The World Council of Churches and the Theology of Christian-Jewish Relations

This essay explores the approach of the World Council of Churches (WCC) to the theological questions involved in Jewish-Christian relations, while also noting connections between these questions and political factors. The first part focuses on WCC assemblies. At Amsterdam in 1948, a brief document emphasized four key issues: the relationship of the Jewish people to God and to the Church; antisemitism; mission; and the State of Israel. At subsequent assemblies, especially after 1967, with attention focusing on the Israel-Palestine conflict and the plight of the Palestinians, theological discussion of these questions was avoided. The second part of the essay turns to the discussion of these four questions at other levels of the WCC, also considering the wider context of this discussion in the varied approaches developed among WCC member churches. A major theme throughout the essay is that because of the spectrum of ecclesiastical and regional affiliations across member churches, theological discussion of these questions has been controversial within the WCC. If its output in this field of theological work has therefore understandably been limited in comparison with that of some member churches and ecumenical partners, the WCC does nevertheless have a unique capacity to play a convening role for discussion of these difficult questions between Christians of different traditions and from very different political contexts.     

汉语复合词视觉识别的时间进程：基于同形语素的行为与ERP证据

基于同形语素抑制效应, 本研究探讨了汉语复合词视觉识别中的形音义激活进程。结果发现：(1) 同形异音、同形同音、相同条件相对于控制条件都产生了语素启动效应; (2) 在P2、晚期N400成分上, 同形同音条件与控制条件更为接近, 但与同形异音及相同条件差别显著; (3) 在早期N400成分上, 同形同音条件与相同条件更为接近, 但与同形异音条件差别显著。研究表明, 汉语复合词的视觉识别的早期阶段可能为基于词位的形态-正字法加工, 字形匹配与音位信息是首要影响因素, 但语义是否介入仍未可知; 而晚期阶段则可能为基于词条的形态-语义加工, 主要涉及语义竞争与选择。本研究结果支持了McClelland等学者提出的“平行分布加工模型”。     

藏语母语者汉语词汇识别的眼动研究

采用眼动技术,通过两个实验考察了藏语母语者在不同语境中阅读汉语句子时,字形、语音信息在词汇识别中分别发挥的作用以及词频效应。结果发现：（1）在高限制性句子语境中,字形和语音共同作用;（2）在低限制性句子语境中,语音作用显著;（3）词频效应出现在高限制性语境的晚期,以及低限制性语境的中期和晚期。该结果表明,在藏语母语者阅读汉语的过程中,句子语境影响词汇识别过程中字形、语音的作用及作用的时间进程,藏语母语者汉语词汇识别符合双通道理论。     

Comparative Perspectives on Solutions for the Problem of Other Minds

This paper aims to establish a dialogue between contemporary research on the problem of other minds and classical Chinese philosophical theories. It first explores the idea, inspired by the recent discovery of the mirror neuron mechanism, that a direct exchange of experience may occur between the observer and the observed. Next, it analyzes the ways in which the ancient Chinese philosopher Zhuangzi and Confucian thinkers reflected on the problem of other minds, which are quite similar to the idea inspired by the latest research on mirror neurons. In these thinkers’ views, knowledge of other minds is the result of mental activity and what it provides is, to a large extent, something related not to epistemology but rather to a situational understanding of other minds from the perspective of value theory. The author points out that this solution takes two aspects, humans’ innate nature and human experience, into consideration simultaneously. In terms of humans’ innate nature, the body of a human being is a body that represents the unity of man and nature, and it has something in common with the natural world, which lays a foundation for the perception of other minds. In terms of human experience, human beings have such actual needs as emotions, pursuits, and desires, and their behaviors need to conform to certain norms. It is in a body of this kind that the mind of human beings can be formed and enjoy the potential to develop. Effective interpersonal communication can thus be achieved.     

Roles and Representations of Women in Early Chinese Philosophy: A Survey

An understanding of the roles and representations of women in classical Chinese philosophy is here derived from central texts such as the Analects, the Lienü Zhuan, and the I Ching. We argue that the roles of women during the classical period of Chinese philosophy tended to be as part of the “inner,” working domestically as a housewife and mother. This will be shown from three passages from the Analects. Women were represented as submissive and passive, as with the qualities ascribed to yin energy, and therefore as rightfully subordinate to men. However, despite representations of women in philosophy being thus at this time, there were exceptions, specific women who could take a male “outer” political role. The story of Jing Jiang from the Lienü Zhuan suggests that although women being involved in “outer” affairs were looked down on, there were still women who would be and who would occasionally get praised for doing so. This shows that it was realized, explicitly or otherwise, that women were capable of taking those roles, but also that they were not allowed to take such roles at that time.     

Differences in child rearing attitudes between immigrant Chinese mothers and Anglo-American mothers

In order to explore cultural differences in child rearing attitudes, we studied 30 Anglo-American mothers and 30 immigrant Chinese mothers in the US, together with their preschool children and the children's teachers. Mothers completed a measure of child rearing attitudes, children were assessed for perceived competence, and teachers rated children's competence. Results showed that immigrant Chinese mothers were more authoritarian overall, as expected from previous research, but that they also were more likely to encourage independence and demand maturity from their children. Chinese-American children scored higher than Anglo-American children on cognitive competence, and their cognitive competence was related to authoritarian child rearing. The results are discussed in the context of Confucian and American cultural values. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

从《周易》看鲁迅精神与民族魂

易学是中国文化的源头活水,是中华民族五千年生生不息的精神象征。鲁迅先生是中国现代文学的奠基人,被誉为“民族魂”。尽管鲁迅精神的构成有多方面的因素,但源于《周易》的中华民族优秀文化传统无疑对鲁迅的精神世界和文学创作翻译活动产生了最为直接和重要的影响。本文就鲁迅思想源于“易遭”的民族精神、鲁迅与《周易》精神的一脉相承进行分析论述。     

汉字频率和构词数对非汉字圈学生汉字学习的影响

探讨汉字频率和构词数对非汉字文化圈的留学生汉字学习效果的影响。实验要求被试对已学过的不同频率和构词数的汉字写出拼音并组词,结果显示,汉字频率对汉字学习效果有影响,而且频率效应的大小受笔画数的制约;实验未发现构词数对汉字学习效果的影响。研究结果表明,语言输入的频率是影响汉语习得的一个重要因素     

On the study of foreign philosophy in Chinese cultural construction and its future

Since the “Conference on Foreign Philosophy” held in Wuhu in October 1978, the study of foreign philosophy in China has undergone a prosperous stage. This article discusses the significance of the study of foreign philosophy in the context of renovation, transformation and remolding of Chinese contemporary culture, explores the role of the discipline in the context of Chinese cultural construction, and anticipates the future of this discipline. A cross-cultural perspective is needed for a proper understanding of the significance of the learning and study of foreign philosophy in Chinese cultural construction; otherwise we might fall into cultural conservationism. Secondly, to make philosophy and social sciences prosperous is also a task for foreign philosophy studies, and whether or not foreign philosophy can be well studied should be a mark of the prosperousness of the construction of Chinese culture. Finally, philosophy is a product of human beings and should eventually serve human beings. Chinese culture should open itself up to the world and so should foreign philosophy studies in China. __________ Translated from Jiangxi Shehui Kexue 江西社会科学 (Jiangxi Social Sciences), 2005 (2) by Chen Yuehua & Ma Minghui     

Chinese child-rearing beliefs: Key dimensions and contributions to the development of culture-appropriate assessment

Socio-cultural perspectives explain inconsistency in Chinese child-rearing research when imported methods and concepts are applied. We sought to elucidate child-rearing belief constructs relevant to Chinese contexts. Exploratory factor analysis identified items representing child-rearing concepts both imported and indigenous to Chinese culture and forming four dimensions: Training, Shame, Authoritative, and Autonomy. Data from parents of preschool-aged children in Hong Kong ( N  = 228) and Taiwan ( N  = 213) were subject to confirmatory factor and scale internal consistency analyses. Results support the conceptual and psychometric coherence of each subscale. Discussion of findings focuses on the benefits of culturally responsive methodology and the potential utility of the scales in child-rearing research with Chinese and other Confucian cultural populations.