美国新教来华教士明恩溥的《中国乡村生活》，是作者记述和评说中国社会尤其是乡村社会的典型文本之一，其中特别着意于对观照对象“缺陷”方面的揭示，并从其特定立场出发，思考并提出使之所谓“纠错改正的建议”。所贯穿的理念固然不乏偏误之处，但从现象层面的记述来看，毕竟提供了关于当时中国乡村面相的诸多具体生动写照，也有着刺激人们省察、反思的触媒作用。该书及作者的另一相关名著，当年在中国社会引起复杂反应，其中不乏精英辈人物给予过切实重视和理性评析。这在今天，仍有着积极的启示意义。%Village Life in China, written by Arthur Henderson Smith, a Protestantism priest from America, is one of the classical archives recording and commenting on Chinese society, esp. the Chinese village. It attaches great importance on revealing the “flaws” of objects, and proposes “suggestions to correct” from certain perspectives. There is no lack of bias and misunderstandings in the theories involved. However, from the significance of the recording of social phenomena, it, after all, gives a vivid and concrete account of the Chinese village at that time. It can also inspire people to examine and reflect their thoughts and conduct. This book and the other book written by Arthur, stirred great controversies in China then, including some objective and rational comments given by some social elites. Today, it still has positive inspiring significance.
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