中国是从何时开始落后于西方的?为什么?——欧洲文艺复兴前后中国同西方的比较

When has China begun to fall behind the West? Why? ——comparative study between China and the West around the European Renaissance

近两年,国内史学界对中国何时开始落后于西方的问题,主要有三种意见:一种看法认为从13世纪时西方已跃居在中国之前;另一种主张是18世纪时中国不比西方落后,并以当时农产总值及养活了世界1/3人口为例证;第三种意见是主张欧洲文艺复兴前中国领先于西方,而文艺复兴后中国落后于西欧之间的差距日益明显和扩大。通过对欧洲文艺复兴前后中国同西方的比较,应该说,中西之间的差距归根到底是从文艺复兴后期开始拉开并日益扩大的。西欧历史的关键性转折始于欧州文艺复兴运动。对鸦片战争前50～100年中国康雍乾"盛世"隐伏的根本危机和历史教训应进行深入反思和总结。

The domestic history circles have three main opinions about the problem when China has begun to fall behind the West in recent two years. One opinion considered the West has leaped to front of China from the 13th century; Another suggested China hadn't fallen behind the West until the 18th century, and took it as an instance that agriculture total output value had supported1/3 people in the world at that time; The third view suggested China had leaded the West before the European Renaissance, whereas the gap that China has been behind the West has become obvious and expanding increasingly behind the European Renaissance. Through comparative study between China and the West around the European Renaissance, we should suggest that the difference between China and the West has begun to pull away and been expanded day by day from the later period of the European Renaissance in the final analysis. The Western Europe historic and key turn hasn't begun until the European Renaissance Campaign. It should be rethought and summarized thoroughly to the basic crisis and historical lesson which were lied concealed in China Kangyongqian Times of prosperity before 50～100 years of the Opium War.