西洋火器引入与徐光启对外新观念

Introduction of Western Artillery and Xu Guang-qi's New Ideas on Outside China

明末名臣徐光启受到利玛窦等西方传教士的深刻影响,为了明王朝与清朝的战争获得胜利,在澳门葡萄牙人的大力支持与帮助下,成功推动了从澳门引入先进西洋火器。与此同时,他敏锐地意识到新式作战工具所带来的对传统冷兵器时代战争观的颠覆性变革,阐发了一系列与之相适应的崭新的进攻与防御思想。在这种努力的背后,显露出中国知识阶层对17世纪初外部世界认识的微妙变化,特别是引发了对当时占主导地位的华夷秩序下传统对外观念的反思和冲击。虽然新式武器在一定程度上暂时改变了北方战场上的力量对比,但却无法根本挽救明王朝的衰落。值得关注的是,大规模引入西洋火器的行动激起了明王朝内部新旧观念的激烈斗争,迫使徐光启的计划最终半途而废,而且明王朝使用先进西洋火器反过来也刺激了清朝在此领域的迅速发展。徐光启引入西洋火器,其主要目的无疑是为了挽救明朝覆灭,但同时也应该看到,他希望能借此机会改变南京教案后明朝确定的排斥天主教政策,推动天主教在华的进一步发展。徐光启抱憾去世后,他引入西洋先进火器和战争思想的努力,间接地为清朝彻底击败明朝,统一国家,拓宽疆土提供了重要条件。

In order to win the battle between the Ming Dynasty and Manzhou, Xu Guang-qi, a famous scholar - official at the end of the Ming Dynasty, got the deep influences from Matteo Ricci and several Jesuits from the West, succeeded in promoting the introduction of western artillery from Macao with the support of the Portuguese there. At the same time, He realized observantly the fundamental transformation which was taken by the new military weapon compared with the traditional cold one, and explained a series of offensive and defensive thoughts to adapt to the momentous change. Such kind of effort indicated that the subtle diversification which was happened among the intelligentsia of China at the beginning of the 17th century, especially prompted a review of the stagnant ideas on outside China under the traditional Chinese-Barbarian System. Although the introduction of western artillery had changed the firepower contrast in the north battlefield to a certain extent, the new weapon could not save the decline of the Ming Dynasty. Significantly, Xu Guang-qi＇s action of trying to introduce more western artillery enkindled the drastic controversy in Ming government and forced him to give up the whole plan halfway. Moreover, the use of western artillery of Ming had stimulated the Manzhou to get a rapid evolution in the same filed. The intention of Xu Guangqi＇s introduction of western artillery was primary to save the Ming Dynasty, but he also wanted to change the policy of forbidding Catholicism by the Ming Government after Nanking Missionary Case and promoted more spread of Catholicism in China. After Xu Guang-qi＇s death, the introduction of western artillery and new thoughts on war helped Qing Dynasty significantly to subdue the Ming, unite the whole country and widen the territory.