跨界:芮恩施与中美关系的三种经历

Crossover:Paul Samuel Reinsch and the Three Dimensions of his Experience in China-US Relations

在19世纪以降的中美关系史上,同时拥有学者、外交官和跨文化者三种身份经历者不乏其人,如卫三畏、柔克义和司徒雷登等人。由于时代的差异,芮恩施的三种身份经历显得与众不同。在中美关系史上,他的跨界经历是进步主义时代美国学者从政的缩影。作为学者,芮恩施的学术思想为20世纪初美国远东政策提供了理论支撑,而且他利用美国政治学会对中美关系施加学术影响;他利用学者和外交官的双重身份,来处理一战时期处于危机中的中美关系,并因此陷入身份认同困境;作为跨文化者,芮恩施虽有促进中美沟通的良好愿望,但他是以美国强势文化的姿态来"帮助"中国的弱势文化,结果适得其反。在担任驻华公使前后,以芮恩施为代表的美国政治学会学者群体活跃于中美外交舞台上,并致力于建构一种带有浓厚学者气息的中美关系。需要指出的是,芮恩施鼓吹的"平等"与"自由"等道德价值,实质上仍是代表美国强势文化的西方价值。

In the history of China-US relations from the 19th century on,there was no lack of figures who combined the roles of scholar,diplomat and cross-culture communicator,such as Samuel Wells Williams,William Woodville Rockhill,John Leighton Stuart,etc.However,the changing times meant Reinsch’s experience in these roles was unique.His border-crossing experience epitomized the American scholars who engaged in politics during the Progressive Era.As a scholar,Reinsch’s academic thinking provided theoretical support for the US Far East policy at the beginning of the 20th century,and he exerted academic influence on China-US relations through the American Political Science Association(APSA).He worked both as a scholar and a diplomat to handle the crisis in China-US relations during the World War I,which faced him with a dilemma over his own identity.As a cross-cultural communicator,Reinsch had a praiseworthy desire to improve communication between China and the US,'helping'the weaker Chinese culture from the stance of a strong American culture,but the result was counterproductive.Before and after becoming ambassador to China,Reinsch and his fellow APSA scholars were active in the China-US diplomatic arena,devoting themselves to establishing China-US relations with a strong academic flavor.It should be noted that the moral values of'equality'and'freedom'that Reinsch advocated were in essence still'Western values'representing the strong American culture.