在中西方思想極力衝突、碰撞的時代潮流下,晚清面臨邁向現代社會化的過渡期,其中,在傳教士的開辦與傳播下,《萬國公報》為這時代注入一股新的聲音,甚至廣泛影響後期變法思維。而在這歷時三十餘年重要刊物中,曹子漁仿擬西方,開闢並撰寫一個新文學形式──寓言,融合中國與西方思想,透過仿寫、改寫、自身創作,企圖在這專欄中,以誇張、鮮明的象徵,傳遞出對社會、政治、人性的深入思考。以其寓言所呈現的時代寓意為主軸,可探悉曹子漁運用的手法、融合與推陳出新;並依據當時國內外人士對於時代各種現象的分析陳述,輔以其他文獻資料的記載,挖掘隱藏在寓言背後的深層寓意,挖掘對世道的「人性」關懷,剖析其如何反應、引起世人共鳴的價值。
Under the strong conflict and collision of eastern and western thinking, the Chinese society stepped into the transition period of modern socialization in late Qing Dynasty. During this period, "Church News", which was set up and promoted by missionaries, added a new voice to the times. This voice even extensively affected the thinking of political reform in later days. In this important publication that had been lasted for 30 years, Cao Zi-Yu imitated the west to develop and write a new form of literature integrated with Chinese and eastern thinking- fables. Through imitative writing, rewriting and self-creation, Cao attempted to, with exaggerated and vibrant symbols, deliver his in-depth thinking towards the society, politics and humanity. Not only have implications of the times that had been presented in his fables indicated Cao's style, fusion in thinking and innovation, but also deep implications hidden behind these fables are dug out from relevant literature as well as analyses and statements of various phenomena of domestic and foreign people at the time. That is, how the manners and morals of people at the time reacted to their cares towards "humanity". This paper aims to analyze how people reacted to these fables and their value in terms of creating a resonance among people.