《中國人的性格》是美國傳教士阿瑟·史密斯（明恩溥）基于1872年赴華傳教期間的社會觀察撰寫的著作，首版英文名《Chinese Characteristics》于19世紀末問世，。作者在華生活逾五十年，書中融合人類學視角與傳教士立場，記錄了晚清民眾的性格特征與文化形態。

全書以27個主題章節剖析中國人行為模式，包含“保全面子”“省吃儉用”等生活哲學，以及“漠視精確”“因循守舊”等社會現象。通過對比西方工業文明，著重探討東方特有的生存韌性，如環境適應力與疼痛耐受性。書中案例多源自山東鄉村生活經歷，涉及衣食住行、孝悌觀念等主題，部分結論因宗教立場存在視角爭議。該著作開創西方研究中國國民性先河，被譯成多國文字，成為近代中西文化互鑒的重要文本。

第一章　“面子”問題

第一眼看去，把全人類都有的身體部位“臉面”，來概括中國人的性格，可能讓人覺得十分荒謬。但是在中國，他們所講的“面子”，可不僅僅指的是腦袋上朝前面的那一部分。它是一個具有特定的、多種復雜含義的名詞，其內涵之豐富，比我們目前所能描述的或者所能理解的還要多。

為了大致理解“面子”的意思，哪怕是作一個不全面的理解，我們也必須指出這樣一個事實，中國人是一個普遍具有愛演戲本事的民族。戲劇幾乎可以說是中國唯一通行全國的娛樂活動。中國人熱衷于看戲劇演出，猶如英國人愛好體育、西班牙人愛好斗牛。只要略略辨析，任何一個中國人都會有模有樣地扮演起某出戲中的某個角色。他會擺出各種戲劇化的姿勢，諸如鞠躬行禮、下跪叩拜、伏地不起、以頭搶地。

對于一個西方人來說，這些姿態如果說看起來不是荒唐可笑的話，至少也是純粹多余的。而中國人是用戲劇化的方式進行日常思維。當一個人要為自己辯解時，他面對兩三個人的講話，就好像是面對著千萬個人。他大聲地說道：“我可是當著你們的面說的，你，還有你，你們都在場?！比绻穆闊┤ケM、心滿意足，他會說自己是體面地“下了臺”；如果沒有擺平，心情糟糕，他會說自己沒有臉面“下臺去”。顯然，所有這些狀態，如果弄清楚了，你就會發現與實際毫不相干。關鍵不在于事實究竟如何，而完全是個形式的問題。只要把一切看做一場戲，在適當的時候，以適當的方式，說了一句漂亮話，這場戲就會贏得喝彩。我們并非要偷偷進入每一個幕后查看真相，因為那將會糟蹋世界上的所有好戲。

在中國一切復雜的生活關系中，完全依據戲劇化的樣式做出行動，那就會有“面子”。如果明知對方在表演，不理會他們，小看他們，阻撓對方的展示，他們就會很“丟面子”。一旦正確理解了“面子”一詞中所包含的意思，人們就會發現，“面子”這個詞本身正是打開中國人最重要性格密碼箱的鑰匙。

應該一提的是，中國人如何做到向對方給足“面子”，其技巧和造詣遠遠超過了西方人的理解力。與中國人相處，西方人經常是忘記了其中戲劇的因素，而徑直進入與之無關的事實領域。在西方人看來，中國人的“面子”就像是南太平洋諸島的圖騰禁忌，是一種潛在的、不可否認的力量。只是“面子”問題更加令人捉摸不透，不可簡化為具體的規則，并且只是按照大家一致的感受而廢止或變更。在這一點上，中國人與西方人必須承認彼此存在著巨大差異，因為他們絕不可能用同樣的眼光看待同樣的事情。

在調解各個村莊之間常見的那些紛爭之時，“和事佬們”必須認真斟酌、推敲各方面的“面子”的平衡，這就像過去歐洲政治家考慮權力平衡一樣。這樣做的目的不在于貫徹客觀公正的原則，而是按照適當的比例，對所有有關人等的“面子”進行分配。絕對的客觀公正，對一個東方人來說，即使他們能從道理上認同這點，但實際操作起來還是認為不可能實現。同樣，即使在法律的訴訟裁決中，按比例分配“面子”的事也常有發生。這使得相當大比例的法律裁決，在所謂各打五十大板的平衡中不了了之。

送人一份豐厚的禮物，算是“給面子”。但是，如果禮物純粹是個人所送，受禮人千萬不能照單全收，統統拒絕自然是很少見或者根本不可能的。一些渴望保住“面子”的事例，很能說明問題。犯了錯誤被揭發出來是“大失面子”的事情，所以，無論你掌握多么確鑿的證據，也要為對方保住“面子”，委婉加以處置。一個網球不見了，被一位苦力揀了去，即使明證當前，他也會不客氣地斷然予以否認，然后，走到丟失球的地方，宣稱找到了球（而球其實是從他的長袖里掉出來的），并且還說：“這是你‘丟’的球！”一位侍女把客人的小刀藏在她主人的房里，后來，她又在臺布下把刀子找了出來，并且還煞有介事地宣稱是她找到的。如是這般，他們的“面子”就被保住了。

一位仆人不小心丟失了主人的一件東西，他知道必須賠償，或者被扣掉相當數目的工錢。于是，他會向主人提出辭職，并且傲氣凌人地說：“用來賠償那支銀匙子的錢，我就不要了。”這樣，他占得了上風，自己的“面子”便得以保全了。一個人放了一筆債，他知道他已不可能收回了，于是他便找到欠債人，當眾發狠，威脅對方，以表明他知道該怎么對付你。雖然，他最終還是沒有收回債款，但他保住了“面子”，并以此來保證將來不會有人再賴他的賬了。一位仆人疏忽大意，或拒絕做某些分內之事，在他得知主人打算解雇他之前，他會故意再度犯錯，并自己提出辭呈，以保住他的“面子”。

就算是死，也要保住“面子”，這對我們來說，似乎并沒有任何吸引力。但我們聽說這樣一件事情，一位中國的地方官，在犯罪被朝廷斬首之前，可以享有一種特殊的恩惠，就是準許穿戴官袍用刑。其目的，也就是為了保住他的那個“面子”！

英文原版：

CHAPTER I. FACE.

AT first sight nothing can be more irrational than to callJTx. that which is shared with the whole human race a " characteristic " of the Chinese. But the word " face " does not inChina signify simply the front part of the head, but is Uterallya compound novm of multitude, with more meanings than weshall be able to describe, or perhaps to comprehend.

In order to understand, however imperfectly, what is meantby "face," we must take account of the fact that as a race theChinese have a strongly dramatic instinct. The theatre mayalmost be said to be the only national amusement, and theChinese have for theatricals a passion like that of the Englishman for athletics, or the Spaniard for bull-fights. Upon veryslight provocation, any Chinese regards himself in the light ofan actor in a drama. He throws himself into theatrical attitudes, performs the salaam, falls upon his knees, prostrates himself and strikes his head upon the earth, under circumstanceswhich to an Occidental seem to make such actions superfluous, not to say ridiculous. A Chinese thinks in theatrical terms.When roused in self-defence he addresses two orthree persons as if they were a multitude. He exclaims : " Isay this in the presence of You, and You, and You, who are allhere present." If his troubles are adjusted he speaks of himself as having " got off the stage " with credit, and if they arenot adjusted he finds no way to "retire from the stage." Allthis, be it clearly understood, has nothing to do with realities.

The question is never of facts, but always of form. If a finespeech has been dehvered at the proper time and in the properway, the requirement of the play is met. We are not to gobehind the scenes, for that would spoil all the plays in theworld. Properly to execute acts like these in all the complex Irelations of life, is to have " face." To fail of them, to ignore !them, to be thwarted in the performance of them, this is to \" lose face." Once rightly apprehended, " face " will be found_|to be in itself a key to the combination lock of many of themost important characteristics of the Chinese.

It should be added that the principles which regulate "face"and its attainment are often wholly beyond the intellectualapprehension of the Occidental, who is constantly forgettingthe theatrical element, and wandering off into the irrelevantregions of fact. To him it often seems that Chinese " face "is not unlike the South Sea Island taboo, a force of undeniablepotency, but capricious, and not reducible to rule, deserving only to be abohshed and replaced by common sense. At thispoint Chinese and Occidentals must agree to disagree, for theycan never be brought to view the same things in the same light.In the adjustment of the incessant quarrels whichdistract every hamlet, it is necessary for the "peace-talkers"to take as careful account of the balance of " face " as European statesmen once did of the balance of power. The objectin such cases is not the execution of even-handed justice,which, even if theoretically desirable, seldom occurs to anOriental as a possibility, but such an arrangement as will distribute to all concerned " face '' in due proportions. Thesame principle often obtains in the settlement of lawsuits, a \very large percentage of which end in what may be called adrawn game.

To offer a person a handsome present is to " give him face."But if the gift be from an individual it should be accepted onlyin part, but should seldom or never be altogether refused. A few examples of the thirst for keeping face will suffice for illusiration.To be accused of a fault is to " lose face," and thefact must be denied, no matter what the evidence, in orderto save face. A tennis-ball is missed, and it is more than suspected that a coolie picked it up. He indignantly denies it,but goes to the spot where the ball disappeared, and soonfinds it lying there (dropped out of his sleeve), remarking," Here is your ' lost ' ball." The waiting-woman who secretedthe penknife of a guest in her master's house afterwards discovers it under the table-cloth, and ostentatiously produces it.In each case " face " is saved. The servant who has carelessly lost an article which he knows he must replace or forfeitan equivalent from his wages, remarks loftily, as he takes hisdismissal, " The money for that silver spoon I do not want,"and thus his " face " is intact. A man has a debt owing tohim which he knows that he shall not collect ; but going tothe debtor, he raises a terrible disturbance, by which meanshe shows that he knows what ought to be done. He doesnot get the money, but he saves his " face," and thus secureshimself from imposition in the future. A servant neglects orrefuses to perform some duty. Ascertaining that his masterintends to tiun him off, he repeats his former offence, dismisseshimself, and saves his " face."

To save one's face and lose one's life would not seem tous very attractive, but we have heard of a Chinese DistrictMagistrate who, as a special favour, was allowed to be beheaded in his robes of office in order to save his face!