论明治维新前后日本洋学兴盛的社会条件

On Social Environment for Japanese Western Learning Growth During Meiji Restoration

明治维新前后,日本洋学兴盛,出现了大规模主动吸收西方大量先进思想文化的现象,它对日本率先在亚洲迈入近代化发达国家行列起了关键的推动作用。之所以会出现这种在亚洲独一无二的现象,是因为当时日本内部受到幕藩制统治危机的威胁,外部受到列强的武力压迫。改革日本社会现状的精神动力,不可能从传统思想文化中寻求,只有向更加发达的西方社会学习,吸收其已被实践证明是更加先进的思想文化,用以指导日本近代化的实践。这种洋学兴盛的社会条件表现在国民意识的觉醒、明治政府的大力提倡、民间结社的涌现、洋学机构的设置、留学生的出国学习、翻译出版传媒事业的发展等多个方面。

During the Meiji Restoration, western learning prospers in Japan along with large scale active absorption of western advanced ideology and culture, which is a crucial driving force for Japan being the first modern developed country in Asia. The cause of the phenomenon is that Japan is threatened internally by the Shogunate-Fief system crisis and oppressed externally by the western powers＇ military forces. Its social environment is the awaking of the citizen consciousness, the Government vigorous advocacy, the establishment of popular organizations, the setting-up of western learning institutions, students＇ going abroad to further their studies and the development of the mass media.