梁爽

【摘要】梭羅是19世紀(jì)美國著名作家，他是超驗主義和生態(tài)文學(xué)的代表，對于人生，他強調(diào)個人的精神追求和對自然的尊重，主張適度和合理的工業(yè)化和現(xiàn)代文明，回歸荒野，提倡人類詩意的棲居。在梭羅眼中，人類的真正家園是美麗迷人的大自然，我們來自于自然，并從自然中汲取必要的生活物質(zhì)和靈魂寄托?！锻郀柕呛肥撬罅_的一本著名的散文集，該書出版于 1854 年，書中描述了他自 1854 年春獨自一人在馬薩諸塞康科德鎮(zhèn)的瓦爾登湖畔度過的兩年零兩個月的生活經(jīng)歷，書中詳盡記敘了他與大自然融為一體的生活狀態(tài)，并以哲理思辨，優(yōu)美靈動的語言表達了他對生活的獨特思考。這是一部帶有批判性質(zhì)的自傳作品，作者所處的時代正是資本主義工業(yè)日益發(fā)達并取得可喜成就的時代，他的思想在當(dāng)時并沒有得到強烈呼應(yīng)，但是伴隨著工業(yè)化進程中出現(xiàn)的多種多樣的生態(tài)危機和環(huán)境問題，梭羅在當(dāng)今被人們又重新關(guān)注，重新關(guān)注心靈家園和物質(zhì)世界的自然復(fù)歸。本文立足這部作品，試圖探討梭羅的一些生態(tài)思想和保護地球家園的一些舉措，并簡要探求建設(shè)生態(tài)文明對于當(dāng)今社會的意義。

【關(guān)鍵詞】梭羅和瓦爾登湖 人類物質(zhì)和精神的家園 保護家園的措施

【Abstract】Thoreau was a famous American writer of the 19th century， who was the representative figure of transcendentalism and ecological literature and emphasized the personal spiritual quest， abandoned industrialization and modern civilization. He advocates people to return to the wilderness and human poetic dwelling. In his mind， the real home for our human is nature， which provides us with the necessary substances and keeps the balance between soul and sprit.Walden is a well-known collection of essays， which was published in 1854. The book describes the experience that he lives alone for two years and two months beside the Walden in the town of Concord of Massachusetts. The book detailed the state being integrated with nature. And he expressed his unique reflection on life through philosophical speculation as well as smart and beautiful language. This is an autobiographical work with criticism nature. Thoreau lived in the era when the capitalist industry developed prosperously and got great achievements. Thus， his thoughts at the time did not get a strong echo. But along with the process of industrialization， there appears a variety of ecological crises and environmental problems. Witness the appearance of the earth full of holes， natural ecology black and blue， the value of Thoreau's has been readdressed. He represents the ecological literature which is concerned with the relationship between man and nature. Ecology criticism is to find the ultimate cause for ecological imbalance and explore the ways to live in harmony with nature. Hence the name of Thoreau is on the agenda of popular literature again.

【Key words】Thoreau and Walden； home for human； ways to protect the home

Introduction

Walden was considered to be Thoreau's Declaration of Spiritual Independence. He probed in-to the issues of how on earth human beings should live their lives and the values and meanings of life. Man can strive to achieve his spiritual perfection through inner source of nature， and find their final home in nature. Nature is the embodiment of the universal Spirit； Intuition plays an important role in Man's spiritual perfection. Thoreau made an in-depth interpretation of the artistic life by way of his aesthetic life practice.

This paper explores Thoreaus thought of nature and its implications for modern ecological ethics in the work of Walden. Thoreau was not only an ardent observer of nature who discovered and articulated the ecological principle that governs nature， but also had a deep insight about nature. Based on his transcendental idealism， Thoreau resisted the reduction of nature to its material and economic value and emphasized the spiritual and aesthetic aspects of nature and argued for a balance between civilization and wilderness. All these eco-centric elements in Thoreaus thought proved attractive to modern ecological ethics， especially for the spiritual quest for home nowadays.

Chapter I Thoreau and Walden

Thoreau was a famous American writer of the 19th century， who was the representative figure of transcendentalism and ecological literature and emphasized the personal spiritual quest， abandoned industrialization and modern civilization. He advocates people to return to the wilderness and human poetic dwelling. In his mind， the real home for our human is nature， which provides us with the necessary substances and keeps the balance between soul and sprit.

Walden is a well-known collection of essays， which was published in 1854. The book describes the experience that he lives alone for two years and two months beside the Walden in the town of Concord of Massachusetts. The book detailed the state being integrated with nature. And he expressed his unique reflection on life through philosophical speculation as well as smart and beautiful language. This is an autobiographical work with criticism nature. Thoreau lived in the era when the capitalist industry developed prosperously and got great achievements. Thus， his thoughts at the time did not get a strong echo. But along with the process of industrialization， there appears a variety of ecological crises and environmental problems. Witness the appearance of the earth full of holes， natural ecology black and blue， the value of Thoreau's has been readdressed. He represents the ecological literature which is concerned with the relationship between man and nature. Ecology criticism is to find the ultimate cause for ecological imbalance and explore the ways to live in harmony with nature. Hence the name of Thoreau is on the agenda of popular literature again.

Chapter II Home for Human

1. Double Value for Human

Thoreau has a broad and deep love for nature and people and he has a unique view of ecological holism of nature. He believes that nature and human beings are equal in status， and human beings do not have any reason to use their initiative to conduct endless exploitation of the natural world. Faced with the development of technology， humans ability to control their own destiny enhances. With increasing affluence in the material life， nature are increasingly changing the face of its own. Thoreau has been deeply concerned about this situation since a hundred years ago， who questioned the one-sided value of industrialization and called on people to cherish nature and protect the environment， which is our common home. Thoreau truly expresses his love for nature in his book. Without nature， human society will lose its own existence based on spiritual home as well as materials.

In the eyes of Thoreau， Walden is the most typical and representative symbol in nature， which is a beautiful incarnation. Through praise and appreciation of Walden， Thoreau conveys information of cherishing nature. Nature gives the material conditions of human existence as well as the sustenance of people's aesthetic perception and emotion. Nature gave him spiritual solace， and helped Thoreau break the boredom of life. Nature endowed him with life meaning and spiritual homeland. Only the people who are free to enjoy the vast horizon of land can feel the real happiness of life.

2. Caring Nature is Caring Our Own Home

For Thoreau， the purpose of writing Walden is to show the truth， that is， the simple life. Faced with large-scale impact of modern civilization， there appears a reversal of the trend of Thoreau， advocating non-materialistic lifestyle. He felt that the people's life under modern civilization is full of dirt and squalor， full of mercenary and hedonism， and so on. People lose the real essence of human and the happiness of being part of the home of nature. People have been called the primates of the universe by the rationalists. Humans themselves also advantageously to consider their identity over the other beings， feeling the comfort bestowed by the modern civilization.

Mankind has developed a series of energy and resources to meet their needs of laziness， and everywhere is full of endless human desires and greed. The meaning of life is increasingly empty， as well as the caring for life. Nowadays， the definition of a happy life is the fall in the mire of matter instead of the affluence of feelings of the inner world. Thoreau urged people not to forget the conscience， did not forget the true meaning and value of life. Barbaric deprivation of nature， will exceed the limits of nature itself sooner or later， and finally destroy this harmony. He said， most of the luxury goods， and so-called comfortable life， not only do not have its essentials， but also hinder human from making progress. As for luxury and comfort， the most sensible life will be even more simple than the poor， but simple and serious. Thus， in the process of caring nature， we are also on the way to care ourselves， caring our house in the world as well as the spiritual home，

3. Worship of Nature Instead of Man

Modern society has changed the concepts from the distant ancient thoughts of God worship to people-oriented. This epistemological turn will inevitably lead to the status of myth in people today， who are the only rational animal in the world and become the masters of the universe. Anthropocentric position to provide mankind ideologically misguided and unlimited power in action， fortunately the eco - aesthetics with a unique vision， keen to discover the concept of integration between man and nature， and establish a noble humanistic care values. It should be the moral conscience of mankind which has disappeared. We need the change of attitude from our heart， and correctly handle the relationship between our human beings and nature.

Thoreau believed that it is the mistake of modern civilization that led to the plunder of nature， and this will inevitably lead to the fall of the human spiritual home. Walden is intended to convey a spirit that is the spirit of self-purification， return to moral conscience， besides， we are to break the limitations of the metaphysical， and bring the intrinsic purification into external action. He said： “Conscience is not all of moral life， but if conscience call people to take some action， people should not just express themselves moral responsibility verbally.” If a man should pursue freedom， then he should use practical actions to fight for it.

Chapter III Ways to Protect Our Home

Earth is the home for human and a variety of biological livings. Today， the home is facing an unprecedented crisis， climate change and extreme weather increase， forest cover decline， increasingly scarce of freshwater resources， acceleration of species extinction rates， and a variety of energy sources are depleted. How to deal with the ecological crisis and its possible disastrous consequences is a pressing issue. Walden published in 1854， Thoreau epitomizes the ecological reflection on human society. Reread this work and reflect the misunderstandings in the process of human and social development， and seek the best way to keep harmony between man and nature and solve the ecological crisis， which is an important reference as well as of great significance.

1. Equal Members

Human is not the conqueror and manager of nature and other creatures， but equal members. At present， a threat to human survival and the entire Earth's biosphere ecological crisis is originated in a long time in Western society and even in the whole of human society dominated by anthropocentrism. Thoreau described the creatures in spite of living and lifeless substances are equal members on the earth. Thoreau who denied the ownership of the natural landscape， opposed the use of natural scenery to make a profit， Thoreau has been acutely aware of the environmental pollution and human damage to nature.

Quite different from his contemporaries， Thoreau recognized the greatness of nature and insignificance and limits. And he bears the feeling of gratitude and awe towards nature. In a period of rapid development of capitalist industrial civilization， and in the extreme expansion of humanism， Thoreau can recognize the small of human and greatness of nature， which is very valuable. Today， we should recognize that it is humans ignorance and arrogance that led to wanton destruction of mankind on the Earth's ecosystems， and we should return to the inherent character of mankind. As one of equal members of the Earth's biosphere and other species， to save our mankind and our common home， we should communicate with the other species equally and kindly.

2. Control the Desires and Return to the Simple Life

People's desire has been regarded as driving force for economic and social development. However， inflated human desires destroy the lives of other creatures in the territory， severely damaged the ecosystem of the Earth， throw the entire planet into a disastrous destruction. The result would be overwhelmed by nature brink collapse， bringing the final destruction of mankind. Thoreau believed that a simple life is more likely to liberate the mind and thinking which would bring more time for people to focus on their inner feelings and tender the beautiful nature of life， and get the richer spiritual enjoyment. The most sensible people live even more simple and plain than the poor.

As far as the ecological ethics is concerned， if human beings can control their greed and return to a simple life， which can liberate the mankind as well as the nature from body and soul. Human withdraw from the role of the master of all things and return to the biosphere to live smoothly and equally with other members of the species and integrate with the nature totally， which is the real solution to the today's ecological crisis， hence the fundamental ideas to save the Earth as well as ourselves.

3. Opposed to the Over-Exploitation

Thoreau opposed to the over-exploitation of natural and plunder of the industrial civilization taken science and technology as the forerunner. Thoreau do not advocate the development of industrial civilization and commercial development， for Thoreau， which are not of positive significance to humans. Instead， they hinder the enjoyment of true spirit and undermine human meaning of life. Thoreau said that man should not blindly create the so-called invention and innovation. Before the invention and innovation， we should seriously consider their value which will do good or do harm to the true human happiness and liberation in the end. Thoreau said， our invention is often like the beautiful toys， which attract our attention and bring us away from the serious and meanful things， and finally destroy the freedom of human spirit. Disastrous effects gradually appear with the rapid development of industrial civilization， therefore， the thought and view of Thoreau are becoming more and more respectable.

Until now， hundreds of years have passed since the publication of Walden. Mankind have been revenged by the nature for its unrestrained exploitation and plunder of the nature in various forms such as the global warming， frequent extreme weather， resources depletion， and environmental extreme deterioration， “cloning” genetically modified food， which brings great threat to security of existing ethical order and the continuation of human populations. The whole ecosphere is on the verge of collapse， and at this time， reread Walden tasting its ecological thinking and summing its ecological solutions to the ecological crisis， which would be a move of great practical significance. If we can fully implement the ecological thinking in “Walden”， humans still have the hope to save the entire ecosphere and redeem themselves. Otherwise， humans will become the sinner of the Earth by destroying this common homeland of mankind and all creatures personally.

Conclusion

Humans still have the hope to save the entire ecosphere and redeem themselves. Otherwise， humans will become the sinner of the Earth by destroying this common homeland of mankind and all creatures personally.

References：

[1]THOREAU，H.D./Chesuncook，The Maine Wood[A].in Henry David Thoreau[M].The Library ofAmerica，1985.

[2]THOREAU，H.D./Life Without Principle[A].Great Short Works of Henry David Thoreau[C].edit with an introduction by Wendell Glick，Harper &Row，1982.