地理、文明与民族自尊——梁启超对地理环境论与文明等级论的吸收与修改

Geography, Civilization and National Self-esteem: Liang Qichao's Absorption and Revision to the Theory of Geographical Environment and Civilized Hierarchy

梁启超经由明治日本吸收、消化和重铸的地理环境论与文明等级论,一改其东方主义的世界观和知识系统的原初面貌,成为转型时代凝聚民族认同的利器和构建民族国家的理论基石。它们不但唤起了中国精英追赶西方"进步"和"文明"的急迫感,而且以文化相对主义的方式极力寻求中国文明与西方文明的对等地位,成为重建民族自尊的重要元素,并为未来中国赶超西方文明开辟了"希望的空间"。

At the turn of 19 th and 20 th century, Liang Qichao’s theory of Geographical Environment and Civilized Hierarchy that absorbed, digested and recast through Meiji Japan were different from their original appearance of Orientalist word outlook and knowledge system. They became weapons for the cohesion of national identity and the theoretical foundation for building a nation state in the era of transition.They not only aroused the urgency of Chinese elite to catch up with Western civilization, but also tried to seek equal status between Chinese civilization and Western civilization in the way of cultural relativism. They became important elements in the reconstruction of national self-esteem, and provided "hope space" for China to catch up with Western civilization in the future.