“雷锋精神”的新诠释

He Qiangcheng, 22, a senior and geology major from Sichuan Normal University, has almost given up trying to act like his childhood hero, Lei Feng.

22岁的何强成（音译）是四川师范大学地理专业的一名大四学生，他几乎已经放弃以儿时的英雄——雷锋为榜样了。

“I once tried to help a woman with heavy luggage, and she gave me a suspicious look,” he complains.

他抱怨说：“有一次我想帮一位女士提她那个重重的行李箱，但却招致怀疑的目光。”

“Then another time, when I returned a lost dining card to the canteen, the staff asked me to use up the cash on it rather than bothering to find the owner.”

“还有一次，当我把拾到的饭卡还给食堂时，工作人员竟然让我把里面的钱花了，不必费心去寻找失主。”

But, despite having met with rejections, He still wants to be like his idol.

但尽管屡遭拒绝，何强成还是希望成为像心中偶像那样的人。

His hero, Lei Feng, was a People’s Liberation Army soldier who came to represent altruism, modesty and devotion.

他心中的英雄雷锋是一名喜欢助人为乐，具有谦虚品质和奉献精神的解放军战士。

March 5 will mark the 50th year of Lei’s death. In 1963, Chairman Mao Zedong designated the day as “Learn From Lei Feng Day” and started a national campaign for people to copy his deeds.

今年3月5日是雷锋逝世50周年纪念日。1963年，毛主席宣布这天为“学雷锋日”，从而掀起一场全民学习雷锋事迹的运动热潮。

Several decades after the campaign was initiated, there has been a debate about whether the spirit of Lei lives on, and whether an altruistic role model is relevant anymore in a materialist society.

此后的几十年间，一直存在这样一种争论：在物质社会中，雷锋精神是否长存？这种无私楷模的形象是否还有价值？

Some think it no longer rings a bell. “In a world when everyone emphasizes the importance of ‘me’, many of my peers think there’s little ground for giving up one’s interests purely for the sake of others,” says Lin Zi’en, 19, a sophomore English major from South China Normal University in Guangdong.

有些人认为雷锋精神已经过时。华南师范大学英语专业大二学生、19岁的林子恩（音译）说：“现在的社会都很强调‘自我’意识，我身边许多同伴都觉得没什么理由去完全舍己利他。”

Commentators, however, point out those who regarded Lei’s spirit as being outdated have misinterpreted its meaning.

而评论人士则指出，那些认为雷锋精神过时的人其实是误解了其真正的意义。

Yang Haibin, deputy secretary of China Communist Youth League Beijing Committee said: “learning from Lei Feng could be a mutually caring and benefiting act, which is the basis of civilized society.

共青团北京市委副书记杨海滨表示：“学习雷锋可以是一种相互关心，彼此受益的行为，是文明社会的基础。”

And, Lei’s spirit can be modern and relevant, says Yang. He believes that lending a helping hand for no reward is an early form of volunteering.

同时，杨海滨认为，雷锋精神具备与时俱进的特点且意义重大，这种无私助人的行为是志愿者行为的早期形式。

“It’s also about being content with a simple and humble way of life,” Yang says.

他还表示：“这也是对于简单且谦逊的生活方式所产生的一种满足感。”

Hu Danhua, 21, an international business major from China University of Political Science and Law, agrees. “I’ve gained peace of mind and spiritual fulfillment through small acts of kindness, such as teaching village pupils. I could obtain it from nowhere else,” Hu says.

就读于中国政法大学国际贸易专业、21岁的胡丹华（音译）对此表示认同：“通过山村支教这样的一些小小善举，我收获了心灵的宁静以及精神上的成就感。这是我从其他地方收获不来的。”

In a society with material abundance but a lack of moral fiber, it seems hard to cherish the Lei Feng spirit.

在一个物欲横流却缺乏道德品行的社会里，我们似乎很难去珍视“雷锋精神”。

Reports of passers-by hesitating to help people in need are shocking. Cases in which good Samaritans have landed in trouble are well publicized.

当人们需要帮助时，路人都为是否出手而犹豫不决，此类报道令人震惊。见义勇为者遭遇大麻烦的案例被广为传播。

But Liu Jifeng, director of the military high technology training department at the National University of Defense Technology, says it is important to help others as much as you can. “If everyone turns a blind eye to the bad side, our whole social system will be in danger,” Liu says.

但国防科技大学军事高科技培训部主任刘戟锋认为，尽最大力量去帮助他人，这十分重要。刘戟锋说：“如果每个人都对阴暗面视而不见的话，我们的整个社会都将处于危险之中。”

As Lei Feng’s anniversary draws near, his spirit has been promoted in a more approachable way.

随着雷锋纪念日的邻近，各界开始采用一种更为大众接受的方式来推广雷锋精神。

Guangdong provincial government has updated its campaign slogan from “sacrificing yourself to benefit others” to “doing each other a favor”.

广东省政府将他们的活动口号由原来的“舍己为人”改为“互相帮助。”

In Changsha, Hunan, the hometown of Lei Feng, the slogan is “doing my duty”.

雷锋的故乡湖南长沙市的活动口号则是“这是我应该做的”。

Lei’s followers among the post-80s and 90s generation regard these moves as humanizing the role model.

雷锋精神的80后、90后追随者将这一切视为让雷锋楷模更人性化的举动。

They’re encouraged to develop their unique interpretation and ways of spreading goodwill.

他们被提倡以他们独特的方式诠释善意、传播善举。

For instance, Shan Haiping, 19, a freshman English major from Zhejiang Ocean University, believes the spirit means guarding one’s principles.

例如，浙江海洋学院英语专业大一新生、19岁的单海萍（音译）就坚信雷锋精神就是坚守自己的行事原则。

“It’s about doing things you feel worthwhile,” she said.

“做那些你认为值得的事。”单海萍如是说。

Hu Zhongping, professor of education in South China Normal University, says Lei Feng’s spirit teaches us to be a good person, who contributes to society.

华南师范大学教授胡中平（音译）认为，雷锋精神教导我们要做对社会有贡献的好人。

“It’s all about encouraging those who are self-centered to think from other people’s perspectives as well,” Hu says.

胡中平表示：“雷锋精神可以鼓励那些以自我为中心的人更多地去站在别人角度思考问题。”