眾所周知，作為世界四大文明古國的唯一現世倖存者，中華文明是當今世界當之無愧的最古老文明。
不可否認，對於大多數非中華文明體系內成員的外國人而言，中國的此種身份所帶給他們的更多是一種矛盾的心情：
一方面，神秘的東方中華文明令他們痴醉嚮往。
另一方面，中華浩大的文明內涵讓不少內心敏感的外國人心生自卑之餘，逐漸滋生不滿。
對此，近期在外國問答平台「quora」上，就有外國網友提問：你如何看待自己與中國人交談時，所感受到的那股強烈的民族自豪感？這是否是中國人的炫耀？
1、Richard Sexton
There's certainly a strong current of national pride here when you talk to people here in China. That's a pretty forgivable sin, all things considered. That said, like Faye above, there's occasionally an idea that China's 5000 year history was all awesome and great and that they "invented everything," and that us white folks are barbarians.
當你和中國人交談時，你會發現他們有一股強烈的民族自豪感。總體來說，這都是情有可原的事情。也就是說，就像有人提到的一樣，人們偶爾會有這樣的想法：中國5000年的歷史是輝煌的、偉大的，他們「發明了一切」，而我們白人就像是野蠻人一樣。
Certainly, there's a lot of impressive technological innovation in China historically. In terms of practical inventions, China definitely has a lot to show off about. Natural gas, wheelbarrows with the wheel in the middle instead of the front, et al.
當然，中國歷史上有很多令人印象深刻的技術創新。就實用發明而言，中國肯定有很多值得炫耀的東西。天然氣，輪子在中間而不是在前面的手推車，等等。
2、Michael Stevens
Living in and traveling around China for a few years now, the answer to this question is seemingly: No, Chinese are not showing off their history.
我在中國生活和旅遊了幾年，對於這個問題我的答案是:不，中國人並沒有在炫耀他們的歷史。
This is not to say however that they are not proud of their history. Speak to any Chinese (with whom you can communicate) and they are certain to remind you at some point that they have 5000 years of history, however they rarely elaborate on what that means. So are they showing off? No. Are they proud? Absolutely.
然而，這並不是說他們對自己的歷史不感到自豪。和任何一個中國人交談(只要他們有能力跟你交流)，他們一定會在某個時刻提醒你，他們有5000年的歷史，但他們很少詳細說明這意味著什麼。那麼他們是在炫耀嗎?不。他們是在驕傲嗎?絕對是的。
Should they be? Depends. -Disclaimer, my Chinese is very limited and as such, greatly restricts the demographics with whom I interact, but the question asks the perspective of the lao wai, not what the reality may actually be.
他們應該驕傲嗎？視情況而定。-免責聲明，我的中文非常有限，因此，這極大地限制了我能夠與之互動的中國人的人數，但這個問題問的是老外的視角，而不是現實的真相應該是什麼。
3、Jacksonville
historically, China (right behind the Fertile Crescent) has been very innovative by independently inventing numerous technologies superior to most of the rest of the world -the wheel, food production and domestication, writing, watercraft, pottery and porcelain, movable print, paper, the compass, and gunpowder.
歷史上，中國(在新月沃土另一側)一直非常具有創新性，他們獨立發明了許多優於世界上大多數國家的技術——輪子、食品生產和馴化、文字、水利、陶瓷、活字印刷、紙張、指南針和火藥。
Now，China is the fastest developing country in the world and as a foreigner you will likely be reminded that China is now the second largest economy in the world (just don't ask how they rank in terms of GDP per capita). Everywhere you go in China there are major construction projects.
現在，中國是世界上發展最快的國家，作為一個外國人，可能會有人提醒你說，中國現在是世界第二大經濟體(但是請不要問他們的人均GDP排名如何)。在中國，到處都有大型建設項目。
4、Andy Lee
Most Western folks don't mind and find it a charming reason to visit China
大多數西方人並不介意，他們認為這是一個去中國旅行的迷人理由
It's mostly Vietnamese and Koreans* who find it annoying, as the other half of the historic claims is claiming that the totality of Korean and Vietnamese history is merely a branch of Chinese history.
大多數越南人和韓國人認為這很煩人，因為按照中國的歷史所說，朝鮮和越南的歷史只是中國歷史的一個分支。
Japanese culture is already world renown as something distinct from China so they're less likely to find it bothersome, and if anything get to brag that they were influenced by the best dynasty in China, the Tang.
日本文化已經因為與中國不同而聞名於世，所以日本人不太可能覺得這很讓人煩惱，非要炫耀什麼的話，那就是他們受到了中國最好的朝代—唐朝的影響。
5、Yaru Lin
It is reasonable for cultures with extensive histories to be aware and proud of that. I haven't seen Chinese people show off Chinese history any more than Greek people show off Greek history.
擁有悠久歷史的文化有理由意識到這一點並為此感到自豪。我從來沒有見過比希臘人炫耀希臘歷史更厲害的中國人去炫耀中國歷史。
Nor have I met many foreigners who are well acquainted with Chinese history beyond impressions of the PRC and Confucius - hence they have always been pleasantly surprised when I offhandedly give my typical fifteen minute summary.
除了對中華人民共和國和孔子有點印象之外，我也沒有遇到過許多熟悉中國歷史的外國人——因此，當我不假思索地給他們做了典型的15分鐘中國歷史總結的時候，他們總是對此又驚又喜。
6、Maxwell Cao
Some people show off 「freedom 」 more than chinese show off history .Actually,many chinese 「just smile and not to talk 」
有些人比中國人更愛炫耀「自由」。事實上，很多中國人只會「笑而不語」。
當然，相較於這些善意且寬容理解的評論，同樣有不少外國人表現出了相當的惡意：
1、Tiffany
I don't know if you've ever played the game of "Chinese Restaurant". In the game, Chinese chefs sell rats as food.
我不知道你是否玩過「中餐館」這款遊戲。在遊戲中，中國廚師將老鼠作為食物售賣。
Although I don't know much about China, it really makes me dislike them. So how can I answer this question? I don't think I will ever have a Chinese friend or have any conversation with Chinese people.
雖然我對中國不太了解，但它確實讓我討厭它們。那麼我該如何回答這個問題呢？我不認為我會有一個中國朋友或與中國人交談。
2、Martin Lawrence
When I was in high school, I had a Chinese classmate who seemed to be indifferent to all the activities that Americans were interested in, such as drinking, barbecuing and dating.
當我在高中的時候，我有一個中國同學，她似乎對美國人感興趣的所有活動都漠不關心，比如喝酒、燒烤和約會。
This made me very angry. Especially, she only cared about the attitude of learning. I didn't even have the opportunity to communicate with her. This makes me sick of today's problems. Who wants to talk to the Chinese people?
這讓我很生氣。尤其是，她只關心學習的態度。我甚至沒有機會和她交流。這使我厭倦了今天的問題。誰想和中國人交談？
3、Martin Lawrence
The Chinese keep boasting about their positive history, but forget that they have been oppressed by the northern nomads for a long time in history. They hope to survive through women and money!
中國人一直在吹噓他們的積極歷史，但忘記了他們在歷史上長期受到北方游牧民族的壓迫。他們希望通過女人和金錢（換取）生存！
Obviously, compared with the history of unyielding fighting in Europe, this is extremely disgraceful.Therefore, I disdain the pride of the Chinese people.
顯然，與歐洲不屈不撓的戰鬥歷史相比，這是極其可恥的。因此，我鄙視中國人的驕傲。
4、Roman Knight
China should pray that the Himalayas blocked Alexander. Compared with the Macedonian phalanx, China during the Qin Dynasty was undoubtedly very fragile. （More than ten years after the Qin Dynasty was founded, it perished in a group of peasants'riots, which exposed his fragility.）
中國應該祈禱喜馬拉雅山阻擋了亞歷山大。與馬其頓方陣相比，中國在秦朝無疑是非常脆弱的。（秦朝建立十多年後，就在一群農民的暴動中滅亡，暴露了他的脆弱性。）
Although the Chinese people constantly emphasized their strength, in my opinion, it was just the boasting of street corner tramps. The most direct proof was that China was so strong. Why don't they come and occupy Europe?
雖然中國人不斷強調自己的實力，但在我看來，這不過是街角流浪漢的吹噓而已。最直接的證據是中國如此強大。他們為什麼不來占領歐洲？
顯然，針對此類對於中國有著相當惡意的扭曲和污篾，評論區里的一位中國姑娘在竭力保持冷靜客觀之後，實在忍不住了：
Feifei Wang
We really don't need foreigners to give us their perspective on this one. We are indeed showing off our 5000 years of history ALL THE TIME. We have the longest continuous history; we practically invented everything; we are the only country who set up historian as a government official since beginning of time;
我們真的不需要外國人告訴我們他們對這個問題的看法。我們確實一直在炫耀我們5000年的歷史。我們擁有全世界最長的連續歷史;我們幾乎發明了一切東西;我們是有史以來唯一一個把歷史學家設為政府官員的國家;
we were the most advanced society for thousands of years; when we're eating fine cuisines in our fine dining hall, western Europeans were eating half cooked meat with small weapons in tiny stone hovels with hay covering their floor! Barbarians...
我們是幾千年來最先進的社會;當我們在高級餐廳里享用美味佳肴時，西歐人用細小的武器在鋪著乾草的小石屋裡吃著半生不熟的肉!像野蠻人一樣活著……
Of course, the above remarks are not offensive. I support and welcome foreign friends who really want to know about Chinese civilization. But for some malicious and baseless slanders, I just want to tell them: the world is big, not just the world in your eyes!
當然，上述言論無意冒犯。我支持並歡迎真正想了解中國文明的外國朋友。但對於一些惡意和毫無根據的誹謗，我只想告訴他們：世界很大，不僅僅只有你眼中的世界！
不可否認，網友「WangFeifei 」的怒懟是及其令人爽快的！
她的言辭雖然略顯情緒，但是其情緒之下所反映的現象，卻又是事實：
我們是幾千年來最先進的社會;當我們在高級餐廳里享用美味佳肴時，西歐人用細小的武器在鋪著乾草的小石屋裡吃著半生不熟的肉!像野蠻人一樣活著。
事實如此，中國人在4000多年前便已經熟練的使用刀叉進食，而隨著社會財富及食物加工手段的發展，2500年前中國就已經普遍性的使用筷子作為餐具。
而西方是多久開始放棄「手抓」，轉而使用刀叉的呢？
600年前....
小小一副刀叉，雖然並不能反映多少問題，但是至少有一點我們是可以肯定的：在談歷史這件事上，中國如果是大學的話，那麼整個西方，充其量只能算幼兒園。