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Proficient Chinese · Essay
说“慢”
On Slowness
An essay on speed and slowness, from Confucius and Tao Yuanming to express delivery.
Key words in this reading
- jiǎngjiu · to be particular about, to value
- gùrán · admittedly, certainly
- qiǎorán · quietly
- yùsùzébùdá · more haste, less speed
- yōurán · carefree, at ease
- cóngróng · calm, unhurried
- tíngzhì · to stagnate
- zhuānzhù · focus, concentration
- tuīqiāo · to weigh one's words, to polish
- chéndiàn · to settle; sediment
- chàngdǎo · to advocate
- tǎngruò · if, supposing
Tap any word to hear it and see what it means.
我们这个时代,似乎什么都讲究一个“快”字:快递、快餐、快速阅读,连恋爱都有了“速配”。快固然带来了效率,却也悄然改变了我们感受世界的方式。
古人并非不懂效率,但他们似乎更懂得“慢”的价值。孔子说:“欲速则不达。”陶渊明“采菊东篱下,悠然见南山”,那份从容,正是慢出来的。
慢,不等于懒惰,更不等于停滞。慢是一种专注:一杯茶,要等水温合适;一篇文章,要反复推敲;一段感情,要经得起时间的沉淀。
当然,倡导慢,并不是要我们回到驿马传书的年代。真正的问题不在于快与慢本身,而在于我们是否还有选择慢的能力。倘若连停下来都成了一种奢侈,那么我们追赶的,究竟是什么?
Comprehension check
0/4 answered
1. What is the writer's attitude to speed?
2. Why does the writer quote Confucius and Tao Yuanming?
3. According to the writer, what is slowness?
4. What does the writer see as the real question?