I think it is true that the Chinese language originally did not use the passive voice as we know it today. The Chinese language, however, has always had the word 被， which in olden times meant "suffer the fate of", which was by definition negative. Example: 风流总被雨打风吹去。~ 宋· 辛弃疾《永遇乐·京口北固亭怀古》 It is in active voice: Elegance always suffers the fate of persecution and destruction. The Chinese language for educational, official and business use underwent a radical transformation in the early 20th century (白话文运动; 新文学运动). This was the time when many western books were translated into Chinese. In the absence of an established neutral (as opposed to negative) passive construction, the negative word 被 was adopted for neutral use.

what do you mean by passive voice? you mean passive pattern（passive participle）？like be built, be born? in Chinese be is called"被", in my opionion "被" is really often related with misfortunes.. but most chinese people are unconciouse about this subtle associations:)

Not really. For example: He was killed by a masked man. 他’被‘一个蒙面人杀害了。 He was stolen yesterday.他昨天’被‘偷了。 He was killed in an accident. 他死于一起事故。 He was beaten by a older boy yesterday. 他昨天’被‘一个比他年龄大的男孩打了。 If there is the phrase, 'by sb/sth', most of the time, we say the sentences with '被'. But many times a sentence shows in the form of the passive voice in English, we would say in the form of the active voice. For example: He was born in 2000. 他出生于2 000年. I think in Chinese thought/habitat, we emphasize that where we come from, but don't emphasize how we were/are done by other things/other people.

My views are these: 1. Let Chinese be taught and learned free from the silly practice of analysing it according to English grammar. Why must a sentence have a subject, for example? Good Chinese writing often finds it an impediment to have a subject. 2. It is not a fault at all for a language not to be structurally conducive to the passive voice. 3. Chinese people should be at peace with the fact that Chinese is vastly different from European languages and not try to prove that it is susceptible to English grammatical analysis. 4. If English has proved itself to be the best language for science and social science research, let it be so, and everyone else should just learn it and use it if they need a language for those purposes, regardless of their nationality. 5. Enjoy Chinese as a language for the arts and the humanities.

Shawn, Please do not mind if I feel unable to concur 100%. Some of the constructions you quoted are in fact in the ACTIVE VOICE, though the MEANING is that the subject is on the receiving end of something. I received a blow. I suffered some currency losses. I was the subject of an enquiry. I succumb to his charm. These are all in the ACTIVE VOICE. "A report was received by the police." This is written in the passive voice. Analysing your points on the same principle, Your point (2). 于=at the hands of. "…perished at the hands of Qin". "Perish/Disintegrate within a short time" - 于 is preposition meaning "within". (3) 见 = witness, see, encounter. For example, "Deeply apprehensive of encountering deception". (5) 为 = become, be. "Was/became a universal laughing stock". I agree with (1) and (4).