以日观中:罗兰·巴特认识中国文化的渠道与方式

Understanding China Through Japan:Roland Barthes’s Channels and Methods of Understanding Chinese Culture

在“西学东渐”与“中学西传”的过程中,日本都占据着重要的中介地位。铃木大拙以日本禅学为基础阐释中国禅学、道家思想,冈仓天心以日本“寂”美学通释禅学、道家思想与日本茶道,并以日本茶道为基础阐释中国茶道,这二人的思想在西方传播甚广。受此二人影响,罗兰·巴特以日本学者为渠道,透过日本学者的中国文化观念来观察和认识中国文化,并以此建构他的文化理论。文化上的影响不只是点对点的线性关系,学者皆处在一个互相影响的“多元网络”中。中国学者须具备“多元网络”思维与“世界学术中的中国”视野,正视中西交流中的以日观中现象,反思中西对话之间的日本因素,辨明以日观中遗产中的成果与糟粕,扬弃日本这个中介因素,在直接交流中真正全面比较中国与西方文化,实现文化汇通。

In the process of“Western learning spreading to the East”and“Chinese learning spreading to the West”,Japan played an important role as the intermediary.D.T.Suzuki explained China’s Zen and Taoism based on Japanese Zen.Okakura Tenjin explained Zen,Taoism and Japanese tea ceremony through Japanese“silence”aesthetics,and China’s tea ceremony based on Japanese tea ceremony.Their thoughts spread widely in the West.Under their influence,Roland Barthes used Japanese scholars as a channel to observe and understand Chinese culture and constructed his cultural theory.Any influence in culture is not just a linear point-to-point one.Scholars all live in a“multi-facet network”of mutual influence.Chinese scholars should have the“multi-facet network”thinking and the vision of“China as part of the world academia”,face up to the phenomenon of“understanding China through Japan”in the communication between China and the West,reflect on the Japanese factors in the dialogue between China and the West,identify the achievements and dross in the heritage of“understanding China through Japan”,take away the intermediary factor of Japan on the basis of previous thoughts,and truly compare Chinese and Western culture in a comprehensive way in direct communication,so as to achieve cultural convergence.