二十一世纪大学英语读写教程（第四册）学习笔记（原文）——9 - The West‘s Debt to China（西方国家得益于中国之处）

Unit 9 - The West's Debt to China（西方国家得益于中国之处）

The West's Debt to China

Robert Temple

One of the greatest untold secrets of history is that the "modern world" in which we live is a unique synthesis of Chinese and Western ingredients. Possibly more than half of the basic inventions and discoveries upon which the "modern world" rests come from China. And yet few people know this. Why?

The Chinese themselves are as ignorant of this fact as Westerners. From the seventeenth century onwards, the Chinese became increasingly dazzled by European technological expertise, having experienced a period of amnesia regarding their own achievements. When the Chinese were shown a mechanical clock by Jesuit missionaries, they were awestruck. They had forgotten that it was they who had invented mechanical clocks in the first place!

It is just as much a surprise for the Chinese as for Westerners to realize that modern agriculture, modern shipping, the modern oil industry, modern astronomical observatories, modern music, decimal mathematics, paper money, umbrellas, fishing reels, wheelbarrows, multi-stage rockets, guns, underwater mines, poison gas, parachutes, hot-air balloons, manned flight, brandy, whisky, the game of chess, printing, and even the essential design of the steam engine, all came from China.

Without the importation from China of nautical and navigational improvements such as ships' rudders, the compass and multiple masts, the great European Voyages of Discovery could never have been undertaken. Columbus would not have sailed to America, and Europeans would never have established colonial empires.

Without the importation from China of the stirrup, to enable them to stay on horseback, knights of old would never have ridden in their shining armor to aid damsels in distress; there would have been no Age of Chivalry. And without the importation from China of guns and gunpowder, the knights would not have been knocked from their horses by bullets which pierced the armor, bringing the Age of Chivalry to an end.

Without the importation from China of paper and printing, Europe would have continued for much longer to copy books by hand. Literacy would not have become so widespread.

Johann Gutenberg did not invent movable type. It was invented in China. William Harvey did not discover the circulation of the blood in the body. It was discovered — or rather, always assumed — in China. Isaac Newton was not the first to discover his First Law of Motion. It was discovered in China.

These myths and many others are shattered by our discovery of the true Chinese origins of many of the things, all around us, which we take for granted. Some of our greatest achievements turn out to have been not achievements at all, but simple borrowings. Yet there is no reason for us to feel inferior or downcast at the realization that much of the genius of mankind's advance was Chinese rather than European. For it is exciting to realize that the East and the West are not as far apart in spirit or in fact as most of us have been led, by appearances, to believe, and that the East and the West are already combined in a synthesis so powerful and so profound that it is all-pervading. Within this synthesis we live our daily lives, and from it there is no escape. The modern world is a combination of Eastern and Western ingredients which are inextricably fused. The fact that we are largely unaware of it is perhaps one of the greatest cases of historical blindness in the existence of the human race.

Why are we ignorant of this gigantic, obvious truth? The main reason is surely that the Chinese themselves lost sight of it. If the very originators of the inventions and discoveries no longer claim them, and if even their memory of them has faded, why should their inheritors trouble to resurrect their lost claims? Until our own time, it is questionable whether many Westerners even wanted to know the truth. It is always more satisfying to the ego to think that we have reached our present position alone and unaided, that we are the proud masters of all abilities and all crafts.

We need to set this matter right, from both ends. And I can think of no better single illustration of the folly of Western complacency and self-satisfaction than the lesson to be drawn from the history of agriculture. Today, a handful of Western nations have grain surpluses and feed the world. When Asia starves, the West sends grain. We assume that Western agriculture is the very pinnacle of what is possible in the productive use of soil for the growth of food. But we should take to heart the astonishing and disturbing fact that the European agricultural revolution, which laid the basis for the Industrial Revolution, came about only because of the importation of Chinese ideas and inventions. The growing of crops in rows, intensive hoeing of weeds, the "modern" seed drill, the iron plow, the moldboard to turn the plowed soil, and efficient harnesses were all imported from China. Before the arrival from China of the trace harness and collar harness, Westerners choked their horses with straps round their throats. Although ancient Italy could produce plenty of grain, it could not be transported overland to Rome for lack of satisfactory harnesses. Rome depended on shipments of grain by sea from places like Egypt. As for sowing methods — probably over half of Europe's seed was wasted every year before the Chinese idea of the seed drill came to the attention of Europeans. Countless millions of farmers throughout European history broke their backs and their spirits by plowing with ridiculously poor plows, while for two thousand years the Chinese were enjoying their relatively effortless method. Indeed, until two centuries ago, the West was so backward in agriculture compared to China, that the West was the Underdeveloped World in comparison to the Chinese Developed World. The tables have now turned. But for how long? And what an uncomfortable realization it is that the West owes its very ability to eat today to the adoption of Chinese inventions two centuries ago.

It would be better if the nations and the peoples of the world had a clearer understanding of each other, allowing the mental chasm between East and West to be bridged. After all they are, and have been for several centuries, intimate partners in the business of building a world civilization. The technological world today is a product of both East and West to an extent which until recently no one had ever imagined. It is now time for the Chinese contribution to be recognized and acknowledged, by East and West alike. And, above all, let this be recognized by today's schoolchildren, who will be the generation to absorb it into their most conceptions about the world. When that happens, Chinese and Westerners will be able to look each other in the eye, knowing themselves to be true and full partners.

New Words

untold

a. not told to anyone 未说过的，未被讲述的；未透露的

synthesis

n. (pl syntheses / -si:z /) the combining of separate things, esp. ideas, to form a complex whole 综合，结合，综合体

Westerner

n. a native or inhabitant of the West, i.e. Europe and North America 西方人，欧美人

onwards

ad. forward in time or space 向前

dazzle

vt. (often passive) to impress sb. greatly through beauty, knowledge, skill, etc. 使昏眩；使惊奇；使赞叹不已；使倾倒

amnesia

n. partial or total loss of memory [医] 记忆缺失；遗忘（症）

regarding

prep. with reference to; concerning 关于；至于；就…而论，在…方面

awestruck

a. suddenly filled with wonder and respect or fear 充满敬畏（或畏怯、惊奇）之心

astronomical

a. of astronomy 天文学的；天文的，天体的

decimal

a. based on or counted in tens or tenths 小数的；十进位的

wheelbarrow

n. (also barrow) an open container for moving small loads in, with a wheel at one end, and two legs and two handles at the other 手推车；独轮车

multi-stage

a. having many stages （火箭、导弹等）多级的

underwater

a. situated, used or done below the surface of the water 在水下的；供水下用的；在水中操作（或生长）的

parachute

n. 降落伞

hot-air

a. filled with heated air 热空气的

brandy

n. a strong alcoholic drink usu. made from wine 白兰地（酒）

whisky

n. (US or Irish whiskey) a strong alcoholic drink made from malted grain, esp. barley or rye 威士忌酒

importation

n. the act of bringing goods, services, ideas, etc. from a foreign country into one's own country 进口；输入

nautical

a. of ships, sailors or sailing 船舶的；海员的；航海的

navigational

a. relating to the action, process or art of finding the position and direct the course of a ship, an aircraft, a car, etc., using maps, instruments, etc. 航行的；航海的；航空的

navigation

n. 航行；航海；航空

rudder

n. a vertical piece of wood or metal at the back of a boat, used for steering （船的）舵

compass

n. (also magnetic compass) a device for finding direction. with a needle that always points to the north 罗盘（仪），指南针

multiple

a. having or involving many individuals, items or types 多个（或多项、多种）的

n. 倍数

multiply vt. 乘，使相乘

mast

n. an upright post of wood or metal used to support a ship's sails 船桅，桅杆

voyage

n. a long journey, esp. by sea or in space 航行，（尤指）航海；航天

colonial

a. of, relating to or possessing a colony or colonies 殖民地的；拥有殖民地的

stirrup

n. either of a pair of metal or leather loops that hang down from a horse's saddle to support a rider's feet 马镫

knight

n. （欧洲中世纪的）骑士；（近代英国的）爵士（品位低于从男爵，其名前称号用 Sir）

armo(u)r

n. (formerly) a protective, usu. metal, covering for the body, worn when fighting 盔甲

damsel

n. (arch) a young woman who is not married （古）（诗）少女，姑娘；闺女

chivalry

n. (in the Middle Ages) the ideal qualities expected of a knight, such as courage, hono(u)r and concern for weak and helpless people 骑士品质（或气概、精神、道德标准、信条等）（如勇武、荣誉感、侠义、扶持弱小、慷慨、谦恭、尊敬女性、对敌人宽容等）；骑士制度

gunpowder

n. explosive powder used esp. in bombs or fireworks 火药

bullet

n. a small missile with a pointed end that is fired from a gun 子弹

literacy

n. the ability to read and write 识字，有文化；读写能力

movable

a. that can be moved 可动的，活动的

circulation

n. the movement of blood round the body from and to the heart 血液循环

circulate

v. （使）环行；（使）环流；（使）循环

borrowing n. a thing borrowed, esp. money or a word taken by one language from another 借用；采用；借用物；借用词语

downcast

a. (of a person, an expression, etc.) depressed; sad 垂头丧气的；沮丧的

all-pervading

a. present and seen or felt everywhere 遍及各方面的；无孔不入的

inextricable

a. so closely linked that separation is impossible （绳结等）解不开的；分不开的

inextricably

ad. 紧密地；不可分割地

gigantic

a. of very great size or extent; huge 巨大的；庞大的

originator

n. a person who originates; inventor 创始人；发明者；创作者

inheritor

n. a person who receives money, property etc. as a result of the death of the previous owner 继承人；后继者

resurrect

vt. 1. bring (sb.) back to life again 使（某人）复活

2. revive (a practice, etc.); bring back into use 使（某种做法等）重新流行；重新唤起对…的记忆；重新使用

ego

n. an individual's idea of oneself, esp. in relation to other people or to the outside world 自我，自己

unaided

a. not assisted by sb./sth; without help 无助的；独立的

folly

n. being foolish; lack of wisdom 愚笨，愚蠢

complacency

n. (usu. derog) a calm feeling of satisfaction with oneself, one's work, etc. 自满（情绪），沾沾自喜

self-satisfaction

n. (derog) a feeling of being too pleased with oneself and one's own achievements 沾沾自喜，自鸣得意

handful

n. a small number 少数，少量

pinnacle

n. the highest point; the peak 顶峰，极点，顶点

mo(u)ldboard

n. a curved metal plate in a plow, which turns over the earth from the furrow （农）犁壁

Strap

n. a strip of leather, cloth or other flexible material, often with a buckle, used for fastening sth., keeping sth. in place, carrying sth. or holding onto sth. 带，条带；皮带；布带；铁皮条

transport

vt. take sth./sb. from one place to another in a vehicle 运输，运送；输送；搬运

overland

ad. across the land; by land, not by sea or air 横越大陆地；经由陆路

satisfactory

a. of an acceptable nature or standard; good enough for a purpose 令人满意的；可喜的；恰当的

shipment

n. a cargo or goods transported, esp. by ship 装载（或交运）的货物（量）

sow

v. put or scatter seed in or on the ground; plant land with seed 播种，种；撒播（种子）；播种于（土地）

effortless

a. needing little or no effort 不需要努力的；不（大）费劲的；容易的

backward

a. having made or making less than normal progress 落后的

underdeveloped

a. (of a country, etc.) not having achieved a high level of economic development 未充分发展的；不发达的；落后的

adoption

n. the act of taking over sth. and having or using it as one's own 采取，采纳，采用

chasm

n. a very wide difference between people, groups, etc., esp. one that is unlikely to change （感情、兴趣、意见等的）大差别，大分歧

intimate

a. (of people) having a very close and friendly relationship 熟悉的；亲密的；密切的

fundamental

a. that need to be known or learned first; most important 基本的，根本的；重要的

Phrases and Expressions

bring...to an end

cause...to end 使…完结（终了、结束）

or rather

(used to correct sth. one has said previously, or to give more accurate information)more exactly; more truly; it would be better to say 或者确切点说

lose sight of

fail to consider (sth.); forget (sth.) 忘记；忽略

set...right

put...right; rectify 校正；纠正

take...to heart

consider seriously; be much affected or upset by (sth.) 认真考虑（某事）；关注（某事）；对（某事）想不开；为（某事）忧虑（或伤心、烦恼）

come about

happen, esp. in a way that seems impossible to prevent 发生，产生

for lack of

because there is not enough 因缺乏

come to the attention of

draw (sb.'s) attention 引起…的关注

compared to/with

examined to see how people or things are alike and how they are different 与…相比

by/in comparison to/with

(when) compared with/to 与…相比

look...in the eye(s)/face

look at (sb.) steadily without shame or embarrassment （心地坦然地）直视（某人），正视（某人）

Proper Names

Jesuit

耶稣会会士（1534 年 Ignatius Loyola 所创天主教一修会的成员）

Columbus

哥伦布（1451—1506，意大利航海家、新大陆发现者）

Gutenberg

谷登堡（1398—1468，德国金匠、活字印刷术发明者）

Harvey

哈维（1578—1657，英国医师、生理学家、实验生理学创始人之一）

Newton

牛顿（1642—1727，英国物理学家、数学家和天文学家）

Egypt

埃及（东北非国家）

参考资料：

1. 21世纪大学英语读写教程第四册 Unit09_大学教材听力 - 可可英语

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