原文

馮友蘭先生在《新事論·贊中華》篇里第一次指出現在一般人對于青年的估價超過老年之上。這扼要的說明了我們的時代。這是青年時代，而這時代該從五四運動開始。從那時起，青年人才抬起了頭，發現了自己，不再僅僅的做祖父母的孫子，父母的兒子，社會的小孩子。他們發現了自己，發現了自己的群，發現了自己和自己的群的力量。他們跟傳統斗爭，跟社會斗爭，不斷的在爭取自己領導權甚至社會領導權，要名副其實的做新中國的主人。但是，像一切時代一切社會一樣，中國的領導權掌握在老年人和中年人的手里，特別是中年人的手里。于是乎來了青年的反抗，在學校里反抗師長，在社會上反抗統治者。他們反抗傳統和紀律，用怠工，有時也用挺擊。中年統治者記得五四以前青年的沉靜，覺得現在青年愛搗亂，惹麻煩，第一步打算壓制下去。可是不成。于是乎敷衍下去。敷衍到了難以收拾的地步，來了集體訓練，開出新局面，可是還得等著瞧呢。

青年反抗傳統，反抗社會，自古已然；只是一向他們低頭受壓，使不出大力氣，見得沉靜罷了。家庭里父代和子代鬧別扭是常見的，正是壓制與反抗的征象。政治上也有老少兩代的斗爭，漢朝的賈誼到戊戌六君子，例子并不少。中年人總是在統治的地位，老年人勢力足以影響他們的地位時，就是老年時代，青年人勢力足以影響他們的地位時，就是青年時代。老年和青年的努力互為消長，中年人卻總是在位，因此無所謂中年時代。老年人的衰朽，是過去，青年人還幼稚，是將來，占有現在的只是中年人。他們一面得安慰老年人，培植青年人，一面也在譏笑前者，煩厭后者。安慰還是順的，培植卻常是逆的，所以更難。培植是憑中年人的學識經驗做標準，大致要養成有為有守愛人愛物的中國人。青年卻恨這種切近的典型的標準妨礙他們飛躍的理想。他們不甘心在理想還未疲倦的時候就被壓進典型里去，所以總是掙扎著，在憧憬那海闊天空的境界。中年人不能了解青年人為什么總愛旁逸斜出不走正路，說是時代病，其實這倒是成德達材的大路；壓迫的，掙扎著，材德的達成就在這兩種力的平衡里。這兩種力永恒的一步步平衡著，自古已然，不過現在更其表面化罷了。

青年人愛說自己是“天真的”，“純潔的”。但是看看這時代，老練的青年可真不少。老練卻只是工于自謀，到了臨大事，決大疑，似乎又見得幼稚了。青年要求進步，要求改革，自然很好，他們有的是奮斗的力量。不過大處著眼難，小處下手易，他們的飽滿的精力也許終于只用在自己的物質的改革跟進步上；于是驕奢淫逸，無所不為，有利無義，有我無人。中年里原也不缺少這種人，效率卻趕不上青年的大。眼光小還可以有一步路，便是做自了漢，得過且過的活下去；或者更退一步，遇事消極，馬馬虎虎對付著，一點不認真。中年人這兩種也夠多的。可是青年時就染上這些習氣，未老先衰，不免更教人毛骨悚然。所幸青年人容易回頭，“浪子回頭金不換”，不像中年人往往將錯就錯，一直沉到底里去。

青年人容易脫胎換骨改樣子，是真可以自負之處；精力足，歲月長，前路寬，也是真可以自負之處。總之可能多。可能多倚仗就大，所以青年人狂。人說青年時候不狂，什么時候才狂？不錯。但是這狂氣到時候也得收拾一下，不然會忘其所以的。青年人愛諷刺，冷嘲熱罵，一學就成，揮之不去；但是這只足以取快一時，久了也會無聊起來的。青年人罵中年人逃避現實，圓通、不奮斗、妥協，自有他們的道理。不過青年人有時候讓現實籠罩住，伸不出頭，張不開眼，只模糊的看到面前一段兒路，真是“前不見古人，后不見來者”。這又是小處。若是能夠偶然到所謂“世界之外之世界”里歇一下腳，也許可以將自己放大些。青年也有時候偏執不回，過去一度以為讀書就不能救國就是的。那時蔡孑民先生卻指出“讀書不忘救國，救國不忘讀書”。這不是妥協，而是一種權衡輕重的圓通觀。懂得這種圓通，就可以將自己放平些。能夠放大自己，放平自己，才有真正的“工作與嚴肅”，這里就需要奮斗了。

蔡孑民先生不愧人師，青年還是需要人師。用不著滿口仁義道德，道貌岸然，也用不著一手攤經，一手握劍，只要認真而親切的服務，就是人師。但是這些人得組織起來，通力合作。講情理，可是不敷衍，重誘導，可還歸到守法上。不靠婆婆媽媽氣去乞憐青年人，不靠甜言蜜語去買好青年人，也不靠刀子手槍去示威青年人。只言行一致后先一致的按著應該做的放膽放手做去。不過基礎得打在學校里；學校不妨盡量社會化，青年訓練卻還是得在學校里。學校好像實驗室，可以嚴格的計劃著進行一步；可不是溫室，除非讓它墮落到那地步。訓練該注重集體的，集體訓練好，個體也會改樣子。人說教師只消傳授知識就好，學生做人，該自己磨練去。但是得先有集體訓練，教青年有膽量幫助人，制裁人，然后才可以讓他們自己磨練去。這種集體訓練的大任，得教師擔當起來。現行的導師制注重個別指導，瑣碎而難實踐，不如緩辦，讓大家集中力量到集體訓練上。學校以外倒是先有了集中訓練，從集中軍訓起頭，跟著來了各種訓練班。前者似乎太單純了，效果和預期差得多，后者好像還差不多。不過訓練班至多只是百尺竿頭更進一步，培植根基還得在學校里。在青年時代，學校的使命更重大了，中年教師的責任也更重大了，他們得任勞任怨的領導一群群青年人走上那成德達材的大路。

英譯

Mr. Feng Youlan first pointed out that people now generally had higher evaluation of the youth than the elders in the 12th article Praising China of the book Xin Shi Lun, which indicated succinctly the times in which we are living. This time belongs to the youth, and it started with the May 4th Movement. From then on, the youth raised their heads and found themselves; they didn.t want to just be the grandchildren of their grandparents, the sons of their parents, or the kids of the society. They had found themselves, their own group and the strength of themselves and their group. In order to become the truly new Chinese masters, they fought against the tradition and society and struggled for their own leadership, even the social leadership. However, just like all the past times and societies, the leadership in China was in the hands of the elders and the middle-aged, more precisely, in the hands of the middle-aged. Then there came the resistance of the youth: in school they rebelled against the teachers and in society they revolted against the rulers. They defied tradition and discipline; sometimes they would be slack in work and sometimes attack violently. The middle-aged thought that the youth now were trouble-making while they were quiet before the May 4th Movement. Therefore they decided to suppress the youth; however, it didn.t work. Then they started to behave perfunctorily. When thing came to its awkward situation, group training emerged and opened a new dimension. We.d better wait and see.

Since ancient times, the youth have defied the tradition and society; however, they consistently remain lowering their heads and being oppressed and weren.t able to make use of their strength. This gives the elders a false image: they are quiet. In a family, it is common that parents have trouble with their offspring, which is a sign of suppression and resistance. The young and the old also dispute in politics; from Jia Yi the politician and litterateur of the Han dynasty to the six gentlemen martyrs of the failed reform movement of 1898, there are enough examples showing their battles. However, the middle-aged are always in the dominant position. When the elders.strength is strong enough to influence their position, the era belongs to the elders, and when the youth.s strength is strong, the era belongs to the youth. As the middle-aged are always in dominance, the efforts of the young and the old repel one another negatively. The feebleness and decadence of the elders can only represent the past while the youth are still naive and represent the future. The dominant position can only be occupied by the middle-aged. On one hand, they have to comfort the elders and cultivate the youth; on the other hand, they sneer at the former and get tired of the latter. Consolation does good to the old while cultivation is always opposite to the youth.s will. Moreover, it is always based on the middle-aged people.s knowledge and experience. They hope that the youth can become the ones having their own principles, and care and love others. However, the youth hate the typical norms, because it impedes their aspirations. They aren.t willing to be pressed into the mode, so they struggle and look forward to a boundless realm. The middle-aged can.t understand why the youth always try to escape from the regular education and think it the problem of the times. In fact, it.s the way for young people to become virtuous and successful—one side oppresses while the other side struggles. And talents and moralities are gained in this process. It has existed since ancient times, but now it becomes more apparent.

The youth believe that they are artless and unsophisticated, but looking at the world, the sophisticated youth are not rare. However, their tact only comes into play when they make their own living. When faced with big events, they become puerile. It.s very commendable of young people to desire for progress and reform, and they have sufficient strength to make a difference. As we all know, it.s difficult to be far-sighted but easier to start from the small aspect. So eventually they may focus on material reform and progress—they become extravagant and dissipated and do whatever they want; they concentrate on interests rather than loyalty, despise others and take pride of themselves. There are also such people among the middle-aged, but they are less influential. Near-sighted people can only care for themselves and drift along, or taking a step back, they can always take the negative side and deal with things in a careless and halfhearted way. These two types of people also exist among the middle-aged. But it.s terrible for people to contract such bad habits and become prematurely senile in their youth. Fortunately compared with the middle-aged, young people are more easily forgiven—just as the saying goes“a prodigal who returns is more precious than gold”. However, the middle-aged people will make the best of an error without rectifying it.

Young people.s conceit is always based on the idea that they are likely to thoroughly remold themselves; what.s more, they have sufficient energy and a wider road forward. In a word, there are a variety of possibilities for the youth. More possibilities mean greater advantages, which makes them egotistical. But if we are not egotistical in youth, then when should we be? However, we.d better control ourselves reasonably, or we will lose ourselves. Young people indulge in acrimony and sarcasm, and they are quick in learning; however, it can only please them for a while. It.s reasonable that the young people think that the middle-aged are likely to escape from reality and not willing to struggle, slippery and transient. But sometimes the youth are constrained by reality. They can.t stretch out their necks or open their eyes and can only hazily see the near future before themselves, just as the saying goes“I can.t see the great men of the past nor those of future years”. It comes back to the small aspect again. If there is an opportunity for them to live in“the world outside the world we are living in”, maybe they can get themselves improved. Sometimes the youth are illiberal. In the past, they believed that China couldn.t be saved through reading. At that time, Cai Jiemin indicated clearly that“one should read while not forgetting to save the nation and save the nation while not throwing reading away”. This isn.t a compromise, but a mature performance. If you understand, it.ll be easier for you to balance yourself.Improve yourself and balance yourself, there will be genuine“work and seriousness”. Here needs sweat.

Cai Jiemin is indeed a good teacher. Teachers play an important role in the youth.s lives. They don.t need to be sanctimonious or hold Confucian classics in one hand while a sword in the other; they just need to serve their students earnestly and courteously. However, they must be organized and learn to cooperate: being reasonable but not perfunctory, stressing guidance but also observing the law. They don.t need to beg young people with garrulous manners, ingratiate young people with honey-sweet words or menace them with knives and guns; they just need to live up to their words and do what they should do consistently and confidently. However, the foundation should be laid at school, that is, students should be trained well at school. Schools must be socializing and become a wonderful place for students to grow up. Schools can conduct plans in a prudent way just like a laboratory, but it should not become a greenhouse. Schools should pay more attention to group training, because if it works well, each student in the group can get improved. Some think that the only thing teachers need to do is imparting knowledge, but for character cultivation, it belongs to students.own business. However, in my opinion, the group training should come first.It can teach students to help others and stop the criminal. And teachers should undertake the important task. Currently, tutorial system lays emphasis on individual tuition, which is trivial and difficult to carry on. So it.s better for students to focus their strengths on group training. Though it.s a slow process, it indeed benefits to them. There are various sources of group training outside school. The group military training appears firstly, then many training classes emerge. The former seems too simple and its result is far from our expectation; the latter is more or less good. Since the function of the training class is limited, the training foundation should be laid at school. In this way, schools shoulder a greater mission when students are in their youth, and so do the middle-aged teachers. They must lead these young students to the highroad of morality and talents without complaints.