在中国发现“印刷资本主义”——评《谷腾堡在上海:中国印刷资本业的发展(1876—1937)》

Finding “Printing Capitalism”in China—commenting on Gutenberg in Shanghai: Development of Capital of Printing Industry( 1876-1937) in China

芮哲非《谷腾堡在上海》的中译本终于在2014年面世,这为我们进一步了解此书提供了极大的便利。该书对安德森"印刷资本主义"概念的重新界定,不仅使之清晰化,而且借此打开了讨论"技术的社会史"的空间。尤为重要的是,作者将理论与中国近代印刷、出版状况有机结合,试图循着中国历史内部发展的脉络,来探索中国印刷资本主义的条件与具体呈现,并指出中国印刷传统(通过"印刷文化"与"印刷商业")对于中国印刷现代性的积极意义。芮哲非的上述思考为我们重新理解物质文化与精神文化的关系、中国现代性的多元性质等问题提供了非常有益的参考。

The Chinese version of Gutenberg in Shanghai by Christopher Reed was finally published in 2014,providing great convenience for us to know more about the book. The book redefined printing capitalism and attempted to probe into the conditions and presentation of it in China. It also pointed out the positive influence of Chinese printing tradition upon the modernity of Chinese printing. Christopher Reed's ideas offered helpful reference to re- understanding issues like relationship between material and spiritual culture,the diversity of Chinese modernity,etc.