中国“东方学”的萌芽与确立

The Germination and Establishment of Chinese“Oriental Studies”

中国古代就不乏对周边国家的考察和记录,但并非学科意义上的“东方学”。中国“东方学”是在西方文化冲击下的民族危亡和出路探寻过程中形成的。近现代的佛学复兴运动最早表现出振兴东方文化的使命感,在当时的世界大势中首先作出“东方”的回应。“五四运动”前后,学界的“东西文化论争”进一步催生了“东方意识”的自觉,尤其是1924年泰戈尔的访华,既推动了“东西文化论争”的进一步深入,也突破了“以中国代替东方”的狭隘理解,客观上促进了现代世界整体中的“东方意识”的形成。商务印书馆主办发行的期刊《东方杂志》(1904-1948),为中国“东方学”的形成起到了重要的积极作用。最早提出“东方学”概念的梁漱溟是中国“东方学”的奠基者,他在20年代的著作《东西文化及其哲学》则是中国“东方学”确立的标志。

In ancient China,there was no shortage of records and surveys of neighboring countries,but they were not"Oriental studies"in the sense of a discipline.Chinese"Oriental Studies"was formed in the process of finding the way out and national crisis under the impact of Western culture.The modern Buddhist revival movement first demonstrated the mission of revitalizing Eastern culture and made an"Oriental"response to the prevailing world trends at that time.Before and after the"May 4 th Movement",the"controversy between Eastern and Western cultures"in academic circles further gave birth to the"Oriental consciousness",especially Tagore’s visit to China in 1924,which not only promoted the further deepening of the"controversy between Eastern and Western cultures",but also broke through the narrow understanding of"replace the East with China",and objectively promoted the formation of the"Oriental consciousness"in the modern world as a whole.The periodical"Oriental Magazine"(1904-1948)sponsored and published by the Commercial Press played an important and active role in the formation of China’s"Oriental Studies".Liang Shuming,who first proposed the concept of"Oriental Studies",was the founder of China’s"Oriental Studies",and his book"Eastern and Western Cultures and their Philosophies"in the 1920 s was a sign of the establishment of China’s"Oriental Studies".