近其性·穷其味·知其趣——林语堂论“读书的艺术”

Approaching Its Nature, Tasting Its Flavor and Knowing Its Interest——Lin Yutang on the “Art of Reading”

在当下,面对现代教育体制隐在的种种弊病症候,寓教于"乐"、于"美",尤为必要。事实上,一个人对"读书的艺术"之深切了悟与觉知,对于其身心的成长及学习新知具有极为重要的价值意义。林语堂曾阐发了读书艺境的三大面相特质:一、近其性:方能于人生路上扬"长"而避"短";二、穷其味:方可找准人生的坐标方向而不断地超越当下的"自我";三、知其趣:才能发现生命内在个性"可爱""静美"而"有趣"的一面。"读书的艺术"在现当代教育中,依然有着特有而超越的内在属性及独立价值。这是毋庸置疑的。总而言之,林语堂论"读书的艺术"中所涉及的相关问题,不但对现代教育有显著的补偏救弊的作用,同时也为我们理解读书的艺术内涵提供了一个全新的维度视角。

It is especially necessary in present to teach through "happiness" and "charming" in the face of the maladies of all kinds hidden in the modern educational system. As a matter of fact, it is an extremely significant for a person to deeply understand and comprehend the "art of reading" in order to improve their development of mind and body as well as to learn the new knowledge. Lin Yutang used to elucidate the three faculty characteristics about the artistic conception of reading: Firstly, approaching its nature, making the best of its advantages and bypassing its disadvantages in one’s way of life; secondly, tasting its flavor, Capturing its direction of life coordinates and constantly surpassing the current "self"; thirdly, knowing its interest, discovering the inner life of personality "tranquility and beauty" and "interesting and amusing". There is no doubt that the "art of reading" still has its unique and transcendent intrinsic attribute and independent value in modern and contemporary education. In a word, what Lin Yu-tang involved in his the "art of reading" is not only helpful to the modern education but also provide us with a brand new dimensional angle for us to comprehend the artistic connotation of reading.