闪烁间的现代性:近代舆论观念视域下的红绿灯

Flickering Modernity:The Concept and Public Opinion of Traffic Lights in Modern China

红绿灯,是近代传入中国的舶来品之一,率先在上海租界得到使用。其后,在“进步”的宣扬声中,红绿灯被逐步推广到许多城市的道路交通管理中,并成为市政当局用来宣扬政绩的对象。红绿灯的设立,虽然被视为进步,但也因其不完善受到部分质疑。在近代社会特殊环境下,红绿灯还潜藏有洋人对华人、城市居民对进城的乡人,强对弱、高对低的歧视性暗语存在。时人将红绿灯作为象征符号,阐发自己对自由、平等、公正、法治、民主等社会价值观念的见解。红绿灯作为透视当时市政建设治理、交通安全知识宣传、国民交通规则意识塑造、社会价值观念倡导等诸多问题的窗口,汇聚着丰富的社会文化内涵。

As an imported product introduced into modern China,the traffic light was gradually extended to the management of many urban road traffic with the publicity of“progress”and the popularization of knowledge,and became the object used by the municipal authorities to publicize the achievements of the ruling government.The original intention of the traffic light,which represents equality,has also been questioned for its imperfection.In the special social environment at that time,there were still hidden discrimination of foreigners against Chinese,city residents against rural residents,strong against weak,high against low.At that time,people used traffic lights as symbols to illustrate their views on social values such as freedom,equality,justice,the rule of law and democracy.Traffic light as a perspective of municipal construction management,traffic safety knowledge publicity,national traffic rules awareness shaping,advocacy of social values and many other issues of the window,convergence of rich social and cultural significance of the connotation,and for today’s urban traffic governance to provide experience for reference.