《万国公法》的几个问题

作为首部汉译国际法著作，《万国公法》在晚清历史的许多方面都占有一席之地。学术界关于此书的研究很多，但仍有一些最基本的事实需要澄清。《万国公法》的翻译出版，与其说是西方列强对华政策的产物，不如说是清政府对外政策的产物。译者丁韪良将此书定名为《万国公法》，恰与原著观点相悖。

Some Facts about Wanguogongfa

As the first book of international law translated into Chinese, Wanguogongfa is in many aspects of some significance in the Late Qing History. Although the book has been much examined, some basic facts about this book are still unclear. For example, the translation and publication of this book was under the direct influence of Qing Government' s foreign policy rathern than under the impact of Western Powers' Policy towards China. The translator W. A. P. Martin entitled the book Wanguogongfa, meaning the common law of all nations. The concept of the common law of all nations is exactly what the author Henry Wheaton tries to criticize.