特立独行:在中国现代语境中接受梭罗

A Life with Principle: Understanding Thoreau in China′s Modernity

在同时代的一些美国同胞眼中,梭罗是一个跟不上时代节拍、离群索居的怪人;在今日一些中国读者的眼中,梭罗是一个遗世独立、沽名钓誉的“假隐”。然而,梭罗的瓦尔登湖畔生活实验和他的积极“涉世”生活哲学表明他并非中国传统意义上的隐士,在中国现代语境中接受梭罗有相当的现实意义。

To some of his American contemporaries, Thoreau must appear to be a lonely anachronism, while he is thought today by some Chinese readers to be a pretentious hermit in seclusion. This paper discusses Thoreau′s life experience at Walden Pond and his philosophy of engagement in life, arguing for the relevance of reception of Thoreau to China′modernity.