摘要
Throughout the period from the late eighteenth to the mid-twentieth century, China was invariably ＂the other＂ contrasted with the US in the latter＇s imagination. Imagining this ＂other＂ reflected the fears, aspirations and yearnings of Americans, and helped define American identity and its position in the world in different historical periods. It was a w^iy for the US to reflect on and conceive of itself, and was therefore profoundly autobiographical. Americans should give up their manner of understanding and imagining China within the framework of their own values and interests and obtain a clear understanding of the feelings, desires and aspirations of the Chinese people, so as to lay a sound emotional foundation for the stable development of Sino-US relations.
从18世纪晚期一直到20世纪中期，美国一直把中国想象成为与自己形象相对照的“他者”。对中国的这种“他者”想象反映着美国人自己的恐惧、渴望和向往，在不同的历史时期帮助美国人界定自己的国家身份与国家地位，是美国自我审视、自我想象的一种方式，因而具有深刻的自传性质。美国应放弃在自己的观念和利益框架内理解和想象中国的方式，真切地了解和体会中国人的感受、欲望和抱负，从而使中美关系的稳定发展能有一个健康的情感基础。
