残疾人概念的文化解读

Cultural Interpretation of the Concept of the Disabled

残疾人由于其身体、心智存在一定的缺陷,自古就是社会的一个特殊群体。随着社会历史的发展和人类的文明进步,对残疾、残疾人概念的认识也在不断地发展变化。中国古代对残疾现象就有了比较全面的认知,用许多特定的概念表述残疾的部位、程度和状态;但对残疾人群体常用"废疾""残废"等概念来表述,带有一定的歧视意味。改革开放后,"残废"才逐渐被"残疾"所取代。国际上对残疾人的称谓和定义也没有统一的标准。对残疾人的不同称谓,从一个侧面表现出人们对残疾人群体理解、尊重的意识,折射出社会文明进步的程度。对残疾人概念进行文化解读,有助于消除人们对残疾人的歧视,在文化的层面确立残疾人与健全人的平等地位。

Since ancient times, the disabled were a special group of society for some defects of their body and mind. With the development of social history and progress of human civilization, the understanding of disability, the disabled developed constantly. In ancient China, people had more comprehensive cognition for disabled phenomenon with many specific expressions about the region, degree and state of disability. However, people commonly called the disabled to be cripple with certain discrimination. After the reform and opening up, 'cripple' had been replaced with the 'disabled'. Internationally, it was not unified standard about the appellation and definition of disabled persons. Different appellation expressed the people 's consciousness to understanding and respect for the disabled, which reflected the degree to progress of social civilization. In this paper, the definition of the disabled was interpreted culturally, which could help to eliminate the discrimination and establish the equal status of the disabled and healthy people in the cultural level.