evils of course they feel, but these are considered to be inevitable. Persons who seriously and uniformly take this view are not the ones who are likely to endeavour to upset the established order of things simply because the pressure upon themselves is severe.
In no country is the educated class more really a leader of thought and action than in China. But the educated class is firmly persuaded that for China and the Chinese the present system is the best obtainable. That system they do not wish to change. Their vast and varied experience in the long reach of Chinese history has taught them by convincing object-lessons that solid, practical improvements in their system are not to be got for trying. Their adamantine conservatism is the slow outgrowth of this experience.
Without being fully aware of the fact, the Chinese are a nation of fatalists. There is a great deal in the Classics about "the decreegof heaven." There is a great deal in popular speech about " heaven's will." Expressions of this sort often bear a close analogy to the manner in which we speak of Providence. But there is this radical distinction in the underlying thought : to us " Providence " signifies the care and forethought of a Being who is in distinct relations to all creatures that on earth do dwell, all of whom are included in His thought and forethought ; to the Chinese, whose practical conception of "heaven" is an altogether impersonal one and utterly vague, whatever the mode of expression, the practical aspect of the matter is simply that of fate. " Good fate " and " bad fate " are phrases which have to the Chinese a meaning similar to that conveyed by the expressions in children's story-books, " good fairy " and " bad fairy."
By means of these mysterious agencies anything whatever can be done, anything whatever can be undone. The whole complicated theory and practice of Chinese geomancy, necromancy, and fortune-telling, are based upon the play and interplay of forces which are visibly expressed by means of straight lines. The number of Chinese who make a living out of these theories of the universe practically applied, is past all estimation. While the extent to which such superstitions influence the daily life of the people varies greatly in different parts of the Empire, they are everywhere real and living factors in the minds of the masses. Nothing is more common than to hear an especially unfortunate Chinese man or woman remark, " It is my fate." The natural outcome of such a creed would be to cause despair, or if the hopefulness with which mankind, and especially the Chinese, are mercifully endowed come to the rescue, to urge them to a patient biding till their time shall come. Perhaps the Chinese are not as consistent fatalists as the Turks, and perhaps the " fate " of the Chinese is not identical with " Kismet " ; but it is evident that a people so persuaded of the existence of fate as are the Chinese, must be indisposed for violent struggles against what they believe to be, in the nature of things, unavoidable.
It is a venerable observation of the Greeks that history is philosophy teaching by examples. As we have just seen, their own history has been the teacher of the Chinese, and the lessons which they have drawn are all of a conservative character. But no nation is educated by simply knowing its own history. Of those great episodes in modern history which we denote by the expressions the Renaissance, the Reformation, the discovery of America, and the birth of modern science, the Chinese know nothing. By those influences which brought nations into a more intimate contact than ever before, and which have slowly developed a conception of the rights of man, the Chinese as a people have been totally unaffected.
The improvement of the condition of the people is not a living issue to those who exist and have all their being in the extinct dynasties of the past. The application of political economy to the advantage of all departments of the state, has no attractions to those who know no more of it than our ancestors at the time of the crusades. The first impulse to improvement comes from seeing the superior condition of others. The vast mass of the Chinese people do not see any evidence of such a better condition elsewhere, because they know nothing whatever about other countries. Those, on the other hand, who do know something of such countries, and who might know much more, are chained by fetters of conservatism. Nothing really beneficial to the masses can be done upon a large scale, and no body of persons in China capable of working upon a large scale wishes anything done in these lines. Thus, viewed from the standpoint of contentedness, this trait is the antithesis of progress, and interdicts it.
We have already spoken of the fact that Chinese experience is against the practicability of any amelioration of the condition of the people by means which are at hand. To the foreigner, the simple, obvious remedy for widespread hardship is emigration. This we know from induction to be effective, but generally speaking, no Chinese will leave his home unless forced to do so. His ideal is to be " Fixed like a plant on his peculiar spot, To draw nutrition, propagate, and rot." Generally speaking, no Chinese leaves his home not intending to return. His hope is always to come back rich, to die and be buried where his ancestors are buried. As long as this mindset prevails, large-scale relocation is impossible, and local hardship cannot be easily escaped. An unconscious recognition of this reality checks most expressions of discontent.
But what we have thus far said fails to reach the root of the matter. The Chinese are inherently disposed to be content. They are endowed with a talent for industry, love of peace, and respect for social order. They possess matchless patience and endurance under misfortune. As a rule, they have a happy temperament, no sensitive nerves, and strong digestive power. Instead of futilely struggling against unchangeable hardships, they simply endure. A Chinese knows how to thrive in plenty, and how to survive in want, and can be content in either state.
The cheerfulness of the Chinese is closely linked to this contentment. They have few unreasonable demands. Even the poorly clothed and underfed retain calm spirits. They are naturally sociable, fond of chatting with friends or strangers alike, and this simple pleasure lightens many hardships. Many humble households grow plants and flowers, making the most of their limited surroundings.
Chinese servants often endure extra labour and hardship without complaint. Those who grumble at their lot are mocked by others. Hard-working labourers rise early and toil late, yet remain good-humoured even on meagre meals. Multiple travellers who have lived and worked in China have left sincere testimony to this trait.
Mr. Hosie, writing of the upper Yang-tze, noted that boat trackers were lithe, willing workers who ate simply and never lost their tempers. Mr. Archibald Little described trackers crawling over jagged rocks for meagre wages and plain food, yet persevering bravely. The writer knew a labourer who pushed heavy carts over rugged mountains for months, endured all weather and heavy toil, and was never once seen out of temper.
This natural cheerfulness is most striking in sickness. Whether poor, far from home, neglected or in great pain, most Chinese patients keep an optimistic frame of mind. Their calm contrasts sharply with the nervous impatience common among Westerners.
If the theory of the survival of the fittest holds true, a race gifted with such patience, contentment and cheer, combined with great physical vitality, has a magnificent future before it.
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