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費正清與漢學研究機構化 / The Establishment of Chinese Studies Institutions under John King Fairbank
立法會事務
2024 年 5 月 20 日
1950 年代,國際形勢出現重大變化。隨着以蘇聯為首的共產主義勢力加速擴張,加上英、法等盟友為顧及自身在遠東的利益,在對華政策上開始與美國分歧。這種美國外交史上的罕見現象刺激了美國學術界對中國的興趣。有鑑於此,費正清從中國回美不久旋即運用哈佛的人力物力,籌備建立中國研究基地。
1955 年,哈佛獲福特基金會提供資助研究中國經濟,費正清得以和同事在哈佛成立東亞研究中心,即後來的費正清中國研究中心(Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies)。中心當時有3 項急切的任務,除要兼顧日常研究工作,一方面要編輯中文資料,為學術界建立中文資料庫並提供書目摘要;另一方面亦致力培養更多中國專家,以促進兩國外交關係的良性互動。
在他的指導下,哈佛誕生了大批「哈佛學派」的中國問題專家。他們直接參與制訂美國對華外交政策,影響中美關係走向;更積極去到其他大學推動東亞學系發展,使美國漢學研究成為影響深遠、碩果纍纍的學科。
為進一步促進美國漢學研究發展,費正清在1967 年的東方學家國際大會(International Congress of Orientalists)幫忙組建現代中國部,以加強美國各機構在漢學研究上的合作。
可以說,1936 年至1977 年間,費正清推動美國漢學界對傳統的歐洲漢學進行現代化改造。得益於他的不懈努力,漢學研究在美國獲得廣泛支持。據統計,1958 年至1970 年間,漢學研究項目至少獲得逾7 億美元的財政資助,這段時期亦被外界認為是美國漢學發展的黃金十年。
費正清作為美國現代漢學的奠基人,他不但透過學術研究影響了美國主流社會對中國的態度及華府對華政策的取向,更促進了美國漢學研究的機構化,使兩國得以建立恆常的學術交流渠道,對促進兩國關係發展,可謂貢獻良多。
The Establishment of Chinese Studies Institutions under John King Fairbank
In the 1950s, major changes took place in the international situation. With the communist forces led by the Soviet Union accelerating expansion, and allies like the UK and France beginning to diverge from the US in their China policies due to their own interests in the Far East, this rare phenomenon in US diplomatic history stimulated academic interest in China. In view of this, John King Fairbank, shortly after returning to the US from China, soon mobilized Harvard's manpower and resources to establish a base for Chinese studies.
In 1955, with funding from the Ford Foundation for research on the Chinese economy, Fairbank and his colleagues established the East Asian Research Center at Harvard, later known as the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies. The center had 3 urgent tasks at the time - in addition to regular research work, it compiled Chinese materials to build a Chinese database for the academic community and provide bibliographic abstracts; it also sought to train more China experts to promote positive interaction in Sino-US diplomatic relations.
Under his guidance, Harvard bred a large number of "Harvard School" experts on Chinese issues. They directly participated in formulating US China policy and influenced the direction of Sino-US relations; they also actively promoted the development of East Asian studies departments at other universities, making Chinese studies in the US a far-reaching and fruitful discipline.
To further promote the development of Sinology in the US, Fairbank helped establish the Modern China section at the 1967 International Congress of Orientalists to strengthen cooperation in Sinological research among US institutions.
It can be said that from 1936 to 1977, Fairbank modernized traditional European Sinology and promoted its Americanization. Thanks to his tireless efforts, Chinese studies gained widespread support in the US. It is estimated that Sinological research projects alone received over $700 million in financial support between 1958 and 1970, a period widely regarded as the golden decade for the development of Sinology in the US.
As the founder of modern Sinology in the US, Fairbank not only influenced mainstream American attitudes towards China and the orientation of Washington's China policy through academic research, but also promoted the institutionalization of Chinese studies in the US, establishing regular academic exchange channels between the two countries and contributing greatly to promoting bilateral relations.
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