西方汉学与中国经学的互动——以《论语》“信近于义,言可复也”的英译与诠释为例

The Interaction Between Sinology and Confucianism——The English Translations and Interpretations of “Xin Jin Yu Yi,Yan Ke Fu Ye” in the Confucian Analects

西方汉学的开端可以追溯至明末清初天主教耶稣会士来华传教。在"适应主义"的传教策略之下,耶稣会士对很多儒家典籍进行了翻译与解释,从而开启了西方汉学与中国经学互动共进的历史。刘殿爵以英文撰写论文探讨《论语》"信近于义,言可复也"的意义内涵,即是这种互动作用的典型案例。在这一过程中,汉学使得某些多少为自身语言的同质性所缓解的经学诠释问题,以一种较为"醒目"的方式重新被突显出来;而经学的回应也促进了有关问题向更加深入的方向发展。总之,西方汉学与中国经学的这种双向交流特别有利于中西文化的相互敞开与融通互释。

The beginning of Sinology can trace back to the Jesuits’ missionary work in China during the late Ming and early Qing Dynasty. With the missionary strategy of "accommodationism", Jesuits translated and interpreted so many Confucian canons;at the same time, they activated the interaction between Sinology and Confucianism. There is a typical case of this interaction, i.e. D. C. Lau published his English paper on the interpretation of "Xin Jin Yu Yi, Yan Ke Fu Ye" in the Confucian Analects. In English translations and interpretations of Confucian canons, Sinology foregrounds some exegetical problems in a conspicuous way, which to some extent may be relieved in the Chinese language and tradition. Meanwhile, the reaction of Confucianism can also motivate the further studies of related problems. In a word, the interaction of Sinology and Confucianism is especially beneficial to the openness and communication between Chinese and Western cultures.