Did you see the statue of Confucius launched by the China Confucius Fund?
A:你看到中国孔子基金会发布的孔子标准像了吗?
B:Yes, I did. It doesn`t quite match the Confucius image in my mind though. I heard there are many different opinions about this so-called official statue. But, to be fait, it`s an impossible job to create an official statue of someone who lived more than 2,500 years ago. No one knows what he looked like, just like no one in the West knows what Plato looked like. Nevertheless, Confucius was a great philosopher, an educator, a plitician, as well as the founder of Confucianism, which still has a tremendous influence over people today.
B:看到了，但它不完全是我心目中的孔子形象。据说有很多人对这个标准像持不同意见。这也难怪，也已毕竟生活在2500多年前，没有谁能够想像他真实的长相，就像你们西方人不知道柏拉图的面孔一样。但是，孔子对今天中国人的生活和思想依然有着重大的影响。他是中国古代的思想家、教育家、政治家，也是儒学的创始人。
A:Confucianism seems to be back in fashin again. As far as I know, about five to six million Chinese students are currently studying The analects of Confucius. Some companies are using Confucianism as a management tool. The govemment is also promoting the Confucian values of ethics, fairness, and honesty. They see it as a way to address the social problems that have emerged as a result of the accelerated economic growth.
A:儒家思想似乎又风行起来了。就我所知，中国有五六百万的孩子在学习《论语》;不少企业家把儒家思想引进到企业管理中;中国政府也试图通过倡导道德、公正和廉洁的儒家思想，来解决经济调整发展带来的社会问题。
B:Confucianism is the backbone of Chinese culture. Confucius developed his philosophy around the concept of benevolence. The Analects of Confucius is a record of his political views. Confucianism represents a set of moral principles because it stresses fairness and harmony in guman relationships, as well as the individual`s social responsibility for their country. For Confucius, political honesty is based on individual ethical integrity.
B:儒家思想是中国传统文化的主干。孔子的哲学体系以“仁”为核心，《论语》记载着他的政治学说。儒学是一套伦理道德，强调的是为人处事的正派、人际关系的和谐以及个人对国家的责任感。在孔子看来，政治的说法是以人品的正直为基础的。
A:Some American scholars did a comparative study of confucius with Greek and Roman philosophers. Their conclusion was that there is more practical value in Confucianism. Why it that?
A:有的美国学者将孔子与古希腊哲人相比较，认为他的思想更具有实用价值。为什么?
B:Well it has extensive application in Chinese society. Confucius was also an accomplished educator. He treated his students as his equal by teaching them democratic and open-minded ideas . In the words of the American scholars, Confucius wanted to train his students to become more unrestrained and adaprable to external influences.
B:因为它被广泛运用于中国社会。孔子还是个了不起的教育家，他平等对待学生，教给他们民主、开放的观念。用美国学者的话说就是：培养能够自然从容并适应环境的君子。
A:There is also an increasing awareness of Confucianism in other parts of the world. This may be a result of various political, cultural, and environmental challenges due to China`s growing economic importance. As a result, the rise of individualism in the community has become a serious threat to social harmony and progress. A different set of values are needed as a counterbalance. Confucianism emphasizes "courtesy" and "respect" whendealing with people or nature so it should be very beneficial for building harmony in any society.
A:据我所知，儒家学说也在世界其他地方逐渐引起了重视。这也许与中国经济的高速发展所带来的各种政治、文化，以及环境等问题的巨大挑战有关。个人主义在商品社会中的极端发展，对社会的和谐与进步构成威胁，必须寻求另一种价值观来取得平衡。而孔子的学说恰好提倡以“礼”来处理人际关系及与自然的关系，对于和谐社会的构建大有益处。
B:You are right. A scholar once said that answers concerning our survival can be found in the wisdom of Confucius, even though he lived more than 25 centuries ago.
B:有道理。正如一位学者所说：21世纪的生存问题，必须回到25个世纪之前孔子的智慧中去寻求解决的答案。
