Preface of God Speaks Chinese— A Root-seeking Collection of Homesickness

 Chenmou Wu

Chenmou Wu

Space and time shift; stars revolve and change their positions. The universe transforms, things remain constant, yet people themselves are different. Reflecting on half a century of upheaval, I often ask: What is the true meaning of life? Looking back on the years that have passed, I continue to ponder: What is the real value of human existence?

Since arriving in the United States as a visiting scholar more than a decade ago, I have endured the pain of separation from loved ones and the loss of family members in my hometown. At times, I have felt more guilt than comfort in familial affection. Gradually, however, my reflections on the difference between “fallen leaves returning to their roots” and “fallen seeds taking root” have eased my homesickness and brought a measure of peace to my heart.

Over the course of this long journey, my understanding of life has continued to evolve. In childhood, I enthusiastically participated in ancestor worship and visited rural temples. In my youth, I immersed myself in Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, traveling to renowned sacred sites and visiting respected monks and priests. After moving to North America, I spent seven years reflecting, observing, comparing, and seeking understanding. Eventually, I was baptized and became a Christian. In my experience, Christianity’s emphasis on earthly responsibility, ultimate meaning, family duty, social participation, universal love, and forgiveness deeply resonated with my heart.

Life in the suburbs of North America differs greatly from that of East Asian villages. Immigrants from all over the world live side by side, yet language barriers and profound cultural differences often limit daily interaction. This distance creates more space for solitude and reflection. After more than a decade of relative seclusion, I gradually gained deeper insight into faith and cultural roots, often feeling an increasing desire to write.

Wishing to share my reflections with friends and family in mainland China, I began writing essays on faith, cultural reflection, family history, and poetry, publishing them on domestic websites. After several years, I had completed dozens of pieces. Later, I selected works with similar themes and compiled them into a book titled God Speaks Chinese: A Root-Seeking Collection of Homesickness, which has since been published.

As the saying goes, “All men are created equal.” Yet in reality, people live unequal lives. Equality at birth refers to equal legal status and human dignity, but families, genetic inheritance, backgrounds, talents, temperament, fortune, and social relationships differ greatly. As a result, life paths vary. Different causes often lead to different outcomes.

For this reason, some people develop faith while others do not; some hold sincere beliefs, while others fall into superstition. Those with faith experience a rich spiritual life, while those without it may remain confined to the material realm. Over time, these distinctions shape profoundly different trajectories.

In traditional Chinese culture, God is known by many names and is often referred to as “Heaven.” To many Chinese people, however, God remains a distant or unfamiliar concept. Yet faith, to me, represents a close and living reality—an ultimate source of meaning. Just as people breathe without consciously noticing the oxygen that sustains them, spiritual awareness often goes unrecognized until it is absent.

Human beings consist of both body and spirit. Those with faith consciously cultivate their inner life, while others may neglect it. Although the physical body eventually perishes, many traditions maintain that the spiritual dimension endures beyond death. Such beliefs shape how individuals understand mortality, purpose, and legacy.

Many people believe in karma. While the concept of cause and effect carries moral insight, without love and forgiveness it can create a closed cycle of retribution rather than reconciliation. Without higher ethical grounding, it may even become a justification for retaliation. In this sense, violence committed in the name of karma is no less tragic than violence committed in the name of morality.

Returning to the theme of my anthology: Why does “God speak Chinese”? God, in my understanding, is neither Western nor Eastern but belongs to all humanity. Archaeological research suggests that ancient Chinese civilization possessed profound spiritual awareness. Early Chinese thought, such as the symbolic system of the Eight Trigrams in the I Ching, reflects a deep engagement with natural law and cosmic order.

More than three thousand years ago, during the transition from the Shang to the Zhou dynasty, Chinese civilization developed sophisticated philosophical and political systems. Over centuries, both Eastern and Western civilizations have experienced periods of advancement, stagnation, reform, and renewal. Cultural leadership has shifted across regions according to historical conditions and human agency.

Modern Chinese transformation was deeply influenced by contact with Western learning. Missionaries and scholars introduced new educational institutions and intellectual traditions. While some historical movements reflected resistance or xenophobia, cross-cultural exchange ultimately contributed to social reform and modernization. Integrating valuable elements from different civilizations can generate renewed cultural vitality.

Just as a seed grows according to its genetic pattern, the future of a nation depends on its cultural foundations. Revitalizing civilization requires long-term cultivation. It demands reflection, reform, and renewal across generations.

Faith in God differs from the veneration of sages or ancestors. While honoring historical figures has cultural value, ultimate faith seeks a deeper source beyond human exemplars. To seek the origin of all life is, in my view, to seek the ultimate root.

Genealogical lines eventually trace back to humanity’s earliest ancestors. Rather than limiting reverence to a particular lineage, one may seek a universal spiritual origin. In that sense, reverence for God represents a broader form of filial respect.

In contemporary society, many families maintain ancestral traditions, yet divisions and inequalities persist. Expanding moral vision beyond clan and lineage may help cultivate unity and shared dignity.

If people today, regardless of surname or background, move beyond narrow identity and seek higher spiritual understanding, they may attain deeper freedom, moral equality, and renewed cultural vitality.

Of course, my small book, God Speaks Chinese: A Root-Seeking Collection of Homesickness, cannot accomplish such a grand mission. If it can inspire readers even slightly toward reflection and reconciliation, that is more than enough.

If so, it would indeed be a blessing.

Chenmou Wu

07/20//2024

天问印书馆：上帝讲中文--- 游子寻根集序言

吴称谋

        时空变换，斗转星移；世事变迁，物是人非。反观半百沧桑，生命的意义究竟为何？回顾过往岁月，人生的价值到底在哪？ 自从来美访学至今，我已是天命之年有加。在经历亲人的生离死别之痛后，时常觉得惭愧有余而亲情不足。或许有对“落叶归根”与“落地生 根”的辨析思考，近年来使得我乡愁渐消，而内心逐渐归于宁静。 

        我对生命的思考是伴随人生之旅而逐渐变化的。记得小时候，我热衷于祭祖扫墓，流连忘返于乡间小庙。青年时期，开始接触儒释道，经常游历佛道名山，拜访高僧仙道。移居北美之后，经过七年的琢磨思量，观摩比较，见证领悟，最终受洗成为了一名基督徒。其中主要的动因缘于基督教是入世的宗教，致力于终极的关怀，直达生命的本源，重视家庭的责任和社会的参与，强调博爱和赦免，尤其在意那种具有推动社会变革的内在动力。 可以认为，一旦基督教能够在中华大地自由传播之时，也是中国社会真正全面变革开启之日。

        《大学》曰：知止而后定，定而后能静，静而后能安，安而后能虑，虑而后能得。北美的郊区与东亚的乡村大有不同，全世界的移民混居在一起，由于语言交流的不畅，以及文化底蕴的千差万别，彼此的日常交往非常少。这样一来，就有了更多独处思考的时间。经过十几年的隐居生活，我对信仰的参悟和文化的寻根逐渐有了一些心得体会。故而，时常有写作的冲动和欲望。

        为了分享给亲朋故友，我就写些关于信仰、家族史以及诗词歌赋等作品，发表在国内的网站上。几年下来，也有了几十篇。遴选一些内容相近的文章编辑成册，这就是《上帝讲汉语---游子寻根集》出版问世的缘由。 

        所谓，人生而平等；其实，人活而不平等。生而平等是指社会地位平等，在法律面前平等。然，家庭有差别，基因有区别，根基有深浅，能力有高低，智商有悬殊，秉性有分别，福报有厚薄，人缘有迥异，故而，人活得并不平等。换句话说，因不同，则果不一样。

        正因为此，人有信仰，或人没信仰；有人正信，或有人迷信。有信仰的人，享有精神世界，没信仰的人，沉溺物质世界。区别在于，是崇拜偶像，还是迷信自己？是找寻本源，或是寻求解脱，是情感依赖，还是精神寄托？是知行合一，勤而行之？还是言行不一，若存若亡？如此一来，日积月累，必然存天壤之别。 

        在中国传统文化中，上帝有很多称谓，如：天，上天，天公，天 帝，天神，老天爷，天老爷，长生天，昊天上帝等。正因为此，对于很多国人来说，上帝是一个遥远而陌生的概念。其实，上帝是一个切身而真实的存在，一个亘古而终极的信仰。就如，人每时每刻都在呼吸，有谁会注意氧气的存在呢？殊不知，人无氧气而无法存活，人无信仰而行尸走肉。 

        人是灵与肉的结合体，不仅有体力，还有灵力。有信仰者，是有意识地用心去提升灵性；无神论者，无意识地以身去消耗灵性。卓越的修炼者，容易修成基因链稳固而能量强大的灵体，尽管百年过世肉体消亡后，而灵体能长时间存留下来，即所谓的永生或灵魂不灭。然而，绝大多数的芸芸众生，灵魂是会灭的，死后灵与肉一样，尘归尘土归土，最终彻底化为乌有。 

        不少人相信因果，但因果只是一种规律而已。因果理念固然重要， 但如果只强调因果，而没有爱，没有宽恕，不懂赦免，则往往会陷入因果的封闭循环而无法解脱。不敬畏上帝，不遵守律法，因果报应的观念容易成为人们对外报复的理由和作恶的借口。这样一来，以因果杀人，和以道德杀人，是一样的残忍可悲。 

        回归文集主题，为何上帝讲汉语？上帝既不是西方的，也不是东方的，而是属于全人类的。根据考古研究，中国古人对上帝的认识或许比西方人更早。不仅如此，中国古人的心智似乎比西方人更成熟。早在殷商时期，人们就通过八卦揭示出的自然规律来指导日常的生产和生活。 商末周初的三千二百年前，当西方人还完全沉浸在感性的鬼神世界时，东方人已经进入到理性的现实世界。东方人创造出了比西方社会更早熟的文明。东方人不仅拥有灵性的上帝信仰，还揭秘了客观的自然规律。易道文化的兴起，使得东方人同时拥有世界上最先进的精神文明和物质文明。八卦的发明与运用，是远古时期人类最伟大的科学创造。西周的封建制和秦汉的郡县制，都是同时期世界上最先进的社会制度。 

        然而，历史进入十三世纪以后，随着元明清三朝极端专制的建立，东方文化开始失去原本的优雅和天然的活力。十五世纪大航海时代开始，西欧人发现了新大陆，随后又掀起了工业革命的浪潮，进而成功地进行了宗教改革。西欧人携带着新宗教的新理念，跨域大西洋来到美洲新大陆安居乐业。新移民社会经过一百五十年的孕育发展后，终于孕育成了一种全新文明形态的社会制度。 在伟大的十八世纪，西方人经历几千年的漫长等待，天时地利人和都具备后，西方文明终于超越了东方文明。曾经，东方人的封建制和郡县制领先于世界，如今，西方人的共和制与民主制引领于全球。这是海洋文明与陆地文明博弈交替的结果，也是人类社会发展的历史潮流所决定的。 

        近代中国社会的转型是伴随着西学东渐而开启的。当西方的坚船利炮打破了东方社会那铁屋子般的沉寂后，西方的魔鬼和天使前后都来到了中华大地。然而，历史的经验教训告诉人们，恶人总是比善人捷足先登，坏人总是比好人先行半步。当西方的海盗兼商贩先行抵达后，那些友善的欧洲人和虔诚的传教士们携带着西方文化的优秀成果也随之而来。 

        太平军之乱、义和团之祸，红卫兵之灾，都存在愚昧而盲目的排外倾向，使得中国的社会转型几度受阻。上世纪五十年代，曾经由洋人所建立的几十所大学，遭到被拆分或取缔的命运。非常遗憾，那是把传播西方文化的大门给彻底关闭了。如果那些撒播西方文明种子的大学没有被拆除，何至于改革开放后出现长时间的大批留学潮呢？殊不知，外来的优秀文明因子融会于古老的文明体系中，那是何等的幸运，那将迸发出不比的勃然生机。 

        一颗种子，将长成一棵小草还是参天大树，那是由种子携带的基因所决定的。同理，未来的二百年能否成为中国世纪，那是由当下的民族文化基因所决定的。俗话说，十年树木，百年树人。中华文明的复兴，中国文化的新生，需要很多代人的持续努力。只有进行文化的寻根和实现信仰的回归，我们才能培育出新的优秀文化基因。然而，这需要进行一场民俗文化的改革和传统信仰的升华。 

        上帝信仰与仙佛、圣人、祖先崇拜有云泥之别。仙佛、圣人、祖先 崇拜都不是终极信仰。如果把信仰分为金字塔等级，上帝尊居塔尖，儒释道在二级，民间神灵位三级，祖先祭祀在四级，迷信鬼怪最低级，无神论者则往往迷信自己。比如，有很多人崇拜老子、孔子、佛陀，可是当年的老子、孔子、佛陀渴慕追寻的是什么呢？后人不敬拜他们曾经所追寻的道和上帝，而仅仅只是把他们当偶像崇拜，岂不差矣，岂不悲乎？

        人们寻根问祖而祭祀祖先，可是祖先又来自哪里？比如山东曲阜孔氏家族，自孔子遗传至今已经八十多代了，对于孔家子孙来说，直线往上数至少有八十个祖宗。如果祭祀，要将这八十个祖宗一一照顾到，才能算是勉强尽了孝。事实上，无论哪家姓氏，都根本做不到。就算孔家后裔纪念孔子，如果不纪念孔子的祖先，那还是不孝敬，不周全、不完美的。 

        另外，根据现代遗传学理论，孩子的基因分别来自父母双方，而且几乎各占一半。比如山东孔家，从第一代孔子到第八十代后裔，有多少孔子的基因遗传保留下来了，无人能说的清楚。因此，认祖归宗完全是一个虚假的文化观念，血缘关系也是彻底虚无的生物学概念。 百家姓氏寻根问祖追溯到姓氏创立的祖先，可是祖先的祖先又可以追溯到炎黄二帝，黄帝的血脉之源来自伏羲女娲，伏羲女娲的生命之根来自上帝。如果后世人们直接敬拜上帝，不就所有的祖先都敬拜到了吗？不就实现最大孝了吗？因此，可以认为，凡是不认识上帝的人，福根都是浅薄的；凡是不敬拜上帝的人，都是不孝子孙。 

        当今时代，泱泱中华，信仰杂乱，道德堕落。菩萨、神仙、鬼怪、邪灵等，各立宗派，各占山头，各讲法门，彼此内耗，一盘散沙。百家姓氏，各设宗祠，各显盛衰；不同姓氏，各祭先祖，难聚众心，难求平等。然，同一宗族，血缘有亲疏，易起分别之心，进而区分你我；祖宗有远近，只顾祭祀近亲，终究难以周全。慎终却无法追远，民德竟无以归厚。

        尽管，本文集有多篇家族传记，但并不是歌颂过去的祖先崇拜，也不是弘扬狭隘的家族主义。本人在写作时，试图在传承的基础上，有新的突破；在孝道的层面上，有新的升华。读者阅读的是传记，可能收获的却是文化的反思和历史的探索。另外，文集还收录了三篇研究《红楼梦》的文章。为了破解一桩尘 封三百年的历史文化公案，以维护原创者的著作权和知识产权，本人以诚谨之心进行了逻辑论证和推理分析。期待国人以求真务实的治学精神 和尊重历史考证的态度，还《红楼梦》原作者吴梅村一个迟来的公道。 

        上帝之灵，亘古永恒，信实稳靠，祈祷必获恩惠。后世人们，应该超越家道文化中的小孝，实现天道文化中的大孝。诚如，德圣泰伯之所以三让天下，皆缘于泰伯敬畏悠悠天道，信仰昊天上帝，超越一己之私，实现天下为公。 故而，当今世人，不论百家姓氏，不管谁家子孙，不应只纪念先祖，而更要敬畏天公，认识上帝。唯有此，才能突破认知局限，从而达到信仰升华，最终实现人格平等和人性自由。唯有此，才能培育出优秀的文化基因，进而实现民族的真正复兴。期待，未来的二十二世纪，成为中国的世纪。 

        当然，《上帝讲汉语》这本小册子承担不起如此神圣的使命，也起不到如此重大的作用。如果能对读者起到一点抛砖引玉的效果，则足矣。 

        诚如是，则善莫大焉！ 

        是为序。

         对于中国人而言，上帝是既遥远又陌生的信仰，也是既古老又弥新的概念。中华上下五千年，大致可分为四期中国文明: 

第一期文明（远古—公元前三十世纪）是从伏羲创卦到仓颉造字开始。表意文字的发明形成并确立了的中国文明的基本特征。中国古人信仰上帝，时间跨度约为1900年。 

第二期文明（约公元前十一世纪～约公元二世纪）发起于1200前的周文王演绎八卦并著易经。以易道文化为标志的中国文明领先于世界。百家姓氏从信仰上天到跪拜祖宗，时间跨度约为1300年。

 第三期文明（约公元三世纪～公元十九世纪）是儒道确立为宗教以及佛教传入为标志。中国文化形成儒释道三足鼎立格局。中国古人从祭拜祖宗到崇拜偶像并存，时间跨度约为1600年。 

第四期文明（约1840年— ）西学东渐与东学革新，是基督教文明传入与远古上帝信仰回归的过程。