A Comparison of H. D. Thoreau’s View of Nature and Traditional Chinese Perspectives on Human and Nat

赵 璧 闫 娜

Abstract: This paper involves several typical scholars in Chinese history of literature, and it emphasizes the analysis of their typical works, which are compared with Thoreaus view of nature again and again. In spite of their differences and similarities, beauty and cherishment are the same; and there is a hope that we could grip the nature of these authors and their works after these analyses.

Key words: H. D. Thoreau;Nature;Scholar

中图分类号:G642 文献标识码: A文章编号:1672-1578(2009)11-0032-02

1 Introduction

Chinese scholars perspectives on human and nature were well known for a long time. To our surprise, in the 19th century H. D. Thoreau, was fascinating, because his view of nature. Much more surprisingly, there are many similarities between them, though they have separate distinctions.In their works, nature was so much beautiful. And its impossible for us to stand aloof with it.

2 The similarities

In spite of the difference of time and space, there is sympathy between Chinese scholars and Thoreau.

Declaring for “letting things take their own course”, Laozi acclaimed that: “Human obeys the earth, the earth obeys the sky, the sky obeys Taoism, and Taoism follows nature.” (郭预衡,1998:212) He followed nature but not fame and gain, and desired greatly to return to simplicity and truth. Being in the great nature, he tried to cultivate his moral character and mould his temperament; because of the temperament and the environment, Thoreau tended to go and live in seclusion. To describe his inclination, he wrote in his diary that: “The really noble and deep disposition is not to show-off, just like that the king or the conqueror is not the first in the march.” (朱子仪,2005:23-24) The primitive wildness was his long-cherished wish, and he diligently strived after the independently and poetic wilds. Even on each travel in his very life, he sought for the wilder wildness.

However, the vast wilds neither annihilated them. Laozi didnt neglect politics, but connected sincerely with the state. Letting things take their own course, he still aimed at the harmony of the world. Thoreau usually knew that the greatness needs devotion to the society, but yet he didnt have a clear knowledge of making seclusion a kind of method to take part in the society. He wrote directly in July 1852 that the phenomenon of the nature have to be connected to peoples feeling ……the man who loves nature must love human greatly (马会娟,2002:223). His Walden, like his own words was not a record of seclusion but a travel to discover punctiliously the deepness of him. He said, “I do not propose to write an ode to dejection, but to brag as lustily as chanticleer in the morning, standing on his roost, if only to wake my neighbors up.” (Thoreau, 1942:108)

He also said on April 26th:“The enchantment of Indian, which attracts me, lies in their freedom and unrestrainedness in the very nature.” (朱子仪,2005:19) Thoreau always tried to avoid being too wealthy. Considering that pursuing enjoyment of materials frittered ones life away, he advocated returning to nature and leading a simple life. And he had experienced the life as a freeman near Walden.

Upholding Taoism, Ji Kang was doomed to find sustenance in mountains, rivers and the ancient seven-stringed musical instrument; Thoreau assumed that it was uneasy living in this society and it was wasting of time. He felt integral only in nature, where God encouraged him. In nature, though leading a simple life, you are delight. Consequently, Thoreau introspected his experience in Walden: Why did I change my mind? Why did I leave the forest? I do not know it clearly, and I usually want to go back. (马会娟,2002:204-205)

3 The differences

Chinese scholars had their distinctive features that distinguished from Thoreau, who owned his characteristics.

3.1Chinese distinctions

The Chinese scholars relation to human and nature almost all revealed their mood whether to be an official or not; most of the scholars listed experienced the dark officialdom.

Confucius said much earlier that, “If the state is in the right way, its well worthy of being its officials.” He also wrote, “The country being out of orthodoxy, you can paddle a raft among seas.” (葛晓音,1993:7) Laozi and Zhuangzi advocated letting things take their own way, pursuing the absolute mental freedom and not being obstacles by the persons in power. Their views therefore became the basic standard of Chinese scholars; The works of Chinese scholars had a thousand and one links with nature, and much more distinctively were surrounded by their experience and feeling. Scenery was in harmony with feeling; all the words used to describe landscapes were the expression of feeling, all of which may seems to be peculiar to foreigners;For example, verses in “The Book of Songs”, “when I left before, even the willow was reluctant to part; here I came back, it was sleeting hard”. Resorting to willows and sleet, the Chinese understand this reluctance and agony clearly. (葛晓音,1993:9)

3.2 Thoreaus charm

Thoreau was out of ordinary for creating something new and original; his utterly different style did great help to his attractiveness.

Thoreaus ideas was largely different from Confucius “The Right Way” and Mencius “Achieving Ones Ambition or not”. This kind of balance was absolutely unnecessary. He was much more like a Taoist, yet who didnt insist on being a hermit. He upheld freedom of life; he was not constrained by the form of life; once he wanted to seclude, he came; if he assumed that its time to leave; Thoreau was playing a role as a good doctor near Walden in Concord. He wasnt advertising the truth, but let his readers discover. In Walden, he wrote: “I desire that there maybe as many different persons in the world as possible; but I would have each one be very careful to find out and pursue his own way, and not his fathers or his moth

ers or his neighbors instead.” (吴伟仁,1990:181)Thoreau was also a 100 percent naturalist. His words revealed, between the lines, his deep love to nature. Facing the injuries of nature, the gurgling blood was flowing from injuries in Thoreaus heart.In December 1851, Thoreau once wrote, in great detail, most sorrowfully the whole course how a noble pine tree was cut down.

Thoreau once said, “If my Muse keeps silent, she is excusable. The forest had been destroyed, how I could hope that the birds sing”. (苏贤贵,2002:64)

4 Conclusion

These charming similarities and differences indeed embody the relations between human and nature. Once uneasy or unable to achieve his ambition, people with lofty ideals could find sustenance in nature in the ancient time, which even became the original version of a literary work or romantic stories. If this paper could do some help to understand the nature of the scholars and their works, these analyses wouldn't be of no use.

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