从知识史的视角看明清之际的“西学东渐”

对明清之际西学影响的评价 ,分歧的焦点在于 ,西方先进的科技知识是否真正传入了中国 ,它与19世纪中国的近代化过程有没有直接的关联。从知识史的角度进行考察 ,能给我们较大启发。 15至 18世纪 ,中西知识差距表现在天文学、地理学、数学等自然科学及人文社会科学各领域。知识的巨大差距导致中西之间缺乏沟通的桥梁和对话的基础 ,加之传教士特殊的身份和使命 ,也决定了不可能指望他们传入系统的西方近代科学知识。因此 ,明清之际西学对中国的影响是有限的 ,与中国的近代化没有直接的关联。

Viewing the Dissemination of Western leaning between the later Ming and Qing in the light of the knowledge history

Scholars split over the influence of the Western learning on Chinese culture.The disagreement concentrates upon whether the art of the state science and technology had been introduced into China,and whether it had facilitated the process of local modernization in the nineteenth century.The present paper offers an approach to the issue from the perspective of knowledge history.From the fifteenth to eighteenth century,the gap between China and Europe began to expand in astronomy,geography,mathematics,economics,law,etc.What Jesuit missionaries brought to China were not advanced science and technology,due to their evangelical identity.According to the author,the influence of Western learning upon China was limited,and its relationship with the modernization process in this country indirect.