晚清政府与官书局的西学翻译

The Late Qing Government and Western Knowledge Translation by Official Publishing Agents

晚清时期,翻译被作为一种挽救民族危亡的手段发挥了举足轻重的作用。从中央至地方形成了较为完备的官书局体系。政府的全面参与不仅体现在官书局机构的设立、经费的支持与人员的配置等方面,而且体现在书籍的审查乃至销售等方面。这种参与既是顺应时势的实际需要,也是政府维护统治的手段。虽然有其局限性,但客观上对于促进晚清西学翻译的繁荣、晚清教育的近代化,乃至整体社会进步有着深刻影响。

Translation plays a significant role in saving the nation in peril in the late Qing period.Central and local official publishing agents were established.The government’s full involvement is not only reflected in the establishment of institutions,financial support and personnel allocation,but also reflected in the censorship of translated books and their selling.Such participation conforms to the actual needs of the times,and is a means to secure the government’s control.Although it is not without limitations,it has profound impact on the prosperity of western knowledge translation,the modernization of late Qing education and even the overall social progress.