在西方现代性想象中研究中国形象

Images of China in the Imagination of Western Modernity

在跨文化视野内研究西方的中国形象,关键的问题不是描述形象特征,而是在特定知识框架中解释形象的意义。中国形象在西方现代精神结构中生成,只有在西方现代性想象中,中国形象的意义才能够得到系统深刻的解释。在西方现代性观念纵深研究中国形象,就是分析启蒙运动前后西方现代性观念中不断乌托邦化的三种中国形象类型和系统意识形态化的三种中国形象类型;规划西方的中国形象研究的历史意义域与逻辑框架,进一步反思中国形象参与构筑西方现代性经验的过程与方式。提出中国形象研究的解释性问题并尝试解释性分析,是西方的中国形象研究理论自觉的标志。

To analyze the images of China in western modernity cross-culturally is not to give a de- scription of the images per se,but to find their meanings with a reference of given epistemic. Originating in western modernity,the images of China can only be interpreted in the imagina- tion of western moderbernity.This paper is going to study the images of China in the depth of western modernity with a focus on three utopian types of them in the western mind somewhat a- round the Enlightenment and on another three types of China's images stereotyped ideological- ly,so as to find the meaning and scope of western studies of China's images,and to find the inspiration that China's images gave to the becoming of western modernity.To ask how to in- terpret China's images and to propose a tentative interpretation indicates theoretical awareness of western studies of China's images.