First of all, we need to clarify the specific meaning of North-South culture. China's northern and southern cultures are roughly bounded by the Yangtze River. The north of the Yangtze River belongs to the northern culture, and the south of the Yangtze River belongs to the southern culture.

Studying the cultural differences between North and South will provide us with many profound things. This is a very big topic with profound connotation. It can include many branches, such as artistic differences, architectural differences, clothing differences, customs differences, dietary differences, literary differences, personality differences, dialect differences, business differences and so on.

Yang Yi's doctoral thesis was based on his monograph Comparative Study of Beijing School and Shanghai School (Taibai Literature and Art Publishing House,1September, 994), which was revised and expanded. In some universities, the study of Beijing school and Shanghai school culture is one of the research directions of doctoral programs.

Second, the classic exposition of the cultural differences between North and South by predecessors.

Marx's Capital Theory

"External natural conditions can be divided into two types economically: natural wealth of means of subsistence, such as soil fertility and water rich in fish; Abundant labor resources, such as swift waterfalls, navigable rivers, forests, metals, coal, etc. Navigable rivers, forests, metals, coal, etc. " "In the early days of culture, the first kind of rich resources was of decisive significance; At a higher stage of development, the second type of rich resources is of decisive significance. " "Because a country's climate and other natural characteristics are different, its natural needs for food, clothing, housing and transportation are also different." "The increase or decrease of people's demand depends on the cold or warm climate in which people live, so the proportion of various occupations that residents in different countries must engage in is different. The degree of this difference can only be determined according to the degree of cold and heat. Therefore, we can draw a general conclusion: the amount of labor required to maintain a certain number of people's lives is the largest in cold places and the smallest in hot places, because in cold places, people not only need more clothes, but also the land must be cultivated better. " Therefore, in the early stage of cultural development, it is difficult for the cold north to have early civilization. In the mid-latitude zone of the northern hemisphere, the spatial configuration and combination of the first kind of rich resources are very superior, so the oldest civilizations in the world appear in this zone.

In the higher stage of cultural development, the second kind of rich resources is of decisive significance. "Ireland's misfortune originated in ancient times; As soon as the Carboniferous strata were formed, this bad luck began. In a country where coal seams are eroded and close to a big country rich in coal, it seems that nature itself has made such a judgment: in the face of this future industrial power, it has to remain a peasant country for a long time. " (Complete Works of Marx and Engels, Volume 16, People's Publishing House, 1964), p. 530. ) "What is the inevitability of the ruthless iron that set Poland free? ..... That is, if we don't get independent national survival at the same time, and don't occupy the export zone of the Baltic Sea and the rivers in Poland, it is impossible to carry out the agrarian revolution. " (Engels: Frankfurt Debate on Poland, Complete Works of Marx and Engels, Volume 5, People's Publishing House, 1958, p. 407. )

The geographical location of a country and a nation, especially the location near the sea, is of great significance to the cultural and historical development of this country and this nation. Engels wrote in "The Beginning of the End of Austria": "Bourgeois civilization spread along the coast and rivers. Inland areas, especially the barren mountainous areas with traffic jams, became the refuge of barbarism and feudalism. This barbarism is especially concentrated in southern Germany and the southern Slavic region far from the sea. These places far from the sea are isolated from Italian civilization by the Alps, and at the same time they happen to be located in the basin of the only river in Europe. Instead of opening up a civilized road for them, the Danube connects them with more barbaric areas. " "The Danube, Alps and Bohemian cliffs are the basis of Austrian barbarism and the existence of Austrian monarchy." ([English] Engels: The Beginning of the Doomsday in Austria, The Complete Works of Marx and Engels, Volume 4, People's Publishing House, 1958, p. 15 17. Marx also borrowed Morgan's words: "Some (tribes) are so isolated geographically that they have experienced different stages of development alone;" Others (tribes) are influenced by the outside world. For example, Africa was and is in a state of cultural confusion, with ignorance and barbarism intertwined; Australia and Polynesia were once in a state of complete ignorance. American Indian tribes are different from all other existing tribes. They are models of the human state in three consecutive cultural periods. " ([Germany] Marx: The Ancient Society of Morgan, People's Publishing House, 1978, p. 4. )

○ Luo Jialun's Foresight of History;

"Every nation has a special natural environment that it cannot leave. This environment has greatly affected this country in many ways. As far as the climate is concerned, for example, in a bitter and cold place like Russia, people always feel oppressed by the natural environment, and as a result, the national character of a brave man is formed. Maybe it's because I spend a lot of time in sleep all year round, so I sit quietly in my room and meditate. Judging from the fireside gossip, many strategies are easy to make good manuscripts. In India, this is not the case. It is very hot all year round, and the energy evaporates. People spend a lot of time sleeping in the open air, looking up at the starry sky and listening to the voice of the Ganges. They feel that life is impermanent and insignificant, so they worship the thoughts of Hinduism and Buddhism in the universe. China has a mild climate, and its culture began in the Yellow River Plain and then in the Yangtze River Basin. The temperate climate is neither cold nor hot, and it is easy to develop a neutral national character. " When expounding the relationship between regional environment and cultural types, we should be wary of two one-sided and extreme viewpoints, namely "environmental determinism" and "environmental emptiness" On the one hand, a nation's character and natural posture are influenced to some extent by its geographical location, environment, climate, soil and food. On the other hand, any nation has an indelible feature, which always exists in the ever-changing environment and climate. The formation and development of national spirit are influenced by more important historical events and other cultural factors besides regional environmental conditions.

○ Kang's On China's National Temperament;

People in the southeast are impetuous, excitable and prone to riots. However, it won't be long before the blood gas calms down, and they will regret the past and stop thinking about realizing their original ambitions. The husband is unfaithful to Xi Zhiren. He loves life more than the wild people: what can he get if he wants to die? ..... See Su Xiejiao in Hubei? Take off your clothes and sleeves and rub your hands; The mouth is gambling, and the body is interested in fighting; Those who dare not touch their faces are afraid that Mato will hurt themselves and will not hear the news of revolutionary fighting. The revolution gained a great reputation. According to dignitaries, there are many people in the southeast: first, abandon the battlefield, throw their heads and run away, and there are fresh people in the southeast. ……

The southeast is blessed by heaven, and the benefits of boating turn to wisdom, so the culture has long been crowned. He is full of ideals, especially long and mysterious thoughts, which is different from a major practitioner in the north. ..... Only a good witch can think, so the staff sergeant studied Taoist Zen, and the corporal worshipped fairy witches and ghosts. His free thoughts are quite rich. It's just that there is no perseverance, so the revenge is weak, while wise people tend to be concubines and women, and they are superior to each other, and then they are relegated to the Song Dynasty to produce poets. The prosperity of its literature and art is huge, and it is easy to make a living because of its place, warm climate and people's habit of prostitution. Huaihai has the advantages of fishing and salt, and its customs are still luxurious. It's not difficult to get married, but it's easy to lose your home: therefore, all your money goes to help bandits; Yes, it has potential, but it is also non-sexual.

Southwestern people are everywhere, stingy with self-esteem and rich in independence: although they have cronies, they are not good at living in groups; Although you dare to worry, you are in trouble and you don't want to ask for help in a hurry. Although you have no helper, if you are private, you will take care of yourself. In a word, I am self-reliant and self-existent, and I only have self-esteem, so I love freedom; Only anxious people have unique local fever, national fever and national fever, and only closed mountains and people's knowledge are solid, so they have no ambition, lack of foresight, heavy habits and conservatism, in order to survive so far. ..... The wind that deceives the monarch in order to achieve pleasure has gone with the wind. Southeastern people can't walk alone, especially if they don't listen. He is noisy in the warm wind, and he is quite addicted to the boudoir ... people pay more attention to the enjoyment of the moment than saving; Taste the taste of world-weariness, excited by the desire for happiness. There is a proverb called "eat and drink enough, the board is thicker" (the board refers to the coffin): therefore, the people are more diligent, so that they can enjoy the pleasure of the moment without frugality. Scholars attach importance to literature and classics, and art is also excellent. Modern scholars have many mysterious ideas. The people below flatter ghosts and gods. Erotic food temples are the most prosperous in all parts of the country, and witchcraft has always been particularly popular. Is it because of the contact between almost ancient customs and Miao culture?

Northerners are aggressive and suicidal. The number of suicides accounts for about two thousandths of the total number of deaths every year. Some people suffer from aging, and their impatience and impatience are well known. ..... To put it bluntly, he was partial to the imperial capital, accumulated by autocratic arrogance and became a bureaucrat, so he was obedient and didn't love freedom very much; Afraid of military power, afraid to talk about revolution. For example, if foreigners from past dynasties entered the country, would it be the first time that the northern capital has settled for a long time, and people in the south are still stirring, while the land in the north is silent, almost because they caressed me and abused me afterwards? Although the mood is calm, it is not easy to arouse and the resistance is weak. It's cold for a long time in summer, and I'm used to warm rooms, so I'm lazy, but I'm afraid of the cold and better than southerners. The yellow soil is dense and the scenery is simple; Therefore, there are not many poets and philosophers, that is, domestic art is divided into two factions, the North School is better than the Literary School. It's just that the terrain is flat and flat, and the sun only touches the earth, so I feel open-minded and open-minded, because I am unhappy inside. I'm too embarrassed to fake it. ..... The southern land is barren, the degree of civilization is not high, and life is humble; So his family is indifferent, thrifty and virtuous, and women's makeup is as old as it was a hundred years ago, which shows that his conservatism is very heavy. However, only he is conservative, so he has little desire and is good at saving. Although he made progress late, he was inch by inch, and his collapse was not easy.

The body is soft and brittle. Full of fear, a person is extremely afraid of death. He has only keen senses: he sprints his mind and touches everything, so he is full of fear of death. While he is afraid of other things, he is also afraid of other things. His fear of death is so weak that he becomes a habit of taking risks and jumping into difficulties: yes, today's vitality is declining, so he sees it.

(a) the ruthlessness, fatigue and loss of derailment; Tomorrow will be full of vitality, and you will see the enthusiasm of being irritable and dying lightly. ..... So, I hope my heart is heavy and there are many people crossing the ocean; Fortunately, I feel yin, and I gamble. Coupled with premature physical maturity, indulgence and fornication, the wind of ten sisters prevails. ..... This person is seriously ill and vengeful. Every time he has a grudge, he needs to fight with the other party or dig his house to vent his anger. Love freedom, don't sympathize with the public and resist officials. ..... Its place of Haitong is the earliest, its people's wisdom has been open for a long time, and it has been consolidated in the group, especially with the independence of the "group". ..... He is thoughtful and skilled; The civilization of literature is long overdue. Staff sergeant is very concerned about Buddhism ... corporal is superstitious about theocracy: Gaiju is always upset and bored, and chatting is to comfort his helpless ears.

○ Lu Xun's northerners and southerners;

It is a tradition for northerners to look down on southerners. This is not because of different customs, I think, a big reason is that the intruders have always come from the north, first conquered the north of China, and then took the northerners south, so southerners are also conquered in the eyes of northerners.

When Erlu entered Shanxi, northerners were happy, obviously frivolous, and it was too troublesome to give evidence, so I won't say it. It is not difficult to see that Yang Xuanzhi's "Luoyang Galand Ji" often belittles southerners and does not treat them as the same kind. As for Yuan, the people were divided into four classes: Mongols, hermits, northerners and southerners, because he was the last to surrender. The final surrender, from this point of view, is a kind of desperate, which is the power of the southern strike. In that way, this is a disobedient thief who has been following Julian Waghann for a long time. Surrender is natural, but the qualification to be a slave is therefore the shallowest. Because it is shallow, it moves the lowest, so anyone may wish to look down. In the Qing dynasty, this account was rearranged, and the aftermath was still flowing; If the later history is no longer circuitous, it is not only a blessing for southerners. Of course, South Renye Fang has shortcomings. The migration of dignitaries to the south has brought a corrupt and decadent atmosphere, but the north is clean. Temperament is different, there are shortcomings and advantages, just like northerners have both. In my opinion, northerners have the advantage of being thick, while southerners have the advantage of being smart. However, the disadvantage of massiness is also stupidity, and the disadvantage of cleverness is also cunning. Therefore, a gentleman once pointed out the shortcomings: northerners are "full and unintentional"; Southerners are "living in groups all day long, and words are not as good as deeds." As far as the leisure class is concerned, I think it is generally so.

Shortcomings can be corrected and advantages can be learned from each other. There is a saying in the photo album that northerners are southerners and southerners are expensive. I don't think this is a lie. The northerners in the south are heavy and smart, while the southerners in the north are heavy and smart. The so-called "expensive" in the past was only the success at that time. Now, this is a useful career. This is a road to rehabilitation for China people.

○ Lin Yutang's My Country and My People;

China people in the north are used to simple thinking and hard life. They are tall and strong, passionate and humorous, love to eat green onions and like to make jokes. They are the sons of nature. In all respects, they are more like Mongols, but more conservative than people in Shanghai and Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. They have not lost their national vitality. They led to generations of local separatist forces in China. They also provide character material for novels describing China's wars and adventures.

In the southeast frontier, south of the Yangtze River, people will see another kind of people. They are accustomed to ease, diligent in rest, sophisticated, mentally developed, physically degraded, and like poetry and ease. They are sleek but underdeveloped men and slim but neurasthenia women. They drink bird's nest soup and eat lotus seeds. They are shrewd businessmen, excellent writers and cowards on the battlefield, ready to roll to the ground and cry for their parents before their outstretched fists fall on their heads. They are descendants of an educated China family who crossed the river with their books and paintings at the end of the Jin Dynasty. At that time, northern China was invaded by savage tribes.

○ Zhang Ailing's What is a Shanghainese;

Shanghai people's first impression is that they are white and fat. In Hong Kong, nine times out of ten Cantonese people are black and thin, Indians are darker and Malays are thinner. Accustomed to them, Shanghainese seem to be white and fat, like advertisements for milk powder substitutes.

The second impression is that Shanghainese are "well-connected". Popular literature in Hong Kong can be represented by the well-known bus stop sign "Stop here if you want". Shanghai is not like this. When I first arrived in Shanghai, I often exclaimed from my heart: "What a Shanghainese!" When I went to buy soap, I heard a young apprentice explain to his companion, "Well, it is the honor of Zhang Xun, the honor of meritorious service, not the fragrance of the wind." There is an advertisement for the opening of a department store in "News", which uses the parallel genre of Yanghu School to write practical and touching words. Regarding the harm of improper gift selection, the conclusion is: "Friendship is no big deal!" It seems ironic, but in fact it is completely true and not exaggerated.

Shanghai people's "communication" is not limited to fluency and sophistication. We can find real spiritual writing everywhere. There was a limerick in the tabloid last year. I have forgotten who the author is, but I will never forget that poem. Two actresses invited the author to dinner, so he wrote a poem: "Zhang Nvyun Valley is as good as the first two cards in a bottle. Fill your stomach and praise: shoes are hard to find! " What a lovely and tortuous self-mockery! There is helplessness, tolerance and laissez-faire, which are all caused by fatigue. It looks down on people and has no respect for itself, but it still retains a sense of intimacy with people. That sweaty smile is the characteristic of standard China's humor. Shanghainese are traditional China people, tempered by modern high-pressure life. The exchange of deformed products of old and new cultures may not be very healthy, but there is a strange wisdom here. Everyone says that Shanghainese are not good, but they are measured. Shanghainese will kiss up, follow suit and fish in troubled waters. However, because they have the art of dealing with the world, they cannot play too hard. I know nothing about "bad" except that all novels are inseparable from bad people. Good people like to listen to bad stories, and bad people don't like good stories. So none of the protagonists in my story is "perfect". Only one girl can be said to be ideal, kind, compassionate and fair, but if she is not beautiful, I am afraid she is a little annoying. Shanghainese are not so naive.

○ Yu's Shanghai dialect

The greatest psychological quality of Shanghai civilization is tolerant coexistence based on individual freedom.

In China, the contradiction with Shanghai-style tolerance is the Jing Zhao mentality that feudal rule has been breeding for a long time. Even after the feudal era, the improvement and inheritance of this mentality was still scattered everywhere. This mentality extends to provincial capitals and counties, forming a tacit understanding and a wide range. No matter what kind of flood played a role in the past, this mentality was washed away in Shanghai. As long as they don't interfere with themselves, Shanghainese generally don't criticize other people's lifestyles. Compared with other places, Shanghainese have less contact with their neighbors in apartments and dormitories. As a last resort, several families have to share a kitchen or bathroom, but there are often frictions and quarrels between them, because each family should maintain its own independence and freedom. Therefore, the tolerance of Shanghainese is not manifested in humility, but in "mutual management." In the moral sense, humility is a virtue; However, in a deeper cultural and psychological sense, "each manages his own affairs" may be closer to the tolerance concept of modern people. It is more meaningful to recognize the rationality of the existence of various ecosystems alone and that we can be indifferent to each other than the humility achieved through hard moral training. Why humble? Because the choice is unique, it is either you or me, or I will compete with you if I don't let you. This is the basic lifestyle and moral starting point under the unified order. Why can you "mind your own business"? Because there are many ways to choose from, you go your way, I go my way, and no one will swallow anyone. This is a mutual accommodation contract derived from the recognition of the pluralistic world.

Another psychological quality of Shanghai civilization is a shrewd estimation of actual interests. Perhaps the remnants of Xu Guangqi's Elements of Geometry still exist, or perhaps the rapidly changing reality around him has shaped a skill. Shanghainese have always paid more attention to scientific effectiveness and can't stand the stupidity of slow swallowing.

Shanghai people have little courage to engage in scientific research and trade, but there are not many miscalculations. All units in the country will be interested in some troublesome things, and it is generally more competent to invite Shanghainese to do it. This is no secret anywhere.

Shanghainese don't like big meals, fine wine and seafood. I don't like "talking about mountains" and talking all night; I don't like to spend several days with a foreign friend to show my loyalty to friendship. I don't like listening to big reports, and I don't want to be long-winded; A cultural salon in Shanghai can't be set up because the participants estimate that it is not worth the loss to lose so much time; Shanghainese don't want to stay in luxury hotels even if they have the conditions, because it is of no practical benefit to either party ... everything is beyond reproach. If Shanghai people's shrewdness only stays in these places, it is not annoying.

Another psychological quality of Shanghai-style civilization is the pursuit of open culture, which originates from the history of international communication.

In contrast, the psychological state of Shanghainese facing the international community is relatively balanced nationwide. They have never despised foreigners in their hearts, so they will not be afraid of foreigners and will not show extraordinary respect. Generally speaking, they are a little idolatrous, but they are not very likable in temperament. My friend Sha humorously pointed out that one of his attitudes towards life is "worshipping foreign things and obsessing foreign things", which can be used to summarize the mentality of Shanghainese.

Zhao sleepless "southerners and northerners":

No matter what the reason, northerners win more and lose less, and over time they have developed a careless, careless and swaggering momentum. They think this is male chauvinism, and they think they should call themselves "men". You often hear people say "northerners", but you have never heard of "southerners". I have often heard of Kanto man, Shandong man, Northwest man, Hebei man and Tianjin man, but I have never heard of Guangdong man, Hunan man, Fujian man, Jiangsu man and Shanghai man. Shanghai is a delicate place, so what kind of men are there? After living in Shanghai for many years, Lu Xun only survived "four men". Another reason why northerners call men is that northerners are taller than southerners. Why are northerners tall? It is said that it was eaten from noodles. Southerners eat rice. Westerners eat noodles, so they are tall; Indians of the same race eat rice, which is shorter. Southerners are similar to people who eat rice in Japan and Southeast Asia, while northerners are similar to western Europeans and Americans. Northerners go abroad and eat bread every day without getting bored. Southerners can't. They must get some rice to eat.

Northerners like to eat large pieces of meat and drink in big bowls; Southerners should cut the meat finely, simmer it, fry it tender and warm the wine. Southerners like to eat green leaves, but if they don't eat for a few days, they can't shit; Northerners don't care, they can shit if they eat meat. Northerners like to eat jiaozi, which is their greatest contribution to China's diet. Southerners like to eat wonton. Jiaozi just dipped in vinegar, one bite at a time. Wonton needs a soup bowl and complete seasoning, only half a bite. Southerners like onions while northerners like garlic. Southerners eat pickles and northerners eat pickles; Southerners eat Chili to get rid of dampness, while northerners eat Chili to get rid of cold. Southerners are salty, spicy, oily and sweet, while northerners are dry and sour. Northerners regard eating as "infatuation" and just eat it every time. Southerners call eating "seven",