“民主”一词在近代中国的再生

The Redefinition of the Word Minzhu in the Late Imperial China

本文从历史语义学的角度 ,首先考察了“民主”和“民本”在汉语语境中的古典含义及其在中国传统政治思想格局中的位置。在此基础上 ,细致地分析了近代以来“民主”一词如何在西方思想的刺激下 ,通过传教士和中国思想家的共同努力 ,被重新发掘出来 ,并在重新诠释的过程中 ,从“民之主” (君主 )走向自己的反面“人民群众当家作主”的过程。

The article examines the changing connotation of the Chinese word minzhu from the perspective of historical linguistics. First, the article analyzes the classical Chinese meanings of the words minzhu (民主) and minben (民本) and their positions in the traditional political thought. Second, it discusses how missionaries and native thinkers in late imperial China “re-explained' the word Minzhu. As a result, the connotation of the word minzhu was transformed from the “master of the people' to “the people as a master'.