中西文化比较的方法论再思考

Rethinking of Methodology in Comparison of Chinese and Western Culture

西学东渐百余年来,中西文化比较在中国思想者这里通常的路径不外乎是以下三种:中体西用、西体中用和中西互为体用。但是,所有这些路径在突出中西文化异质性的同时,都忽略了文化比较的时间性。而当将中西的问题正确地置于古今的视野中时,我们将发现中西文化作为古代文化类型或现代文化类型彼此相通、相近的地方。中西文化比较可以以展现中西文化的差异为重点,但同样也可以以展现中西文化的相同为重点。

Since Western learning came into China more than 100 years ago, there have been no other than three approaches to the comparison of Chinese and Western culture, that is, Chinese essence and Western utility, Western essence and Chinese utility, Chinese culture and Western culture mutually as essence and utility. All these approaches, while highlighting the heterogeneity of Chinese and Western culture, ignore the timeliness of cultural comparison. However, when considering the problem of Chinese and Western culture rightly in the horizon of antiquity and modernity, we will find the similarities and commonness between Chinese and Western culture as antiquity or modernity. The comparison of Chinese and Western culture may put emphasis not only on the differences of both cultures, but also on the agreements of them. The above approaches start from the differences, whereas we may start from the agreements.