中国:英国的典范——17-18世纪英国文人眼中的中国

A Model for England:China in the Eyes of English Intellectuals in the 17^(th) and 18^(th) Centuries

互照互省、互相借鉴历来是文化交流与对话的目的。17世纪,中国先进的制度和文化对英国产生了强烈冲击。培根、托马斯.布朗、约翰.韦伯等人认为汉语是人类的初始语言;廷达尔、柯林斯、兰姆塞等自然神论者借用中国的儒家学说或东方的佛教攻击启示宗教;罗伯特.伯顿、威廉.坦普尔、休谟、撒缪尔.约翰逊、哥尔斯密等人对中国的哲人治国、人才选拔制度极为敬仰,竭力呼吁英国效仿。世界历史是一个多元发展、相互作用的系统工程,不仅西方塑造了中国的现代化运动,中国形象也作为文化"他者",参与塑造了西方文化的"自我"。

Mutual criticism and mutual reference have been the purpose of cultural communication and dialogue. China＇s advanced institutions and culture in the 17^th century make great impacts on England. Bacon, Thomas Browne and John Webb think that Chinese is the original language of mankind. Tindal, Colins and Ramsay use Confucianism or Buddhism to attack revealed religion. Robert Burton, William Temple, Hume, Samuel Johnson and Goldsmith admire China＇s philosopher king and imperial examination, and appeal to England to follow China. World history is a systematic project of multi-developments and mutual influences. On the one hand, the West helps to mold China＇s modernization; on the other hand, the image of China as the cultural ＂other＂ participates in shaping the ＂selfhood＂ of Western culture.