Throughout the period from the late eighteenth to the mid-twentieth century, China was invariably "the other" contrasted with the US in the latter's imagination. Imagining this "other" reflected the fears, aspira...Throughout the period from the late eighteenth to the mid-twentieth century, China was invariably "the other" contrasted with the US in the latter's imagination. Imagining this "other" reflected the fears, aspirations and yearnings of Americans, and helped define American identity and its position in the world in different historical periods. It was a w^iy for the US to reflect on and conceive of itself, and was therefore profoundly autobiographical. Americans should give up their manner of understanding and imagining China within the framework of their own values and interests and obtain a clear understanding of the feelings, desires and aspirations of the Chinese people, so as to lay a sound emotional foundation for the stable development of Sino-US relations.展开更多
文摘Throughout the period from the late eighteenth to the mid-twentieth century, China was invariably "the other" contrasted with the US in the latter's imagination. Imagining this "other" reflected the fears, aspirations and yearnings of Americans, and helped define American identity and its position in the world in different historical periods. It was a w^iy for the US to reflect on and conceive of itself, and was therefore profoundly autobiographical. Americans should give up their manner of understanding and imagining China within the framework of their own values and interests and obtain a clear understanding of the feelings, desires and aspirations of the Chinese people, so as to lay a sound emotional foundation for the stable development of Sino-US relations.