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Now: Did the Chinese People Lose Their Self-confidence? by Lu Xun

The data or lyrics of this article are copyrighted by the respective owner, and are quoted for the purpose of introduction only.

（粗体字为最初发表时被国民党书报检察机关删去的内容）

(Bold text was removed from the original publication by the KMT book and newspaper prosecutors)

从公开的文字上看起来：两年以前，我们总自夸着“地大物博”，是事实；不久就不再自夸了，只希望着国联，也是事实；现在是既不夸自己，也不信国联，改为一味求神拜佛，怀古伤今了——却也是事实。

As published texts, about two years ago, we always boasted that we had "vast territory and abundant resources" - it is true. As some time passed, we stopped boasting, and just desired the help of the League of Nations - it is also true. Now, we don't believe in ourselves or the League of Nations, but pray to gods, and sigh for the past and the present - and it is also true.

于是有人慨叹曰：中国人失掉自信力了。

So, someone said: "the Chinese people lost their self-confidence now."

如果单据这一点现象而论，自信其实是早就失掉了的。先前信“地”，信“物”，后来信“国联”，都没有相信过“自己”。假使这也算一种“信”，那也只能说中国人曾经有过“他信力”，自从对国联失望之后，便把这他信力都失掉了。

If we only talk about this phenomenon, "self-confidence" was lost long ago. In the beginning， we have confidence in "territory" and "resources", then it is the League of Nations, but we never had confidence in ourselves. If you call this "confidence", I can only say that Chinese people use to have "others-confidence". Since we lost confidence in the League of Nations, we don't have any confidence at all.

失掉了他信力，就会疑，一个转身，也许能够只相信了自己，倒是一条新生路，但不幸的是逐渐玄虚起来了。信“地”和“物”，还是切实的东西，国联就渺茫，不过这还可以令人不久就省悟到依赖它的不可靠。一到求神拜佛，可就玄虚之至了，有益或是有害，一时就找不出分明的结果来，它可以令人更长久的麻醉着自己。

Since losing the "others-confidence", we doubt the way we walked on. If we turn back, then we might have self-confidence, which is a new way to keep alive. However, it became unreally now. "Territory" and "resources" are not truly unreal, but the League of Nations is. Luckily, we could realize the unreliability of depending on it. But when committing prayer gods, that we're taking the most unreal part, people can't even know whether it is beneficial or harmful, keep themselves numb for a longer time.

中国人现在是在发展着“自欺力”。

The Chinese people now have "self-deception".

“自欺”也并非新东西，只不过日见其明显，笼罩了一切罢了。然而，在这笼罩之下，我们有并不失掉自信力的中国人在。

"Self-deception" is not something new. It just became more and more obvious, then it's covering China now. However, under the cover, there are still many who never lose self-confidence in China.

我们从古以来，就有埋头苦干的人，有拼命硬干的人，有为民请命的人，有舍身求法的人，……虽是等于为帝王将相作家谱的所谓“正史”，也往往掩不住他们的光耀，这就是中国的脊梁。

From long ago, we always have had many who work hard, who work to death, who prayer for people, who sacrifice themselves for the pursuit of truth...even the "correct history" written by the kings and emperors can't cover the light they brought, they're the "backbone" of China.

这一类的人们，也何尝少呢？他们有确信，不自欺；他们在前仆后继的战斗，不过一面总在被摧残，被抹杀，消灭于黑暗中，不能为大家所知道罢了。说中国人失掉了自信力，用以指一部分人则可，倘若加于全体，那简直是诬蔑。

We have many people like them, they have confidence, and they don't deceptive themselves. They're all fighting as they can, though they always get burned, get killed, and destroyed in the darkness, not known by people. The words "the Chinese people lost their self-confidence" can be used to accuse some ones, but they can't be used to accuse everyone.

要论中国人，必须不被搽在表面的自欺欺人的脂粉所诓骗，却看看他的筋骨和脊梁。自信力的有无，状元宰相的文章是不足为据的，要自己去看地底下。

If we want to know China, we must not be swindled by the self-deception that is put on the surface but see the bones. The articles of the prime minister are not enough to prove the existence of self-confidence, but one has to look at the bottom.

九月二十五日