三个老外的中国印象2005-10-26 00:00马文会／编译自美国《视点》ＭａｒｋＣａｒｔｅｒ（美国）：中国人在意别人的看法在２００１年来中国前，我对这个国家确实知之甚少。
我从来就没去过亚洲，也不认识去过中国的人。
我所知道的就是，中国人口众多，有长城，有丝绸，有筷子。
仅此而已。
我对中国人是什么样子没有概念。
在我的家乡内布拉斯加州有一个华人社区，但他们大多数人都独来独往。
而在我以前的学校，有一些华人小孩，他们的举止与其他人没什么差别，我从来就不认为他们与我有何不同。
我从来没有碰到过来自中国本土的人。
当我第一次来到中国时，最初的印象是这里的人太多了。
即使是在乡村，你也可以看到数以千计的人群。
起初，我可能对这些人群和喧闹声有些承受不住，不过现在习惯了。
也许，我还习惯得有点儿过头。
因为现在我发现，我在中国居住的那个郊外社区安静得有点儿压抑！令我吃惊的还有这里的人。
我总认为亚洲人非常内敛和严肃。
而没过多久，我就意识到中国人健谈而友好。
令我震惊的还有他们对异国事物的兴趣。
当我适应了这里的生活时，我的第一感受就是，中国人非常在意其他国家的人对他们的看法。
我觉得这有些不同寻常。
过去我总认为，中国是一个自成一体的世界，不受外界影响而存在。
中国人总问我是否喜欢中国。
嗯，我还待在这里啊，不是吗？ＦｉｏｎａＭａｓｏｎ（英国）：中国只是模仿圣诞节我第一次来中国是在１９９９年。
与许多西方人一样，在来中国之前，我认为这里对物质的追求，和欧美相比要差很多。
而我惊讶地发现，中国人对物质的追求，比我之前见过的任何人都要更胜一筹。
我以前对中国的看法是一个误解。
当然了，这里跟我们在功夫片中看到的不可能一样。
然而，在中国除了考工商管理硕士和拥有最新款的手机以外，生活之中应该还有更多的乐趣！我认为，西方的许多人，尤其是年轻人，非常关心全球化的影响。
他们以西方价值观为基础，把全球化看作是单一文化的扩张，而这正在扼杀世界文化的多样性。
这一点在中国显而易见。
这里的一些年轻人已经背弃了其自身的文化，去仿效他们所谓的西方文化（那实际上是一种国际文化）。
我为此感到有些悲哀：因为如果中国的年轻人在不理解西方文化的前提下照搬西式风格，那么学到的不过是文化的皮毛。
就拿“庆祝”圣诞节的风气来说吧。
支起圣诞树，装点上饰物，并不是圣诞节。
这只是对西方节日的模仿而已，未能领会到其真正气氛和实质所在。
我不能就此对中国吹毛求疵，因为这是一个在世界范围内都在发生的现象。
然而，我希望中国的年轻人对其自身文化的价值要有更多自信，并且要从数千年的华夏文明中汲取灵感。
如果某个国家会在“可口可乐帝国主义”之外另辟蹊径，那么我希望会是中国！ＰｅｔｅｒＮａｓｈ（加拿大）：勤奋的年轻人没有社交我要说的是，我是一个相当典型的二十来岁的北美人。
我喜欢与朋友们在一起消磨时间，对于未来不是很关心。
我对生活没什么大计划，也没有真正的事业目标。
在许多方面，对于我这一代来说，自由的青春期似乎又延续了１０年。
当我来中国时，给我印象最深的事情是，这里的年轻人格外不同。
与世界其他地方的许多同龄人相比，中国的年轻人要实际得多，具有更大的责任感。
教育领域和就业市场中的高强度竞争，使中国的年轻人非常勤奋，非常执著。
我们在西方拥有丰富的社交生活，而他们似乎放弃了这些乐趣。
总体而言，光是从社会本身，就可以体会到发展的气息。
我来中国已经两年了，而这期间钻孔声和锯齿声不绝于耳。
起初，在我看来，这整个国家就是一个巨大的工地。
当你来到中国时，你一定会注意到一种“没问题”的态度，你对中国的整体感觉将会是：这是一个面向未来的社会，一个处于前进之中的国家。
而在其他地方，你不会有这种感觉。
Mark Carter (USA)Before I came to China in 2001, I really knew very little about this country. I had never been to Asia before and never met anybody who had been to China. What I did know was that China has a huge population, the Great Wall, silk and chopsticks. Very rudimentary. I had no idea what Chinese people are like. There is a Chinese community in my hometown in Nebraska but they mostly ①keep to themselves. In my school there were kids whose parents were Chinese. These kids behaved the exact same way as everyone else and I never considered them to be different to me in any way. I had never met anyone who was from China itself.When I arrived in China for the first time, my first impression was how many people there were. Even in rural areas you can see people in their thousands. The crowds and noise can be a bit overwhelming at first but now I am used to it. Maybe I have gotten too used to it. I find the quietness of my suburban neighborhood back home a little oppressive now!I was also surprised by the people. I had always presumed that Asian people were very reserved and serious. It didn't take long for me to realize that Chinese people are quite chatty and jovial. I was also taken aback at their interest in foreign things. My first feeling when I settled in to life here was that Chinese people care very much about what people from other countries think about them. I found that unusual. I had always presumed that China would be a world of its own, so to speak, that operated independently of the outside. Chinese people always ask me if I like China. Well, I'm still here, am I not?Fiona Mason (UK)I first came to China in 1999. Like many Westerners, before coming to China, I had the idea that it would be far less materialistic than Europe or the US. I was shocked to find that Chinese people seem to be more materialistic than any people I have ever met before. Some foreigners become disillusioned because of this but I have come to understand that the fault is my own. The idea I had of China was a misconception. Of course, it cannot be like what we see in the Kung Fu movies. Nonetheless, there must be more to life than getting an MBA and having the latest mobile phone!I think a lot of people in the West, especially young people, are very concerned about the effects of globalization. They see globalization as being the spread of a monoculture, based on Western values, which is killing the cultural diversity of the world. This is quite obvious to me since I started living in China. Many of the young people here seem to have ②turned their backs on their own culture and ape what they think is Western culture (It is actually a type of international culture). I think this is very sad because if young Chinese people copy Western styles without having an understanding of Western culture they will be left with only the shadow of a culture. Take the trend of 'celebrating' Christmas for example. Putting up Christmas trees and decorations does not constitute Christmas. It is a mimic of a Western festival which fails to capture its true atmosphere and spirit.I can't be too hard on China for this because it is a phenomenon that is occurring worldwide. However, I hope that young Chinese people will have more confidence in the value of their own culture and draw inspiration from the thousand of years of Chinese civilization. If there is any country that will provide an alternative to Coca-Cola imperialism, I hope that it can be China!Peter Nash (Canada)I would say that I'm a pretty (not in the 'good-looking' sense of the word) typical twenty-something North American. I like to hang out with myfriends and don't worry too much about the future. I have no master plan for my life and no real career goals. In many ways the freedom of adolescence has been extended by ten years for my generation.The thing that struck me most when I came to China is how different the young people here are. Young Chinese people are far more practical and have a greater sense of responsibility than a lot of their counterparts on the other side of the world. The high level of competition in education and the job market makes young Chinese very diligent and committed. They seem to forgo the joys of a full social life like we have in the West.In general, the atmosphere of progress can be felt in society itself.I have been in China for two years and for two years I have been listening to drills and saws. At first, it appeared to me that the entire country was one big construction site. When you come to China you can't help noticing a 'can-do' attitude and an overall sense that this is a society that is looking ahead, a country that is going somewhere. You don't get that kind of feeling in other places.。