超越文化猎奇:杜威的中国之旅

Beyond the Exotic:A Study of John Dewey’s Chinese Visit

从美国杜威中心现存相关文物资料来看,杜威本人的思想在访华过程中有过比较复杂的转折。杜威来华初始沉浸在一种"中国风情"式的宾主氛围之中,后因种种机缘逐渐摆脱了小圈子的交际,开始对中国社会各方面的问题,尤其是普通中国人的生活境遇有了更充分的认识。这些都促成了杜威本人对社会、政治等领域的深入思考。经济条件相对宽裕的两年中国时光,更使得杜威能够充分消化这些异域经验,并在回国后不久就撰写了其在政治学领域的名作《公众及其问题》,并且开始积极投身社会运动。杜威的中国之行,是中美文化交流史上的一个标志性事件。

Documents and Materials at The Center for Dewey Studies of Southern Illinois University suggest that Dewey’s own thinking took a rather complex turn during his visit to China.Dewey’s first visit is always immersed in a Chinese-style atmosphere,which is actually rooted in Imperialism.However,Dewey,through various opportunities,gradually breaks away from such small-circle interactions and begins to gain a deeper understanding of various aspects of Chinese society,especially the living conditions of ordinary Chinese people.All of these lead to Dewey’s own deeper thinking about social and political problems.Two years with relatively generous economic conditions in China enables him to reflect fully upon these foreign experiences,and soon after his returned to America,he writes his masterpiece in political science,The Public and Its Problems,and begins to actively engage in social movements.Dewey’s trip to China is a landmark event in the history of Sino-American cultural exchange.