美國網友質疑中國5000年歷史，認為沒有依據！

天下 06-04

本文轉自龍騰網

美版知乎Quora上一個有關於中國的問題，讓小編非常好奇「中國經常稱自己有5000年歷史，依據是什麼？是國際公認的嗎，其他國家也可以這麼說嗎？」

「China often notes it has 5000 years of history. On what basis? Is this an internationally agreed claim and could the same be said of other places on Earth?」

In China it generally seems an open and shut case but for the academics amongst you: China traces its roots back to a very small part of present day China. Has the current administration correctly estimated the age? (It could be older or younger). Strictly speaking was this place China ? How do the West and Middle East compare? For example can the roots of the USA be traced back to Ancient Greece and Rome with its strong influence on language law arts and culture? (Even the design of its political buildings and some cities). Is somebody living in present day Tibet any more entitled to claim 5000 years of civilization than an Italian in present day Rome? Was a civilization of a kind not required to administrate the building of thousands of stone circles across Britain and Europe? Can continuity be claimed for China when geographies changed dynasties rise and fell and different people living in different parts of historical China may not have recognised the concept of one China? An interesting topic for debate I hope.

中國擁有5000年的歷史這件事對普通百姓來說似乎很理所當然，但今天是在學術層面上向大家提問：

中國把它的起源追溯到境內的很小一塊的地方，目前官方公布5000年歷史是否是正確？（你們可以說它更為古老或更年輕點）。

嚴格來說那個起源地真的算「中國」的？西方和中東是如何定義自己的歷史起源的呢？例如，美國的根源可以追溯到古希臘和古羅馬，是根據語言藝術和文化對他們的影響力很大（甚至城市的一些政治建築設計能體現出來）。

現今有沒有居住在西藏的人比在現代羅馬的義大利人更有資格主張5000年的文明？

中國有沒有一個不需要保養管理的文明證物，類似橫跨了英國和歐洲的數千個巨石陣？

經歷過地理變動，改朝換代，甚至中國古時在不同地區生活的人們可能根本沒有「一個中國」的概念，現中國的歷史延續不斷層的說法其實成立嗎？

這個話題挺有意思的，希望大家辯論下。

羅馬士兵

下面是美國網友給出的答案（含翻譯）：

Because the Chinese identify more with their early history than other places do. For example French students learn about "the Romans" not "the French nation in 50 BC". Already the naming shows that we consider them a people apart a people that gave us interesting ideas for sure but not a natural part of our own nation states. For China the history of "our people" really goes back thousands of years.

因為中國比其他地方的人更加認同自己的早期歷史。舉例來說，法國學生學到「羅馬人」不是「在公元前50年的法國民族」，這種命名方式表明，我們認為羅馬人是另一個民族，而不是我們法國民族的一部分。但對中國來說，歷史上的「我們民族」，正是數千年前那個民族。（Judith Meyer）

One of the unifying bands is the written Chinese language. It has changed less than European languages have. Plus the Chinese language is littered with phrases and expressions that were coined hundreds of years before Christ was born.

其中一個保持不變的事物就是中國文字，與歐洲語言相比，數千年來它幾乎沒有什麼變化。要補充的是，在基督出生前，有著明確語法與詞意的中國文字已經被創造出來使用數百年了。

There is also more awareness. Every Chinese child can recite by heart and understand poems that are 1400 years old (try that with Shakespeare and he s much more recent).

還有更多的認知，每個中國孩子都能熟練背誦已經1400年之久的詩詞。（你可以試試時間離現在更近莎士比亞的詩歌。）

莎士比亞

You might be confusing history with the past. History is a written record of what happens in the past. It s generally accepted that the best source is recorded by the people who were there but of course any artifacts or recordings of history have their own bias are often incomplete and very subject to interpretation.

Having a generally accepted account of the past is no small matter. You don t have to go too far back in Dead White Guy (i.e. Western) history to see this. Read "The Lodger Shakespeare". It s fascinating how so little history exists on the best known author humankind has ever produced and the heroic efforts it takes to recover it.

So sure here where I m sitting in Maryland I m sure something was going on 5000 years ago. But I m sure no one knows what. Wildlife? Native Americans? Aliens? There s no record. But a lot of such records exist for China which is an impressive feat of and tribute to their civilization.

你可能將歷史與過去相混淆了。歷史是發生在過去的事情的書面記錄。人們普遍認為，最好的歷史是身在那兒的人記錄下來的，當然，任何文物或歷史記錄都帶著自有的偏見，而且往往都是不完整的、主觀的解釋。對過去得出個公認的看法太難了。

你也不必遠行返回到西方歷史中，讀讀「The Lodger Shakespeare」（譯者註：莎士比亞的傳記）這種記錄過去的書就行了，精妙的歷史上存在於人類最著名的作家的記錄中，而且這些英雄作家為此付出了巨大努力，這是多麼迷人的一件事。

由於他們的努力，所以我在馬里蘭州坐著也能肯定5000年前發生了什麼事。但我確信其他玩意哪知道這些，野生動物？還是土著美國人？或者說是外星人？他們都沒有記錄歷史。但很多這樣的記錄存在於中國，那真是一個向他們文明致敬的壯舉。（Eric Ruck）

中餐

I mean this half jokingly but another major part of Chinese identity is the food. If a Chinese reads a 2000 year old Han dynasty document about all the various animals and chitlins they eat it will still sound familiar enough to find in their local grocer. But if a westerner reads about Roman high cuisine like roasted field mice (so popular that an Emperor had to pass a consumption law in fear it was corrupting the people) dipped in a sauce made of fermented fish guts (garum) he is likely not going to find it available in his community. Heck he d probably think it was "weird foreign Chinese food".

這是半開玩笑的話，但我的意思是，中國認同的另一個重要特徵是食物。

如果一個中國人讀了一篇2000年前的漢代文獻，上面記錄了他們所吃的各種動物和甲殼動物，他在當地的雜貨店裡就會發現它們現在依然很常見。

但如果一個西方人閱讀羅馬高級烹飪，像烤田鼠就著魚內髒髮酵製成的蘸醬(魚醬油)來吃(當時是如此的受歡迎，皇帝唯恐它會使人民墮落而不得不通過一項消費法律)，

他可能不會發現它在他的社區。「真見鬼」，他可能會認為這是「奇怪的外國中餐」。