儒学视角下费正清对发展中美关系的阐释——以《美国与中国》(第四版)为例

On John K.Fairbank's Ideas about Confucianism and the Development of Sino-US Relations——The United States and China as an example

费正清作为美国中国学的奠基人,他的儒学研究虽然只是他中国研究的一部分,但是对美国中国学的研究和发展产生了深远的影响,同时也反过来影响着他的中国观。费氏本人一生关于中国研究的著作和评论颇多。他对儒家思想的基本认识集中体现在他的代表作《美国与中国》一书中。该书在经过修订和不断地补充之后,于1958、1971和1983年三次再版。在书中费氏清晰地勾勒和呈现出了他对儒家思想的基本看法,并且在该书的再版中增加了新的内容,尤其是儒家思想与近代中国以及发展中美关系等现实问题。本文以费氏的代表作《美国与中国》(第四版)为分析文本,从儒学视角下探析费正清对发展中美关系的阐释,使我们可以更好地认识中西文化的差异和正确看待中美两国关系发展中所遭遇的文化冲突;同时对于中国人更好地认识自己和自己的传统提供了一个有益的参考并起着一定的启迪作用。

John King Fairbank, founding father of Chinese studies in America, has studied Confucianism as a part of his Chinese studies, which exerted influences on not only his own Chinese concepts but the study and development of Chinese studies in America. This paper is designed to analyze Fairbank＇ s basic ideas about the development of Sino - US relations based on his masterpiece The United States and China. Thus, a new perspective of understanding Confucianism studies of A- merica is provided. Meanwhile, it provides a reference to rationally treat the cultural differences in Sino - US relations and another channel of viewing our own culture and tradition.