试论李端棻的西学

On the Western Learning of Li Duanfen

甲午以前,李端棻更多循着传统士人的轨辙,为具有开新意识的清流;至庚子间,在制度化地推进以西学为导向的教育体制变革上有开风气之功,其《请推广学校折》所提出的问题使得中学和西学的正面讨论无法再回避含混;晚年洞知西学门径,对西学的道器分疏知之甚悉,亦见出西学用于中国之不足;其时言西学者甚众,言说对象与立场各有不同,不宜以今日眼光简单笼括。

Before the First Sino-Japanese War,Li Duanfen was more a traditional scholar with an open mind.From then to 1900,he led the western learning oriented educational institution reform in which the Advice to Promote the New Schools made it unavoidable to discuss the Chinese learning and western learning publicly.In his late years,Li Duanfen had a thorough understanding of the outline of western learning while knowing its shortage when used in China.At Li’s old age,there were numerous scholars discussing western learning from different backgrounds and with different targets,which can not be simply summarized.