Chinese virtue

Chapter 13 Nerve Numbness
The meaning expressed by words often changes according to the changes of the times, and it is the same in every country.Among them, the change of the word "neurotic" from ancient times to the present is particularly obvious.The original meaning of this word is strong, tenacious, and powerful, but now it has gradually evolved into negative meanings such as "neurasthenia, sickness, excitability, and weakness".Obviously, with the rapid development of modern civilization, people's nerves have become more and more tense, and neurological diseases have become more common.

"Excessive nervousness" is a condition that almost every modern person will have.We are referring to normal Westerners, not those suffering from neurological diseases.The former is in good health and knows that the nervous system is very important to the human body.

For the Anglo-Saxons, people's nerves are different in different times.And in this era where there is no time to eat and everything is in a hurry, people's nerves have always been highly tense.The consequences of this "overwhelming nerves" are obvious.

Every modern person is impatient to finish what he wants to do (many Westerners are like this), just like waiting for an urgent telegram that decides fate, fidgeting and restless.I also hold the pencil tightly during the conversation, for fear of missing something to record.Everyone's nerves were tense, as if they were about to accomplish some great and solemn mission.We are restless like wild animals, looking left and right, with our hands busy, afraid that something dangerous will be overlooked.We want to do things all the time, and we want to get the most important things done in the fastest time.

Excessive nervous tension has led to a series of diseases such as "writing cramp", "playing the piano cramp" and "key cramp".In this state of high nervous tension, our sleep quality is getting worse and worse.The chirping of birds, the sound of the wind blowing the windows, the glimmer of sunlight streaming into the house can all affect our sleep.Once we are awakened, we cannot fall back asleep again.We are so full of work every day that we finally find that we have lost even the time to rest.

"The bank cannot operate unless the banker sleeps with it." This adage expresses the meaning that while shareholders are making profits, bank managers are supporting themselves with tension.

We already have a general understanding of the life of Westerners.Compared with the tense life of Westerners, the life of Chinese people is much more leisurely.Although it is impossible to cut open the Chinese body to examine the neurological condition, we clearly know that the neurological conditions of the Chinese are quite different from those of Westerners.

One of the advantages of the Chinese is that they are tireless. They can stay in the same position for a day without any special feelings, and they can repeat monotonous actions all day like a machine.If he is a craftsman, he will stay in the same place, repeating the same monotonous work such as "weaving" and "making", from morning to night, every day.The work remains the same, and of course the consciousness does not need to change, and the Chinese can bear this monotony.The same is true for Chinese students. The homework they learn is monotonous and repetitive, subject to various restrictions, and lack of rest.If it is a student from the West, they will go crazy after a while, they cannot bear this monotony.But Chinese children are as quiet as a bodhisattva in a temple. Compared with this, Western children are as naughty and active as monkeys.

Chinese people don't understand why foreigners like to walk, for them physical exercise is superfluous.As for the softball game of chasing each other, they are even more incomprehensible.A teacher in Guangzhou saw foreign women playing ball, and asked his followers: "How much does she have to pay for running like this?" The followers said, "No." The teacher didn't believe it at all.For the Chinese, they try not to do things that can be hired by coolies.Even if we repeatedly explain that it is good for the body, they cannot understand.

Regarding sleep, Chinese and Westerners are also very different.The Chinese can sleep anywhere, using bricks as pillows and straw as mattresses.Anything that affects Westerners' sleep will not affect Chinese people.It doesn't need to be very quiet, nor does it need a very dark environment.Even if a child cries and makes noise day and night, it will not wake him up.

In some parts of China, there is a habit in summer: within two hours in the afternoon, no matter who they are, no matter where they are, no matter what they are doing, they will look for a place to sleep like a hibernating bear.They hung their heads like spiders, their mouths open, and they were surrounded by a swarm of flies.

If the standard for conscription is sleep, then China's soldiers will exceed one million, or even tens of millions.

It is also worth mentioning that the Chinese do not pay attention to the circulation of air.Unless a typhoon knocks the roof off, there is little room for air to circulate in their house.Chinese often live in a group of people in a small space, they are used to it and don't feel crowded.

Had they been as nervous as the Anglo-Saxons, woe be they!
Another manifestation of Chinese nerve numbness is tolerance to pain.Anyone who is familiar with Chinese hospital operations knows that the pain faced by Chinese patients would daunt even a strong man in the West.

There are many articles that talk about this aspect. If I give examples one by one, I am afraid that too many chapters will be wasted.

Here is just a mention of what the British novelist George Eliot said in a letter: "Chinese surgical operations do not give patients anesthesia, but the patients are calm and composed, which is really surprising." If George Eliot What Te said is correct, then the nerves of the Chinese people are really numb and dull.

Mrs. Browning said: "To a man who has no sympathy, observation is torture." Such a man is undoubtedly a poet like her, or someone with a character like her.

Westerners don't like to be stared at when they are working, especially when they are doing some delicate and difficult work, while Chinese people do better under the observation of others.Every time we go to some places where there are few foreigners, we will attract a large group of curious Chinese to watch, which is very disgusting.Although the observation of these Chinese people does not cause us any harm, we still feel that we will "go crazy" if we don't drive them away.But the Chinese don't understand the feeling of foreigners. They don't care about people watching, and it doesn't matter how long they watch.If someone expressed disgust at his onlookers, he would feel that there must be something wrong with that person.

Westerners like to be quiet, they need to be quiet when sleeping, and even more so when they are sick.Even though he is an active person, when he is sick, he hopes to rest in peace and not be disturbed by others.So friends, nurses, and doctors will cooperate with each other so that patients can rest.People who are seriously ill need more rest, and the Chinese are completely opposite to the Westerners.In China, once the news of illness spreads, people will come to visit from all directions. The more serious the illness, the more people will come.And for these visiting guests, we have to welcome and entertain them with enthusiasm.Among these people, there are those who are worried about the death of patients and weep bitterly; some monks and nuns make a miasma in order to drive out ghosts.No one ever thought of the sick needing to be quiet.In such an environment, Westerners will feel that death is a kind of relief.

There was a French lady who refused to visit when she was sick. She said: "I hope to die peacefully."

Westerners agree with this lady's request, but China does not have such a request, and even if it does, no one will agree.

Living in such a disturbed world is full of worries and insecurities.The Chinese are as deeply influenced by these as people in other countries, even more than people in other countries.In many areas where living conditions are low, people cannot decide their own destiny.If there is more rain, flash floods will make them homeless; if there is less rain, hundreds of people will go hungry again.This kind of thing is unavoidable, so the Chinese can only resign themselves to fate.This is also one of the reasons for their insensitive character.Only those who have witnessed these natural disasters can understand.Only by seeing it with your own eyes can you fully understand it.But in any case, Westerners cannot understand it, just as Chinese cannot understand the concept of individual freedom and social freedom of Westerners.

In our eyes, the Chinese are always a mystery.Compared with us, the Chinese are inherently "insensitive".Only by speculating in this way can we gradually understand them.Maybe this speculation will affect our relationship with the Chinese.Are the "excessively nervous" Westerners who are most suitable for survival in the 21st century, or the Chinese who are "indefatigable and willing to work hard without complaint"?

(End of this chapter)