开放的先声:明代“中国长技”概念的形成及其“师夷”特征

The Foreword of Openness: The Formation of the Concept of “Chinese Strength” in Ming Dynasty and its Characteristics of “Learning from abroad”

明代上至皇帝,中至朝臣,下至前线将领,都将火器视为"中国长技"。"中国长技"既包括中国本土创制的火器,更包括西洋先进火器。明人在频繁使用、广泛传播"中国长技"概念时,不知不觉已跨过"华夷大防"的界限,且无违和之感。究其原因,则是因为北方的蒙古,东方的倭寇和日本,以及东北的后金—清朝步步逼临的形势所迫。为此,明朝应用当时所有能够应用的先进火器,并将其中西洋的先进火器仿制、改造后,一并视为"中国长技"。事实上,明朝早已先晚清而开启了"师夷长技以制夷"的军事实践。

From the Ming dynasty to the emperor, from the middle to the courtiers, down to the frontline generals, all regarded firearms as “Chinese Strength”.“Chinese Strength” includes both firearms created in China and advanced Western firearms. When Ming people frequently used and widely disseminated the concept of “Chinese Strength”, they had unwittingly crossed the boundary of “Protection between China and foreign countries” and had no sense of violation. The reason for this is because of the situation forced in Mongolia in the North, the Japanese in the East, and the the Post-Jin and Qing dynasty in the Northeast. To this end, the Ming Dynasty used all the advanced firearms that could be used at that time, and after the imitation and transformation of the advanced Western firearms, they were considered as “Chinese Strength”. In fact, the Ming Dynasty had already opened the military practice of “Study the strengths of foreigners in order to resist them” before the late Qing Dynasty.