【主旨演讲】中国人民对外友好协会副会长姜江：“不畏浮云遮望眼”（中英文）

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     2021年6月16日，中国人民对外友好协会副会长姜江在中英青年教育文化交流活动上发表致辞，提出在求学之路上应尊重事实，追求知识真理；博采众长，坚持兼收并蓄；与时俱进，培养国际视野。接下来跟小i一起看看他的观点吧～

      文章经作者本人授权在本公众号发布。

本文约2787字，读完约8分钟

姜江

中国人民对外友好协会副会长

      很高兴通过视频方式与来自曲阜和北爱尔兰的青年学生进行交流。见到你们，不禁让我回想起自己的大学时代。1987年，我第一次走出国门就是到英国留学。在那里，我不仅学到了国际关系方面的专业知识，还领略了英国的悠久历史、灿烂文化和美丽独特的自然风光，更结识了很多志同道合的朋友，收获了令我一生珍视的友谊。我所在学校的一位前校长曾经说过：“思想各异、各有所长的人们相聚在此，相约逐浪于这知识的海洋。”作为已离开校园多年的“过来人”，我愿与青年学生们推心置腹地聊一聊下面这个话题：对我们来说，求学中什么最为重要？

    I am truly happy to have an opportunity like this to meet you, students from Qufu and Northern Ireland, albeit on the screen. You remind me of my own university days. In 1987, I went to study in the UK. It was my first time to be outside China. Besides the academic pursuit in the field of international relations, it was also a chance to immerse myself in the UK’s time-honoured history, splendid culture and unique and enchanting natural scenery. More importantly, I got to meet many people there who shared a kindred spirit and some became friends of a lifetime. A former chancellor of my university in the UK once said: “The university is to be the home and workplace of a company of men and women of varying views and skills, bonded together for a chain of voyages into the seas of knowledge.” Although I have left campus for a long time, I thought it might still be relevant to share with you my thoughts on what matters most as a student.

      我的体会有三点：

      For me, three things matter the most.

      一是尊重事实，追求知识真理。在求学道路上，我们要培养独立思考的能力，保持严谨的治学态度。英国思想家培根说：“读书不是为了雄辩和驳斥，不是为了轻信和盲从，也不是为了高谈阔论，而是为了思考和权衡。”英国汉学家李约瑟博士为完成《中国科学史》这部鸿篇巨著，潜心学问、呕心沥血五十载，实地考察了大半个中国，以扎实严谨的学术作风确立了在世界科技史研究领域的崇高学术地位。在今天这个信息驳杂的时代，我们更应对自己不了解的人和事始终抱有深入学习的热情和基于事实的客观判断，而非盲目相信一家偏颇之言或媒体信息轰炸。当然，追求真理的道路充满挑战和艰辛，需要直面压力与非议的巨大勇气，不懈奋斗的努力与恒心，以及排除万难、笃定前行的强大信念。希望中英青年朋友们能够“不畏浮云遮望眼”，拨云见日、勇往直前，在攀登真理高峰的路途中结伴同行。

     First of all, it is important to respect facts and seek the knowledge of truth. Independent thinking and rigorous scholarship — these are crucial qualities for aspiring students. 

    Francis Bacon said, “Read not to contradict and confute; nor to believe and take for granted; nor to find talk and discourse; but to weigh and consider.” 

    The famous British sinologist Dr. Joseph Needham devoted 50 years of his life to his masterpiece Science and Civilization in China. He carried out extensive research and made numerous fact-finding journeys to China which covered over half of the country. His solid, rigorous scholarship drove him to become one of the most esteemed researchers in world history of science.

    Today, living in a world flooded with all sources of information, it is all the more important for us to learn about people and events that we have little knowledge of in a serious manner and base our judgement on facts. We cannot blindly trust any one particular source of information that could be tainted with bias or simply accept the information that the media bombard us with.

    That, of course, is easier said than done. The quest for truth is rarely easy or smooth. It requires extraordinary courage to stand up to pressure and undue criticism. It requires unremitting efforts and perseverance. And it requires strong and deep faith in overcoming all difficulties and moving on ahead.

    I hope that young friends from both China and the UK will have the courage and faith as mentioned above, let no cloud block your sight on the road ahead and set out on this journey together.

      二是博采众长，坚持兼收并蓄。在求学道路上，我们要拥抱世界文明多样性。在热爱自己文明的同时，以平等的态度尊重其他文明，以谦虚的态度学习了解其他文明，以理性的态度对待自身文明与其他文明的差异。文明没有高下、优劣之分，只有特色、地域之别。中英两个文明都扎根于各自的生存土壤，凝聚着两个国家和民族的非凡智慧和精神追求。希望中英青年朋友们能相互尊重、相互包容、相互欣赏，以海纳百川、博采众长的宽广胸怀打破文化交往壁垒，推动中英文明对话，使两个文明在交流互鉴中发展繁荣，美美与共。  

    Second, it is important to embrace inclusiveness and mutual learning. As we explore the world of knowledge, we must appreciate the diversity of world civilizations. While we each love our own civilization, we must also respect and learn humbly from other civilizations. And we must look at the way our own civilization differs from others’ in a rational manner.

    There is no such thing as a superior or inferior civilization, and civilizations are different only in what makes each of them special and geographically unique. The great civilizations of China and the UK are both rooted in their own unique breeding ground. Each embodies the tremendous wisdom and ideals of the nation and the people.

    I hope that between our young friends from China and the UK, we can find mutual respect, acceptance and appreciation. And I hope that by keeping our mind open like the ocean does to the many rivers that flow into it, we can tear down barriers to culture exchanges and advance inter-civilization dialogue between China and the UK. With more exchanges and mutual learning like what we are doing today, our two civilizations will further thrive together.

      三是与时俱进，培养国际视野。在求学道路上，我们要认清世界大势，顺应时代潮流，胸怀全人类福祉。“智者顺时而谋。”当前人类已进入各国互通、万物互联、智能互动的新时代，全球命运与共、休戚相关，气候变化、传染性疾病等全球性威胁和挑战需要强有力的全球性应对。没有哪个国家能独善其身，团结协作才是正道坦途。这就要求我们的青年一代以更加开阔的国际视野看待世界，树立兼济天下的大志向，而不应停留在一切以自我为中心的小格局中。儒家文化一向倡导“大道之行，天下为公”，希望中英青年朋友们登高望远、心怀天下、体现担当、共迎挑战，携手构建人类命运共同体。

    Third, it is important to advance with the times and develop a global vision. While we study, we need to see what the trend of the world is, adapt to the trend and always have humanity’s best interests in mind. 

    An ancient Chinese adage says, “A person of vision sees the trend of the times and follows it.” We live in a new era where all countries are interconnected and all things are interlinked through an intelligent network. What affects one part of the world affects us all. Climate change, communicable diseases and other transnational threats and challenges require strong global responses. No country can meet all challenges on its own. Cooperation is the only right way forward. 

    So what does all of this mean for the young generation, your generation? It means that you will need to be more open- and global-minded when you look at the world, set an ambition that serves the well-being of the global community rather than just the individual good.

    Confucianism believes that “a just cause should be pursued for the common good”.  I hope that the young friends from China and the UK will all look beyond the horizon and care for our global community. I hope you will all step up to this responsibility and be part of the solution to the challenges our world faces, and work together towards a community with a shared future for mankind.

      丘吉尔曾说，“命运不靠机缘，而靠选择”。中英两国人民的福祉、世界的和平与发展，需要我们加强合作。我很欣慰这么多北爱学生喜欢中国文化，愿意更多了解中国。今天邀请你们“云端到访”孔子家乡曲阜，与我们的中国学生共同学习体验儒家文化。欢迎疫情过后你们来曲阜及中国其他地方走一走、看一看，通过实地考察比较一下现实之中国与西方媒体口中笔下的中国到底有何不同，并把你们的所见所闻分享给你们的老师同学、家人朋友。期待你们为增进中英两国人民之间的了解，推动两国关系健康发展，为建设一个充满尊重和友爱的美好世界贡献智慧和力量。

    Winston Churchill once said: “Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice.” The well-being of the peoples of China and the UK, and world peace and development require closer cooperation between us.

    I am gratified to see that so many students from Northern Ireland are interested in Chinese culture and willing to learn more about China. Today, we invite you to join us in a virtual tour of the city of Qufu, the hometown of Confucius, to discover and experience Confucian culture together with the local students.

    You are warmly welcome to visit Qufu and other parts of China in person when the pandemic is over, to compare what you see on the ground with the narratives that you may have heard or read about China by western media and share your experience with your teachers, classmates, friends and family. I look forward to seeing your contribution of insights and strength to the friendship between our two peoples, to the sound development of China-UK relations, and to a beautiful world filled respect and love.

      预祝今天的交流活动圆满成功，祝同学们学业有成，前程似锦。

     I wish today’s event a great success, and the participating students all the best in your studies and a very promising future.

文章来源：中国人民对外友好协会

文章排版：钟兆雯

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