“野蛮人”概念在欧洲的演变——从古典时代到文艺复兴

The European Concept of Barbarian:Its Evolution from Classical Times to the Renaissance

文明/野蛮的二元之分在历史上的强势民族中是普遍现象,但欧洲的"野蛮人"概念有其独特的发展轨迹。大略而言,古希腊时期的重心偏文化,古罗马时期偏政治,中世纪偏宗教,文艺复兴时期偏民族。但无论在哪个时期,其内核都是民族/种族中心思想,都是将现实或者想象的优越地位解释为特定民族/种族的历史宿命和哲学必然。从"野蛮人"概念在欧洲的演变可以看出,民族中心主义是一种极具弹性和适应性、同时又极度顽固的心理倾向和思维模式,它需要用世界主义加以疗救。

While the bifurcation of 'civilized-barbarian'is universal in all powerful nations,the European concept of 'barbarian'is somehow unique in its evolution.Simply put,the focus of the concept shifted from the cultural in ancient Greece to the political in ancient Rome,and from the religious in the Middle Ages to the national in the Renaissance,yet with Eurocentrism as its permanent core.A study of the historical changes in the concept helps us with a better understanding of world consciousness in Europe.