在形与实之间——新加坡管理大学李嘉诚图书馆开幕典礼

英文原文：https://www.lksf.org/english-between-form-and-substance/ 日期：2006 年 2 月 24 日

中译

内阁资政李光耀先生、胡赐道校长、何光平主席、亨特校长、各位嘉宾、各位老师、同学：

新加坡管理大学新校舍与新图书馆落成，我谨向诸位致以最热烈的祝贺。它必将为新加坡的蓬勃生机再添一抹亮色。我祝愿新大在未来的岁月里蒸蒸日上。

今天于我，颇像一场温馨而惹人回味的忆旧漫步。一九六七年那一幕，我至今历历如绘——当年，在动荡与未卜的阴云步步紧逼之下，我携年轻的家人来此寻觅安宁，承蒙诸位热诚相迎。这份善意，我将永远铭记于心。

我也深感欣慰：我们这方天地，如今已与往日大不相同。那种因意识形态之争的言辞煽动仇恨、酿成流血、令子民伤心欲绝的岁月，已经过去。在亚洲，我们都受惠于一场波澜壮阔的变革——在"改革与开放"的新语境下，这股浪潮席卷之猛，不仅为区内主要国家、也为整个世界送来了希望与乐观。

是的，我们成就斐然；但严酷的现实是，世界看待我们，并不看我们已经成就了什么，而看我们今后还将持续做什么。

在我看来，今日首要的挑战，是如何培育有责任感的公民，如何在真正锐意进取的青年心中，植下承托未来真希望的意志、以及实现这意志的能力。这样的青年，当持重、博闻、有文明素养，能慎思明辨、怀抱高远理想；他们不止于珍爱自己劳动的果实，也不满足于以老练善贾的实业家、专业人士或企业家的新身份而自满；他们是善思、创新、有感召力的一群，对自身及身外的世界怀有更深的责任与公共担当，既珍视个人的尊严，也看重社会的集体荣誉。

若有人断言，政治结构改革便是万应灵药，足以疗愈弥漫于我们历史中的一切悲怆与失落——那是既不精确、也过于简单化的说法。我们固然需要可靠、诚信、建基于法治的政治制度，但一个公民社会，必须扎根于每一个国民的内心。这份承诺，远不止于平等参与、个人权利与经济机会；它还必须伴随着一种公共责任的精神——一种共担的责任。正如雅典公民那则古老的誓言所昭示的：“我们定将这个城邦，不仅原封、不稍减损，而且更伟大、更美好、更华美地，传之后人。”

倘若我们想拥有其他成功民主国家那般可持续的活力与弹性——那种让自由选择、广阔机会与多元抉择皆得以实现的弹性——仅仅向往一套服务公民权利的民主机制，是远远不够的。一株枝繁叶茂的民主，需要与之并行生长的，是那片交织着人心与精神、责任与理性的公民栖息之地。

我知道，谈权利是时髦的；而一提及个人义务、那由秩序与德行所承载的义务，几乎必然会被一笔抹杀，甚至有人把谈论责任与义务视为反民主。但他们与真相相去何止千里。

通往真正自由主义的道路，漫长而修远。自由与民主，是每个国家都珍视的价值。我热爱自由，我也支持民主；但自由与民主，必须建基于法律与秩序之上——这是任何国家可持续发展最重要的基石。民主是一项至高无上的事业，因此我们绝不能自欺：以为仅仅搭起参与的机制，便已大功告成。须知，近似的真理并非真理的一种，而是谬误的一种；形固然重要，实却更为要紧；结构或可维系众人于一体，而实，才是光明而超越之未来的精髓所在。我深信，这座新图书馆的建筑，若能激发我们去追问"我们是谁、我们大家是谁、我们将去往何方"，它便寻得了自己美丽的灵魂。

女士们、先生们，岁月的阅历是无价之宝——尤其是对于我们这些在忧患中长大的人，因为我们可以理直气壮地回首往事，也更能放言表达对未来的冀望。我不敢断定资政阁下是否赞同，但我相信，带来智慧的并非苦难本身——尽管苦难确能拓展阅历、挫傲矜心；正是因为活在常轨之外，我们或许才能挣脱偏见与因袭之见。

资政阁下，您比任何人都更倾注心血与意志，带领国家在迷局与竞争的挑战中一程程登高转强；您矢志不渝地坚信：先奠下建设性的根基，由此取得的进步，才是我们所期盼、所珍视之一切最坚实的体现——那是真实而有序的自由，人道而正义的社会，人人公平而平等的参与。

今天能亲临盛事，我深感荣幸与愉悦。非常感谢大家。

English Original

Minister Mentor Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, Chancellor Dr. Hu, Chairman Mr. Ho, President Professor Hunter, Distinguished Guests, Faculty, Staff and Students:

My warmest congratulations to you on the completion of the new campus and the new library of the Singapore Management University. It will certainly be another bright spot to the vibrancy of Singapore. I wish SMU every success in the years to come.

Today feels a great deal like a fond and endearing walk down memory lane for me. I can still remember vividly the year 1967, and the warm welcome you extended to me and my young family who sought calm in the looming threat of turbulence and uncertainty. I will always recall your kindness with great affection.

I am also happy that our part of the world is very different now than before; we have moved beyond the days when the rhetoric of ideological differences inflamed hatred, caused bloodshed and much heartbreak to its citizens. In Asia we have all benefited from a mass of change, under a new context of “reform and openness”, a wave so forceful in its sweep that it ushered in hope and optimism not only for the core nations but also the world around it.

Yes, we have achieved much but the harsh reality is that the world looks at us not by what we have achieved but by what we will continue to do.

The prime challenge as I see it today is how to nurture responsible citizenship, how to build in the hearts and minds of genuinely progressive young men and women the will as well as the means to carry our true hope for the future. Men and women who are balanced, informed, civil literate, capable of sound judgment and high ideals, who cherish not only the fruits of their labor, or are complacent in their new status as seasoned and opportunistic manufacturers, professionals or entrepreneurs, but the thinking, innovative and inspired men and women who feel a deeper sense of responsibility and public duty towards their world and beyond and care as much for individual dignity as for society’s collective honor.

It would be imprecise and overly simplistic for anyone to say that political structural reform will suffice as the antidote for all the sadness and sense of loss that permeates our history. While we need political institutions that are dependable, honest and built on the rule of law, a civil society must take place in the heart of the individual citizen. It is a commitment that goes far beyond equal participation, individual rights and economic opportunities, but must be attended by a spirit of public duty, a co-responsibility epitomized in the ancient oath of the Citizens of Athens, “We will transmit this city not only, not less, but greater, better and more beautiful than it was transmitted to us.”

If we are to achieve the sustainable dynamism and the flexibility in other successful democracies which enable freedom of choice, breadth of opportunity and wide range of alternatives, yearning only for the democratic mechanism that serves the rights of their citizens is not enough. A flourishing democracy requires the parallel development of the underlying civic habitat that interweaves human mind and spirit, responsibility and reason.

I know it is fashionable to talk about rights, and the mention of personal duty, duty borne by order and virtue, will almost certainly be denigrated with a broad brush, some even consider the mention of duty and responsibility to be anti-democractic. But they could not be further from the truth.

The road to true liberalism is a long one. Freedom and democracy are values cherished by every nation. I love freedom, and I support democracy, but freedom and democracy must be built on a foundation of law and order, the most important cornerstone for sustainable development of any nation. Democracy is a most noble cause thus we must not succumb to the belief that by merely providing the mechanism of participation we have achieved our goal, after all approximated truth is not a species of truth but a species of falsehood; form is important, substance is all the more important; structure might hold us together but substance is the essence of a bright and transcendent future. I believe that this new library structure would find its beautiful soul if it inspires us to seek who we are, who we all are and where we shall be.

Ladies and gentlemen, the experience of age is invaluable, particularly for those who grew up in times of strife, as we can rightfully reflect on the past and be more vocal about our hope for the future. I am not certain whether Minister Mentor agrees with me here but I believe it is not suffering that brings us wisdom, although it will certainly broaden our experience and chasten our pride; in living outside the normal range we may escape from prejudices and received assumptions.

Minister Mentor, you particularly more than the others, you have put your heart and your will to elevate your country from strength to strength, through perplexing times and competitive challenges, unswervingly committed to the principle that progress gained through laying first constructive foundation is the best steadfast manifestation of all that we hope for and all that we hold dear, a true and ordered liberty, a humane and just society, fair and equal participation for all.

It has been a great pleasure and honour to be here. Thank you very much.