Keywords: Tsunesaburo Makiguchi; Tadao plum; Ecological civilization; Civilized ecological historical view
1 Makuchi Kozaburo is an educational reformer who grew up during the Meiji Restoration and the founder of Sōka Gakkai. At the beginning of Japan's rapid industrialization, 1903 systematically expounded his ecological civilization thought in the book Geography of Life. It holds that "nature is the educator, enlightener, leader and comforter of human beings, and emphasizes the important role of equal communication between man and natural environment in improving people's life and personality", and [1] puts forward that natural geographical environment is the primary factor for Japan's success. ?
Mei Zhongdao is a famous Japanese ecologist after World War II. When Japan's industrialization was successful, he published the preface to the ecological history of civilization in 1957, and put forward the "ecological history of civilization" for the first time. He used the ecological environment to explain why Japan and Western Europe took the lead in entering industrial civilization, and examined the evolution of history and human civilization from an ecological perspective. ?
Mu Kou and Mei Yong's concept of ecological civilization has impacted the thinking that other regions and countries can only embark on the road of modernization by imitating the West, highlighted the relationship between natural geographical environment, culture and modernization in various countries, and made us pay more attention to the role of ecological civilization construction and ecological civilization education in the transformation of national modernization, which has strong practical significance. ?
1. Makguchi's thoughts on ecological civilization?
1903, Tsunesaburo Makiguchi adopted a far-sighted ecological viewpoint in his Geography of Life, and suggested that human beings should have a dialogue with nature. He believes that human beings, as a part of nature, are interdependent and influence each other. In his works, he always expounds his ecological civilization thought from the perspective of the interaction between man and nature. ?
First, respect nature and communicate with it on an equal footing. Mukou thinks animals, trees, rivers and rocks. You should regard yourself as a part and put yourself in the other's shoes. We should try our best to look at our connection with the world around us from a natural perspective. As long as we sincerely get close to nature and find a close relationship with nature, we will naturally welcome you, encourage you, support you, and finally show you her spiritual essence, and you will start an eternal friendship. [2]?
Second, based on the local environment, look at the world environment. Makguchi believes that interdependence is a process that human beings need to go through and must go through, and it is foolish to limit their eyes to their own world. However, hometown has mysterious power, and the biggest memory of a person who travels around the world is hometown. However, hometown is expanding with the expansion of human activities. Hometown may be a country or a nation. From the perspective of the universe, hometown is the earth on which we live. Although our purpose is to understand the whole world and transform it, the native land where we were born is the basis for observing the world. [3]?
Third, make rational use of nature and protect the environment. Mukou believes that the development of human society is not abstract, it must be carried out in the right time and place, and different natural conditions have different effects on social development. He stressed that we can establish industries according to different natural conditions, develop corresponding industries and seek the prosperity of society and the country. [4] But the relationship between human beings and the earth is very complicated ... This relationship permeates everything we do and affects all aspects of our life experience. If this relationship is ignored, many problems will arise. [5] It will not only destroy the environment, but also endanger human beings themselves. ?
Fourth, nature shapes personality and promotes morality. Makguchi believes that nature is the source of human life and spirit, and the natural and social environment in my hometown brings us the most direct experience, which makes us feel sympathy, goodwill, friendship, kindness, loyalty and simplicity. Amazing and complicated phenomena in nature exist in harmony, balance and consistency ... Observing and feeling the beauty and harmony of nature will stimulate our emotions and emotions. We will be moved, and our spirit will be purified and become pure. This aesthetic feeling and harmony with nature will have an impact on our moral life. Nature is our educator, enlightener, leader and comforter. The happiness of our life is closely related to nature and depends on the intimacy with nature. In close contact with nature, people's personality has become stable and their morality has become increasingly mature, which is helpful to cultivate people's body, mind and personality. [6]?
Fifth, fear nature. Marcucci believes that there are harmonious, symmetrical and universal laws in the complex and diverse nature. The universe gave birth to human beings, and human beings are just one of many things in the universe. When we realize that the universe and many things in the universe are beyond our understanding and imagination, we feel very small and limited. Unconsciously, our hearts are full of respect and awe for nature. [7]?
Sixth, the ecological environment is closely related to the development of civilization. Makguchi thinks that the temperature in Japan and Britain is moderate and the seasons change ... These island countries are not only suitable for material life, but also for spiritual life. The changeable and mild climate inspires and cultivates people's spirit. Britain accepted the influence of civilization from the European continent, but as a nation, they soon surpassed the European continent that had influenced them. The same is true of Japan, … and mainland countries are not easy to accept the influence of foreign cultures. Therefore, although the islanders are slowly stimulated at first, they will develop rapidly once they wake up. The success of Britain and Japan should be attributed to their being island countries. [8] Peninsula is the birthplace of independent civilization, and Greek and Italian peninsulas produced Greek and Roman civilization, Arabian Peninsula Christianity, Indian Peninsula Buddhism and China Shandong Peninsula Confucianism. [9]?
More than a century ago, Japan had just begun to rapidly enter industrialization, and Kimguchi was keenly aware of the possible environmental and moral problems. He wanted to change the backward education situation in Japan at that time through the thought of life geography, and hoped to solve social problems with his environmental education thought. ?
Finally, from the perspective of ecology, Mukou inferred from the relationship between ecological environment and civilization development that Britain, the United States and Japan will be the pioneers of world civilization in the future, and the world's dream of obtaining developed civilization through humanitarian competition will be realized. [ 10]?
Second, Tadao Mei's "civilized ecological history view"?
1957, Tadaomei published the preface to the history of civilization and ecology, which became famous for putting forward the history of civilization and ecology for the first time. He examines the evolution of history and human civilization from the perspective of ecology. ?
Mei Yong took Eurasia as the object of investigation and divided Eurasia into the first area and the second area. The first region includes Japan and Western Europe ... Other regions belong to the second region, which can be divided into four groups: China world, Indian world, Russian world, Mediterranean world or Islamic world. In the evolution of human civilization from agricultural society to industrial society, from a global perspective, the second region once created brilliant agricultural civilization, but it was greatly backward. Western Europe and Japan stood out and took the lead in entering the industrial society. [ 1 1]?
Mei used ecological environment to explain why Japan and western Europe took the lead in entering industrial civilization. He believes that the second region is the birthplace of human civilization, while the first region is located in the mid-latitude region, with mild climate, moderate rainfall and high land productivity. However, in the early history, it was difficult to produce a high degree of civilization because of being covered by forests. As a result, the first region began its course as a barbaric and backward nation, and introduced civilization from the second region. The second area has a dry climate and belongs to an arid zone. It is often attacked by nomadic people from the desert and suffered a devastating blow. As a result, the history of this area shows the characteristics of endless alternation between construction and destruction, which has caused the backwardness of the second area. In contrast, the first region is located on the edge of Eurasia, and the violent destruction in Central Asia failed to affect it. When violence approaches, it has the ability to resist. With the enhancement of scientific and technological strength to a certain extent, this region can rapidly grow into a higher level civilization with its superior ecological environment. [ 12]?
Mei Wenming's ecological view of history mainly demonstrates that Western Europe and Japan, which are far apart on the earth, "develop and progress in the same direction and finally realize the so-called parallel evolution process". [13] Here, what Mei wants to demonstrate and emphasize is the concept of "parallel" development of Japanese civilization and European civilization. He believes that "the Japanese civilization on this earth is a unique civilization completely independent of Western civilization". [14] Of course, it's not just to prove that Japanese civilization developed in parallel with Western European civilization. Its intention is that Japanese civilization will become a civilization form independent of European civilization, that is, even without the eastward spread of western civilization, Japan will realize modernization in the natural development of its own civilization. Then, in this sense, the view that modernization is westernization has no place. Conversely, the so-called western civilization is not a universal civilization, but a unique civilization. Civilization is inherently pluralistic, and it is unnecessary and unreasonable for countries and nations outside the West to take western civilization as the value standard or catch up with it. Similarly, Yue Mei has repeatedly warned that countries that pursue their own modernization with the Japanese model are doomed to failure because of the differences in natural environment and cultural traditions of various ethnic groups. ?
3. What is the comparison between Mu Kou's ecological civilization thought and Mei Qiu's historical view of ecological civilization?
Japan's Mukou entered the initial stage of industrialization, just half a century after the successful industrialization of Meiba. They all look at Japanese and world civilizations from an ecological perspective and creatively establish their own unique theoretical system. Their theory is based on the world stage, which reflects the Japanese attitude towards their national civilization and social state at that time. There are both connections and great differences between them. ?
(1) Both Yamaguchi and Meiyong believe that the unique ecological environment is the primary factor for Japan to take the lead in modernization?
The ecological civilization thoughts of Mu Kou and Mei Yong have both historical continuity and historical particularity. The comparison of their thoughts is inseparable from Fukuzawa Yukichi. As we all know, Fukuzawa Yukichi was an enlightenment thinker during the Meiji Restoration. His view of civilization regarded western civilization as the highest form of human civilization at that time and advocated the theory of "separation from Asia and Europe" In order to catch up with advanced civilization, we can even resort to war by any means. His thoughts provided a theoretical basis for the formation and development of fanatical militarism. It has had a far-reaching and tremendous impact on the historical process of Japanese social development. It can be said that both Kimguchi and Meiyou are reflections and reactionaries on Fukuzawa's concept of civilization and militarism formed in Japanese society. ?
Fukuzawa Yukichi lived in a special historical era when Japan was facing a profound crisis. Its ideological origin comes from the profound reflection on Confucian culture in China, the crisis consciousness of the island country and the worship of western civilization, which is a manifestation of lack of confidence in Japanese civilization. However, due to the success of Meiji Restoration and the rapid rise of Japan after World War II, Japanese national self-confidence has been greatly enhanced. His social thoughts gradually turned to the uniqueness and independence of Japanese civilization. The intellectual class as the carrier of ideological culture, especially the so-called "civilization theory" as the epitome of their ideological achievements, is a reflection of this trend of thought. Mukou and Meiyou are the representatives of this trend of thought. Their understanding of western civilization and Japanese civilization and their relationship is quite different from Fukuzawa's point of view. ?
In short, Mukou's view of civilization is "the theory of island civilization backwardness". He opposed war and militarism and advocated the evolution of world civilization through humanitarian competition. He was arrested and imprisoned for sticking to his ideals and died in prison at the age of 73. According to his own view of ecological civilization, he examines the natural environment and social environment from the perspective of the communication between human beings and geographical environment, and firmly believes that Japan can also rely on its inherent island ecological environment advantages to defeat the enemy without fighting, build a world of humanitarian competition and become a modern country. Under the social background of Japan at that time, Yamaguchi's thought could not become the mainstream, but he saw the possibility of Japan's national modernization through peaceful means, and Mei Yong's "ecological civilization history view" was the inheritance and development of his thought. ?
Another reason for Mei Yong's "ecological view of civilization history" is his investigation in South Asia and other countries. The direct reason is that Toynbee's historical view holds that "civilization is a challenge". In this regard, Mei Yong published his unique view of world history. The essence of Mei Yong's view of history is that since Mukou, Japanese society believes that its prosperity is due to its unique geographical and ecological environment. This non-mainstream thought has become the mainstream thought with the rise of Japan, which is the Japanese explanation of the reasons for Japan's modernization and a new historical perspective to examine the evolution of world civilization. ?
The difference between them is that Mukou only has simple thoughts, while Mei Yong has formed a systematic theory, dividing the world into two regions, and investigating Japan and Western Europe in the same ecological sense as Mukou-mainly the conditions are similar to those of Britain. He believes that "Japanese civilization on this earth is a unique civilization completely independent of western civilization" and puts forward the final view of "parallel evolution process", which is obviously more convincing than Kimguchi's view. ?
(2) Both Mukou and Mei Yong believe that we should base ourselves on our own ecology and culture and take our own development path?
Makguchi's and Mei Yong's thoughts on ecological civilization outline the development of human civilization from a macro perspective, construct a world model of modern development, and illustrate the position of Japanese civilization in the world. It can be said that it is a theory of Japanese culture and a theory of world civilization. ?
Mukou believes that people's temperament and local customs are influenced by the environment, and climate has an important relationship with geographical location and civilization. [15] When Marco Gucci wrote the book Geography of Life, the western industrial social model represented by the United States was sweeping the world, and this model was "nature is the object of development". The development of industrialized society envisaged by Mukou is based on the interdependence and mutual connection between man and the earth. He opposed imperialist war plunder and advocated humanitarian competition. He envied and advocated some aspects of western industrial civilization, and advised not to fully absorb the western model, and provided the Chinese with a unique vision of Japanese industrialization, that is, relying on Japan's geographical environment and cultural traditions to develop its own industry, taking traditional culture as a link, and making Japan enter the industrial society through the integration of man and nature. However, in the early decades of the 20th century, Japan rejected Makguchi's vision and most of his suggestions, and followed the American industrial model, which was based on unrestricted exploitation of nature and limited population growth through industrial development. Now we have to face up to the negative consequences of the choices made by these two industrial powers and western Europe in the development stage. [ 16]?
Mei Yong believes: "The so-called history, from an ecological point of view, is the result of the interaction between man and land. In other words, it is the result of the main environmental system's own movement. Among the main factors that determine this form of exercise, the most important one is natural factors. " [17] Then the world is divided into two regions to demonstrate and emphasize the concept of "parallel" development of Japanese civilization and European civilization. Western civilization is not a universal civilization, but a unique civilization, and world civilization is pluralistic. Most Asian and African scholars still believe in the myth of the superiority of European civilization, and believe that human civilization with Europe as its apex is a straight-line development process, and compare countries around the world on this straight line. Mei Yong's view of parallel evolution of civilization broke the myth that European civilization is the highest civilization and develops in a straight line, and repeatedly warned countries not to imitate Japan because of different ecological environment and cultural traditions, but to take the road of civilization development that suits their own characteristics. "Even if Japan can't serve as an example, the trend that Asian countries will inevitably realize modernization is unchangeable." [ 18]?
Since the concept of ecological history was put forward, we can see that many scholars pay more attention to the role of natural geographical environment in modernization transformation. Australian Jones and American Stavri? Anoos pointed out that the geographical location and natural environment in Western Europe are conducive to its modernization. [ 19]?
(3) Mukou pays more attention to the relationship between nature and life, while Mei Yong pays more attention to the relationship between ecology and civilization?
Since the beginning of the 20th century, Kimguchi has been keenly aware of the environmental problems such as imperfect personality, moral decline and spiritual poverty that Japan will follow the western industrialization model, and advocated establishing a good relationship between man and nature in order to solve the difficulties brought by industrialization to mankind. Makguchi believes that there are two main ways for human beings to interact with nature: one is physical and the other is spiritual. The initial and direct relationship between man and nature is the physical relationship. However, it is through the spiritual interaction with nature that people begin to shape their own characteristics. He listed eight relationships between man and nature: perceptual relationship, utilitarian relationship, scientific relationship, aesthetic relationship and moral relationship; Sympathy, public relations, religious relations. [20]?
Makguchi believes that the first five are the "experience" relationship between man and nature, and the last three are the "communication" relationship between man and nature. Experience mainly refers to intellectual interaction, while communication includes emotional interaction. Experience allows us to accumulate knowledge, and communication allows us to cultivate emotions. ?
When people are in the beautiful nature, people's hearts and souls will surely wander in this beautiful and fresh natural wonder, which is what Makguchi said about the relationship between people and natural perception. He believes that this emotional relationship is very important and is the basis for more spiritual and intellectual activities between man and nature. Through human observation and experience of nature, curiosity about nature is the cause and result of stimulating human exploration and investigation, which is the premise of all science. The influence of nature on human beings is not limited to the relationship between utility and science. Various complex phenomena in nature exist in harmony, balance and consistency. The beauty and harmony of nature will inspire our emotions and emotions, our spirit will be purified and beautiful virtues will emerge. This is the relationship between aesthetics and morality. ?
When we treat nature with a deep emotion and can put ourselves in the position of being a part of the body, people will regard nature as a companion or friend, and a sympathetic relationship will arise. Man is a social animal, and no one can live completely independently without society and nature, which forms a relationship. When we realize that in nature, we human beings are just one of many things in the universe, we will feel very small and limited. Unconsciously, we will be full of awe of nature. This is why we communicate with the infinite universe and worship God, Buddha or spiritual essence. This is what Markucci said about the relationship between man and natural religion. [2 1]?
Mei Yong's trip to Southeast Asia from 65438 to 0957 supplemented the relationship between his original ecology and world civilization, and put the civilization evolution of Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe into his geometric composition from the perspective of ecological history. As the picture shows, the shadow in the middle of the ellipse is an arid zone including desert and grassland, which has played an important role in the development of history. Arid areas are the source of violence and destruction. Since ancient times, the cruel and violent movements of nomadic people and other ethnic groups have destroyed the surrounding civilized world, and the second region has been hit hard repeatedly. Its outer side is a semi-arid area such as savanna, and then it is a humid area covered by forest. ..... The forest area in Southeast Asia is so large that it cannot produce a higher level of civilization. In ancient times, it was an uncivilized and barbaric area like Japan. Later, due to the input of more advanced civilizations in the surrounding areas, an empire was established accordingly. This is the same as Japan, but it has been different since then. Affected by the invasion or chain reaction of other civilizations, destruction and rise and fall are repeated. From a more civilized point of view, Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe have many similar characteristics: First, both regions are made up of many small countries, and they used to be the middle regions surrounded by three worlds. Secondly, languages, nationalities and beliefs are diverse. Third, the history of Eastern Europe is very similar to that of Southeast Asia. This region has been invaded by Russia, Islam and Western Europe many times, just as Southeast Asia is often invaded by Chinese Empire, India and Japan. This ecological environment is the main reason for the formation of civilizations in Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe. [22]?
(4) Mu Kou pays more attention to the relationship between education and ecological civilization, while Mei Yong pays more attention to the relationship between national development and geographical environment?
As an educator, Makuchi emphasizes that learners should learn directly in the natural and social environment, rather than simply learning. Because he believes that the cultivation of moral quality, grateful attitude, curiosity about nature and social systems that support people's lives, and a sense of responsibility for these systems are indispensable for personal happiness and social health, and these qualities cannot be cultivated by other means. He asserted that the indirect "second-hand" learning system has developed to the point of stupidity in Japan. Confining learners to the classroom and forcing students to remember, from memory to forgetting, this kind of education limits the connection between learners and the natural system of their society, which will lead to students' unhappiness and serious social problems and damage the environment. Therefore, in his life-long educational practice, perseverance education must be related to the specific social and geographical environment in which students live. Courses and teaching materials are composed of surrounding natural and social systems, and students are guided by parents, teachers and other members of society by inspiring and inducing teaching methods. In this educational process, we can learn knowledge, cultivate students' moral quality and make students have a happy life. [23]?
There is no doubt that the development of society is restricted by many conditions, but Mei Yong believes that the natural geographical environment is the primary factor that determines the development of the country and promotes historical progress. As mentioned above, according to the similarity between its natural geographical environment and western Europe, Mei Yong came to the view that Japan and western Europe evolved in parallel. Later, she made a further supplement to their ecological view of history of civilization, explaining that the geographical environment of Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe is similar, so the degree of civilization development is the same, which has affected the modernization process of the two regions. Obviously, Mei Yong's view is an environmental determinism, which studies a country's history and culture, national customs and values, and then studies the country's development opportunities in different historical periods under this background, thus determining the process of national modernization. ?
History has proved that the development model of over-exploitation of natural resources in Europe and America cannot be used as the object of imitation by late-developing countries. The United States has a population of 300 million, the consumption of natural resources exceeds 1/4 of the world's total consumption, and the emission of greenhouse gases is 1/4 of that of the United States, but at present, 50% of the people in the United States are unwilling to change their lifestyles and save energy. [24] If all mankind adopts this development model, it will only lead to the disaster of all mankind. Building ecological civilization, changing development mode and realizing the sustainable development of all mankind are common problems faced by all mankind. ?
Therefore, it is of great significance to re-explore the ecological civilization thoughts of Mu Kou and Mei You. With a unique vision, Mukou promoted his personality through equal communication between man and nature, emphasized the role of education in protecting the ecological environment, and advocated human beings to take the road of civilized development of humane competition. Mei Yong solemnly warned that Japan is not an example, and civilization is diverse. All countries should take a modernization road suitable for their own development according to their natural geographical environment and cultural background. Their view of ecological civilization has far-reaching historical significance for the development of human civilization.
[References]?
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[11] [12] [17] [18] [22] Author Mei Zhongdao, translated by Wang Zi today. Civilized Ecological Historical View ―― Collected Works of Mei [M]
[13] [14] [Japan] Author Tadao Mei, translated by Yang Fangling: What is Japan [M]. Baihua Literature and Art Publishing House, 2001.40,23.
[16] Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, translated by Ma Lingfeng and Chen Li. Life geography (English editor's introduction) [M]. Shanghai Fudan University Press 2004.33-34.
[19] edited by Ding. Modernization of developed countries [M]. Beijing: Peking University Publishing House, 1999.57.
[24] Especially not too late, Sun. American waste is shocking. Global times. 2007- 10-29 (7)。