启蒙还是浪漫?——重评胡适在新文化运动中的功与过

Romanticism,or Renaissance?——A New Discussion of Hu Shi's Contribution and Demerits in the May Fourth Movement

五四新文化运动的思想背景不是理性的启蒙精神,而是一场推动革命与救亡的浪漫主义风潮,因救亡而对传统文化的批判不遗余力,此一强烈的反传统文化批判,并不基于理性,而是出于激情。胡适在新文化运动中主张全盘西化,后来改为充分西化,全面抨击传统,高唱文学革命,宣称文言为"死文字",以白话取代文言,类此议题莫不见到浪漫情调。文艺复兴在欧洲的实质内容是经过中古黑暗时期的学术复苏,是欧洲文化自身的复兴,而胡适所谓"中国文艺复兴",则是现代化(实即西化)进程的结果,从引进西方的物质文明如船舰、器械等,到采用西方政治制度,以及最后精神上的全面西化,而以文学革命为先导。胡适高唱充分西化,其有心于国家的进步与繁荣,固无可疑,然其无心之过,在于只见当前西方的科技文明,对整个西方文化的认识有所不足,昧于自然科学与人文学科的差异。百年后的今天,我们回顾前尘,不宜一味表扬胡适参与五四新文化运动的功绩,也应论其过失,始足以吸取教训,以历史的后见之明鉴往知来。

This essay argues that the intellectual background of the May Fourth Movement was one of Romanticism rather than Enlightenment,Those who took part in the movement were pre-occupied with national salvation,for which they blamed Chinese traditional culture for the nation's modern illness.The violent attacks on the tradition were not based on rational thinking but on emotion-charged condemnation.In particular,Hu Shi who advocated whole-sale Westernization,though later aversely changing to“fully Westernized,”lashed at the tradition as a whole,chanted literature revolution,and proclaimed the classical written language,while still in using,“dead,”thus insisting on replacing the written language with the vernacular one.All of these made manifest romantic sentiment par excellence.Renaissance in Europe derived from the concept of Roman Humanitas and the rediscovery of classical Greek philosophy.With renewed European culture,it marked a departure from the dark Middle Age.By contrast,the Renaissance Hu Shi had in mind was no more than taking everything from the West,from steam ships and machines to political institutions,and finally to overall spiritual Westernization.To be sure,Hu's advocacy of Westernization aimed at China's progress and prosperity,but unaware of the fundamental differences between natural sciences and humanities he single-mindedly tried to pursue the unachievable overall Westernization.Looking back in this centenary year,we should not one-sided sing praises to Hu's contributions to the new cultural movement;as well,we need to be on the alert for his overzealous words and deeds,which had damaging consequences,so as to learn historical lesson by experiences.