从东方学史看西方学界的丝绸之路研究

An Analysis of Silk Roads Studies in Western Academic Circles from the History of Oriental Studies

19世纪后期至20世纪初,欧洲的一些探险家与东方学家开始深入中亚地区,发现了作为古代东西方商道的"丝绸之路",开启了"路"的历史叙述与研究模式,从历史文献的翻译与阐释进入了实地踏查的阶段,从而带来了东方学研究方式与方法的变化,并且揭示出丝绸之路作为"中国之路"与"东方之路"的性质,展现了此路"以物载文"的文化交流特性。近年来,一些学者在当代世界经济的描述与研究中利用了"丝绸之路"的概念并将其广义化,提出了"新丝绸之路"的概念或撰写"丝绸之路新史",直接或间接地与中国提出的"一带一路"相呼应,表明他们从历史研究走向现实关注。对西方学界丝绸之路研究模式及特点的关注与研究,将有助于人们认识"一带一路"倡议的广阔的国际背景与深刻的历史渊源。

From the late 19th century to the early 20th century,some European explorers and orientalists began their expenditures in Central Asia,discovering the Silk Roads as an ancient East-West trade route,and that commenced the historical narration and research mode from the perspective of the "Roads",which means the Oriental Studies in Europe entered the stage of field investigation from the translation and interpretation of historical documents,and thus brought about changes in the research methods.In the subsequent studies,the nature of the Silk Roads as the Roads of China and Roads of the East was objectively revealed,showing their characteristics in cultural communication.In recent years,some scholars have used and generalized the concept of Silk Roads in the descriptions and studies on the contemporary world economy,which puts forward the idea of New Silk Roads or composes a new history of it.To a large extent,it echoes China’s Belt and Road Initiative,showing that the researchers have moved from historical studies to practical concerns.Therefore,an analysis of the model and characteristics of Silk Roads studies in Western academic circles will help us understand the broad international background and profound historical origins of the Belt and Road Initiative.