闲适·性灵——谈“林语堂与中国文化”

Familiarity and Personality: On Lin Yutang and Chinese Culture

林语堂,吾国乃至世界近现代文学史、文化史之一奇特现象。他向外国人介绍中国文化,向中国人介绍外国文化,在地球村(global village)中可谓"文化大使"矣。他提倡性灵文学,主张幽默、闲适、性灵和趣味。无论其随笔、散文抑或小说,皆闲适之作性灵之作。闲适与性灵成其天地间之令名,闲适与性灵亦使其与诺贝尔文学奖失之交臂。

Lin Yutang is a unique phenomenon in the modern literary and cultural histories of China and the world.He introduces Chinese culture to foreigners,foreign cultures to the Chinese so he can be described as a＂cultural ambassador＂in the global village.He advocates Xingling literature,emphasizing humor,familiarity,personality and tastiness.Such are his essays,prose and novels.It is familiarity and personality that make him world famous,and it is also familiarity and personality that fail him the Nobel Prize for literature.