修身为人 | 成年人等于成人吗？
2021.01.08
王海迪
课程导读
根据古礼，古代男子年满20岁时会举行“冠礼”仪式，标志其成年。但我们的古人对于成年人和成人有着明确划分，行了冠礼是成年人，那什么样的人才能算是成人呢？成人究竟意味着什么？让我们一起进入今天的传统文化课堂寻找问题的答案。
英文原文
▍冠礼&成人
Cap Wearing Ceremony & Complete Man
1. 冠礼
Cap Wearing Ceremony
加冠之礼，即成人礼，是古代人伦生活中的一项重要礼仪。按照古礼的规定，男子在二十岁时行“冠礼”。在行礼过程中，男子要依次被授予、佩戴不同的冠帽，因此有“冠礼”之名。
The cap wearing ceremony indicated that one had reached adulthood. In ancient China, when a young man came of age, at 20, an important ceremony was held to mark the event. During the ceremony, he would wear different types of caps, hence, the name of the ceremony.
“冠礼”是成人的标志。成人不只是身体的成熟，还意味着道德人格的确立。“冠礼”的完成昭示着行礼之人开始以独立的身份承担人伦生活中的各种责任，并具备了参与各种重要礼仪活动的资格。
Such a ritual suggested that a young man came of age, not only in terms of his physical constitution, but also in terms of the moral standing required of him as an adult. Having gone through this rite, a man was considered qualified to shoulder his responsibilities as an adult in life and take part in important ceremonies or activities.
行冠礼时的祝福语
令月吉日，始加元服。弃尔幼志，顺尔成德。寿考惟祺，介尔景福。
(在这吉庆的日子，第一次给你戴上冠帽。望你摒弃幼稚的心志，顺应成人的美德。如此则长寿而有福，不断扩大你的福泽。)
The first cap is bestowed upon you on this day of happiness. You are expected to rid yourself of childish mentality and acquire the virtues of adulthood. By so doing, you will live a long and happy life and have good fortune.
2. 成人
Complete Man
子路问成人。子曰：若臧武仲之知，公绰之不欲，卞庄子之勇，冉求之艺，文之以礼乐，亦可以为成人矣。
（子路请教何谓“成人”。孔子说：“像臧武仲那样有智慧，像孟公绰那样寡欲，像卞庄子那样勇敢，像冉求那样有才艺，再用礼乐加以修饰，也就可以称为‘成人’了。”）
Zilu asked what qualities a complete man needed to have. Confucius said, “If someone has the wisdom of Zang Wuzhong, is free from covetousness as Meng Gongchuo is, has the courage of Bian Zhuangzi and the versatile skills of Ran Qiu, and is versed in rites and music, he can then be considered a complete man.”
成人是指具有良好道德操守同时具有各种古代社会生活所需要的技能的人。“成人”需要具备智慧、勇气，能够节制自己的欲望，并掌握各种技能，从而恰当地应对、处理生活中的各种事务，使自己的言行始终合于道义。
A complete man refers to a person of sound moral integrity who also has command of various skills that in ancient times were needed to deal with social life. A complete man needed to have wisdom, courage, and self-restraint and also to have mastered the skills necessary to appropriately deal with all types of matters in life, so that his words and deeds met the requirements of moral principles and justice.
曰：“今之成人者何必然？见利思义，见危授命，久要不忘平生之言，亦可以为成人矣。”
（又说：“现在所说的‘成人’何必一定这样？看到利益考虑是否正当，遇到危险肯付出生命，长久处于穷困仍不忘记平日的诺言，也可以说是‘成人’了。”）
Confucius then continued, “Now, what is the necessity of a complete man having all of these virtues? When faced with the temptation of self-interest, he thinks of the principle of justice. When at danger, he is ready to put his life at risk if necessary. When long in dire straits, he never forgets his past promises. Such a person can be said to be a complete man!”
▍老师总结
To finish a cap wearing ceremony makes you a grown-up man; to master various skills for better adapting to society as well as have sound moral integrity makes you a complete man. Complete men are always adults, but adults are not always complete men. Let’s strive to be a complete man or woman to have sound moral integrity, to always have courage even in danger and never forget his/her past promises.
▍内容拓展
勃，三尺微命，一介书生。无路请缨，等终军之弱冠；有怀投笔，慕宗悫之长风。
—— 王勃《滕王阁序》
我王勃，三尺童子，文弱书生。与终军一样处在刚刚成人的年龄，也想为国家出力却没有门路；羡慕宗悫将军的远大抱负，也有投笔从军的壮志。
生词好句
1.come of age
获得成年人的身份（reach adult status）
拓展:
Your class has come of age at a moment of great consequence for our nation and for the world.
你们这个班级的学生走向成人的时刻，对我们国家和整个世界都将产生重大影响。
2.hence
英 [hens] 美 [hens]
adv. 因此，由此
拓展:
其后可以直接跟名词成分，形成没有谓语动词的特殊句型，表示 "因为前面说过的缘故，所以有了......"。
He's just got a pay rise, hence the new car.
他刚刚加薪了，所以有了这辆新车。
3.sound
英 [saʊnd] 美 [saʊnd]
adj. 明智的，良好的（sensible or good, and likely to produce the right results）；健康完好的，没有损伤的
拓展:
safe and sound 安然无恙的
We arrived home safe and sound.
我们安然无恙地到家了。
4.bestow
英 [bɪˈstəʊ] 美 [bɪˈstoʊ]
vt. 授予或赠送（荣誉，权利或礼物）（confer or present an honour, right, or gift）
拓展:
Many honours have been bestowed on him.
他被授予了许多的荣誉。
5.rid
英 [rɪd] 美 [rɪd]
vt. 使摆脱
拓展:
rid sb./sth. of sth. 使某人或某物摆脱不需要的人或物（make someone or something free of an unwanted person or thing）
6.acquire
英 [əˈkwaɪə] 美 [əˈkwaɪər]
vt. （通过努力）获得（learn or develop a skill, habit, or quality）
7.constitution
英 [ˌkɒnstɪˈtʃuːʃn] 美 [ˌkɑːnstəˈtuːʃn]
n. 体质，体格（a person's physical state as regards vitality, health, and strength）；宪法；构成
拓展:
Pregnancy had weakened her constitution.
怀孕削弱了她的体质。
8.standing
英 [ˈstændɪŋ] 美 [ˈstændɪŋ]
n. 职位，地位，声望（position, status, or reputation）
拓展:
a man of high social standing
一个社会地位很高的人
