阿维杰特 印度维斯瓦巴拉蒂大学
Banerjee, Avijit, Visva-Bharati University
原文Original
Sinological Study and the Growth of Confucius Institutes in the South Asian Area for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Region
The study of Chinese is not merely the study of a foreign language. It is the study of the culture and civilization of a great nation. It is true, of course, that all Chinese studies contribute in some way or other to our total understanding of China; it is true that the Confucian writings have been studied by so many millions of Chinese that they have acquired an historical significance which the historian cannot afford to ignore. Sinology is the study of China, which usually requires a foreign scholar to have command of the Chinese language. In China, Sinologists are sometimes admirably and affectionately called "experts of China" (中国通). Sinology began with the missionaries that went to China and studied language, cultures and beliefs. They translated some parts of Classical Chinese literature into Latin and other Western languages, and the Bible in Chinese. They wrote also many letters from China that were read when China was considered as politically or economically interesting enough. Later, some secular scholars replaced missionaries and sinology won its place as classic study in many universities. The origin of Sinology can be traced as far back as Marco Polo in the 13th century. The systematic study of China began in the 16th century, when missionaries, notably Matteo Ricci, introduced Christianity to China.
Early sinological research concentrated on introducing Chinese philosophy, ethics, legal system, and aesthetics into the West. At that time, sinologists sometimes described China as a enlightened kingdom, comparing it to Europe, which had just emerged from the Dark Ages. Among those interested in China was Voltaire, French philosopher and writer who is known for his play “The Orphan of China” (1758). In the 18th and 19th centuries, other missionaries such as James Legge (1815–1897) pushed for the establishment of Sinology as a discipline in Western universities. In 1837, Samuel Kidd (1797–1843) became England's first professor of Chinese. Secular scholars gradually came to outnumber missionaries, and in the 20th century Sinology slowly gained a substantial presence in Western universities. In modern history, Sinology has seen its influence in politics, due to its role in think tanks. Though criticized by some, sinology remains the dominant mode for the academic study of China in the West.
There is significant difference between how the West views China and how the neighboring countries view China. China’s political and economic dealings with the Asian countries and especially with the countries of the SAARC region - from border agreements and high level visits, to increasing cross-border trade, massive investment - have a profound impact on those countries too. The People’s Republic of China (PRC) is the present-day manifestation of a great civilization, which, like Indian civilization also flourished in the earliest stages of world civilization and enjoyed periods of great cultural affluence.
It has always been difficult to grasp an unfamiliar language, script, art form or philosophical framework. Thus it has become imperative to study China's culture, history and development, or things past and present and here lies the importance of Sinological study in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Srilanka and Nepal. A trendy phenomenon is that an increased number of people have got a strong interest in China and going in for Sinological study in various parts throughout the world. In the future, persons knowledgeable about China stand to be at an advantageous position over those who are ignorant, in much the same way as those at ease with the language and culture of European powers have benefited in the past and present.
While looking back at the history of Sinological Studies in the SAARC region, we find that a small beginning of Sinological studies was made by the University of Calcutta in 1918 with the introduction of a course on Chinese language and literature in the Department of Indian history and culture. However very little progress was made because of the non availability of teachers specialized in Chinese language. A very important initiative to organize Chinese studies in this subcontinent was taken by the great poet and educationist Rabindranath Tagore. Tagore’s visit to China gave further thrust to Chinese studies and his dream of uniting the Oriental civilizations of the East was realized when a full fledged department of Chinese studies was set up in Visva-bharati in 1937 with the help of Professor Tan Yun shan（谭云山） and the poet’s friends in China.
Later on Centres for Chinese Studies were set up in Delhi University and in Jawaharlal Nehru University in India. Afterward a number of institutes started a Chinese programme in India, focusing on China’s political and economical, military, cultural development etc. With the advancement of peaceful and prosperous inter-people and inter-state cooperation between China and various countries of the SAARC region, different institutes of China study developed in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Srilanka with the objective to study and research historical, geographical, religious, cultural, social, external, environmental, political, economic and commercial relations of China and thereby to disseminate them in a coherent, timely and orderly fashion.
The Confucius Foundation was established in 1984 (in the same year as the China Cultural Academy) in Ji’nan, Shandong province. Exactly twenty years after the Confucius Foundation was founded, the program for the creation of a global network of Confucius Institutes was launched in Beijing in 2004. Up to October 2008, 326 Confucius Institutes in some 81 countries and regions have been established. Each Confucius Institute took advantage of its own uniqueness to develop rich and diverse educational and cultural activities. In this way, it gradually formed its own unique teaching modes and became an important place for people to learn Chinese language and understand Chinese culture. Confucius Institutes are all warmly welcomed wherever they are established. In recent years the universities in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka have shown enormous interest in establishing Confucius institutes in view of the growing interest of learning Chinese language among the people in these regions. A number of Confucius institutes have been established in the SAARC region and a few more will come up in the years to come. This is a testimony to the fact that people of the SAARC region have a common amicable sentiment towards China and the Chinese people and the setting up of Confucius institutes will lay another solid foundation for further enhancing all-round cooperation and friendship among the nations of these region and China. It will definitely promote the development of the Chinese language teaching in these countries and open a new window of exhibiting Chinese culture.
The article will try to throw light on the various aspects of the development of Sinological studies in this subcontinent. It will also focus on the various positive trends and the major shortcomings that Sinological Study is facing in this region and how the establishment of Confucius Institutes will work as an impetus in the progress of sinological study and in promoting intercultural relationship between China and the countries of the SAARC region.
译文Translation
南亚区域合作联盟国家的汉学研究与孔子学院的发展
研习汉语不仅是研习一种语言，而且是研习一个伟大民族的文化与文明。当然，以任何方式研习汉语都有助于我们在整体上理解中国，而儒家文献则因流传久远和被广泛研习而获取了一种不容忽视的历史意义。汉学是对中国的研究，因而需要国外学者懂汉语。在中国，人们时常以敬慕和友爱的口气称汉学家为“中国通”。汉学始于外国传教士。他们到中国去学习语言、文化与信仰。他们将一些中国经典翻译为拉丁文和其它西方语言，并将《圣经》翻译为中文。他们在中国时还写了很多信札，其中有关中国政治、经济方面的新鲜见闻曾吸引了很多读者。后来，一些教会外的学者取代了传教士在这方面的工作，汉学也就作为古典学研究而在大学内获得了一席之地。这样，汉学的起源可以追溯到13世纪马可·波罗的时代，而系统地研究中国则开始于16世纪，当时以利玛窦为代表的传教士将基督教引入了中国。
早期汉学研究主要集中于中国的哲学、伦理学、法制及美学等方面，将这些思想介绍给西方世界。那时，汉学家时常将中国描述成一个经历过启蒙的王国，与之相比，欧洲刚刚走出黑暗时代。例如，法国哲学家和作家伏尔泰就持这样的看法，他的剧作《中国孤儿》（1758）广为人知。18、19世纪时，在理雅各（1815-1897）等传教士的推动下，汉学成为西方大学中的一门学科。1837年，撒母耳·基德（Samuel Kidd）（1797–1843）成为英格兰第一位中文教授。在此领域，教会外学者的人数逐渐超过了传教士。到了20世纪，汉学逐步在西方大学取得了更重要的地位。由于在所谓智库中所起的作用，汉学对当代政治也产生了影响。尽管有些非议，但汉学依然是西方学术性中国研究的主导模式。
在如何看待中国方面，亚洲国家与西方国家有很大差异。中国与亚洲国家（特别是南亚区域合作联盟国家）有着频繁的经济与政治往来，从边界勘定、高层互访到越境贸易、大笔投资等，这些往来显然对这些国家有很大影响。现在，中华人民共和国代表着一个古老的伟大文明。中华文明和印度文明一样，灿烂于世界文明的初期，并在悠久的历史中展现着绚丽的文化。
学习一种不熟悉的语言、文字、艺术形式或哲学体系并非易事。因此，学习者须进入中国的文化、历史和发展现状之中。在印度、巴基斯坦、孟加拉、斯里兰卡和尼泊尔等国家，汉学研究的重要性就在于此。目前，在世界各地有越来越多的人对中国感兴趣并从事汉学研究；将来，熟悉中国的人，如同懂得欧洲语言和文化的人一样，将在社会竞争中占有更大的优势。
在回顾南盟地区各国的汉学研究历史时，我们发现这一地区的汉学研究始于1918年，当时加尔各答大学的印度历史与文化系开设了一门中国语言与文学课程。但是，由于没有胜任的汉语老师，这一项目没有取得什么进展。后来，南亚次大陆地区中国研究真正推进者是伟大的诗人和教育家泰戈尔。其时，泰戈尔访华进一步激起了中国研究的热情，而他将东方文化联合为一的梦想也很快实现了。1937年，在谭云山教授和泰戈尔在中国的一些朋友帮助下，维斯瓦巴拉蒂大学正式成立了中国研究系。随后，德里大学和尼赫鲁大学建立了中国研究中心。从那以后，印度的许多机构都设立了以中国经济、军事和文化发展等为中心的研究项目。随着中国和南盟地区各国在不同层次上的合作不断深入，巴基斯坦、孟加拉、尼泊尔、斯里兰卡等国也纷纷建立了中国研究中心，以了解和研究中国与其他国家的历史、地理、宗教、文化、社会、对外、环境、政治、经济、商务关系，并使它们能够得到进一步的扩展。
1984年，孔子基金会在孔子的出生地山东济南建立。整整二十年后，在全世界建立孔子学院的项目于2004年在北京启动。至2008年10月，中国在81个国家和地区一共建立了326所孔子学院。每一个孔子学院都利用自身的独特优势，开展丰富多样的文化与教育活动。这样，孔子学院逐渐形成了自己独特的教学方式，成为了学习中国语言和理解中国文化的重要场所。孔子学院在世界各地都受到热烈的欢迎。近年来，印度、巴基斯坦、孟加拉、斯里兰卡等国家的大学都有意建立孔子学院，因为当地人学习中文的兴趣越来越高。南盟地区已经建立了一些孔子学院，在未来的几年中还会再建立几所孔子学院。这见证了南盟地区人民对中国和中国人民的友好感情，而孔子学院的建立会打造一个更坚实的基础，促进中国与这些国家的全面合作和加深彼此之间的友谊。毫无疑问，孔子学院一定会推进这些国家的中文教学，同时为展现中国文化打开一个新的窗口。
本文试图对南亚次大陆汉学研究的发展状况提出一些新看法，主要探讨汉学研究在这一地区所出现的积极动向和所面临的主要问题，以及孔子学院的建立将如何促进汉学研究发展，并推进中国与南盟地区国家之间的文化交流。