Social Life of the Chinese

by Justus Doolittle

This is the most complete and detailed account of the traditional domestic and daily life of the Chinese in the mid-nineteenth century. Writing in the 1860s, Doolittle concentrates on social and religious customs, revealing the people through their practices and material culture which he observed for over fourteen years. Colorful, exotic and compelling, this is a more telling portrait than any history or encyclopedia, an innovative tour de force of popular culture, and a classic ahead of its time. Agricultural and household matters, betrothal and marriage, the treatment of disease, popular gods and goddesses, punishments and celebrations, annual customs and festivals, superstitions, business customs, charitable practices, vegetarians, charms and omens, fortune-telling, opium and opium smoking are among the subjects dealt with, accompanied by charming engravings. Doolittle lived midway between Shanghai and Canton, the origin of the overseas Chinese diaspora. The world he describes here may have vanished in mainland China but it endures in Chinatowns and Chinese homes around the world.

633 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 1986

Reviews

[he chow · Rating 5 out of 5]

有點令人絕望。
第一次產生了關內十八州漢人一體化的感覺，我這輩子可能都沒這麼了解福建人了。
中國人一生中的特大喜事也就三件：家裡得了兒子，家裡有人科舉中第了，家裡喬遷新居了。就這三件（力工梭哈物理慣性學），沒了。得了男孩是結婚的目的，科舉中的是死讀書有文化的目的，做官刮了地皮才能回老家蓋房子。其他開心的事情也有三件：喝酒、賭博、看戲。
佛教深刻地影響了中國的飲食文化，以至於中國人喜歡炒蔬菜雜碎，而不是大魚大肉補充蛋白質，是為了上西天。只是有的人吃素，有的人吃花素，結論都是少吃肉，魚不算葷。不吃牛肉是佛教強行灌輸理論的結果，本來社會習俗是吃牛肉的，佛教老發小冊子危言聳聽牛是他父親祖父親轉世或他本人轉世，不得好死，就大家明面上也不能吃牛肉了。這和日本德川幕府時代的禁殺生令的佛教背景是非常相像的。
然後是有錢人。
有錢人作為中國人的唯一目的是證明：中國人做缺德的事情絕對不是被貧窮所逼出來的。
臥槽、我看到這個結論的時候，真的服了傳教士的眼光毒辣。

喔對了，老實善良的中國人從來不忌諱告訴傳教人：我老實是因為我不敢得罪所有有能力傷害我的人，我善良是因為我說不得做得出的事情有點多，不得不將功補過，積善行德⋯⋯我很聰明吧？？
儒家：被佛教的道德論按在地上摩擦。