琉球事件中的中国社会关于宗藩体制的舆论——以《申报》为主要考察对象

Chinese Public Opinion on the Suzerain-vassal System during the Ryukyu Affair

在琉球事件当中宗藩体制正面临着崩溃 ,中国社会舆论如何看待这一事件 ?在不同阶段 ,舆论先是要求清政府与日本争琉 ,继而要求清政府舍琉 ,最后要求清政府为琉存祀 ,而所“争”、所“舍”、所“存”的都是中国对于琉球的宗主权 ,而不是像日本那样对琉球的领有权提出要求。中国社会外交观念落后于国际现实 ,外交自然只能处于被动。

During the Ryukyu Affair,the suzerain-vassal system between China and Ryukyu Islands was on the verge of collapse. What was the evolving Chinese public opinion regarding this event? At the outset,the public demanded that the Qing government fight to retain the Ryukyu Islands,this gave way to a demand to abandon it,but ultimately public opinion supported retention. Actually,all these popular demands focused on suzerainty,unlike the Japanese demand to annex the Ryukyu Islands. Because the Chinese concept of foreign affairs lagged behind the international reality,the Qing government inevitably took a passive position on the Ryukyu Affair.