论英国文学中的“中国信札”传统

On “Chinese Letters” in British Literature of 18th Century

"东方信札"是随着东方文化影响力的提升而在欧洲文学中衍生出的一种特殊文类。其中,"中国信札"更是成为18世纪英国文学中的一种突出现象。霍拉斯·沃尔波尔的《叔和信札》开创了英国文学中以中国人作为观察者兼批评家,进行中西文化比较的传统;哥尔德斯密斯的《世界公民》集中体现了18世纪欧洲启蒙学者汲取中国文化的特点,即一方面受到耶稣会士尊儒排佛斥道倾向的影响,另一方面出于反抗宗教蒙昧和推翻君主专制的需要,而突出了儒家学说中的理性精神和伦理意识。G.L.迪金森的《约翰中国佬的来信》则堪称"中国信札"传统在20世纪最出色的余响。通过考察"中国信札",可以在思想史的背景中揭示西方知识分子汲取中国文化的阶段性特征,从一个崭新的视角呈现中国文化在西方社会向现代转型过程中的独到作用。

The "oriental letters"belong to a special genre deriving from the European literature due to the upgrading of the oriental cultural impacts; among which,the "Chinese letters"became a prominent phenomenon in the British writings of the 18 th century. Particularly,Horace Walpole's work A Letter from Xo Ho has established a tradition of comparison between Chinese and Western cultures by pretending to write from a Chinese observer and commenter viewpoint in the British literature. Then The Citizen of the World by Oliver Goldsmith reveals the concerns of the European Enlightenment scholars for the positive traditional Chinese culture. The Letters from John Chinaman by G. L. Dickinson can be seen the most remarkable echo of the tradition of writing the"Chinese letters". Through the demonstration of these"Chinese letters",the features are revealed for a period that Western intellectuals have absorbed some Chinese concepts,hence providing a unique perspective to evaluate the contribution of Chinese culture during the transformation of the Western social into modern society.