白璧德與“學衡派”―一個學術文化史的比較研究

Irving Babbitt and China: A Comparative Study in Cultural History

王晴佳(Q. Edward Wang)

《近代史研究所集刊》 37期 (2002/06) Pp. 41-91

https://doi.org/10.6353/BIMHAS.200206.0041

摘要

五四新文化運動期間，出現過這樣一個有趣的現象：一批有相同教育背景、年紀亦相仿的學者，在如何革新中國文化的問題上，提出了截然相反的方案。胡適等人主張用新的科學方法，重新詮釋和改造中國傳統文化，而以梅光迪爲首的「學衡派」，則希望能張揚傳統文化的人文主義精神，並與西方人文主義的傳統相銜接，以求「昌明國粹、融化新知」。本文想從比較文化的角度，對「學衡派」人士的教育背景，特別是他們在美國留學期間接受老師歐文•白璧德(Irving Babbitt, 1865-1933)的「新人文主義」的經歷，以及「新人文主義」在美國的產生和影響，做一細緻的爬梳與整理，由此來窺視「學衡派」人士的思想和立場形成之原因。本文注重兩個方面：一是想展現白璧德提倡「新人文主義」的背景及其影響；二是想利用新出版的梅光迪與友人的通信，探討梅光迪等人推崇「新人文主義」的動因，以及他們在中國宣揚「新人文主義」的過程和結果。

關鍵字

白璧德 ； 學衡 ； 胡適 ； 梅光迪 ； 吳宓 ； 新人文主義

並列摘要

During the May Fourth/New Culture Movement of 1920s China, there was an interesting phenomenon: a group of Chinese scholars from the same generation and with similar educational backgrounds developed divergent views regarding China's cultural reform. Intrigued by the potency of the scientific method, Hu Shi (1891-1962) and his followers called for a critical overhaul of the Chinese cultural tradition; whereas Mei Guangdi (1890-1945) and his friends, or the ”Critical Review group” (named for their association with the Critical Review (Xueheng) journal), argued for expanding the humanist spirit of Chinese culture and opening a dialog with the humanist tradition in Western culture-hence their slogan: ”Interpret the spirit of Chinese culture and introduce best ideas of Western philosophy and literature.” From a comparative perspective and based on newly published primary sources, this article examines the educational experiences of the Critical Review group, especially their education at Harvard under Irving Babbitt, and explains how this experience accounted for their belief in Babbitt's New Humanism. It also examines in detail Babbitt's education and career, his interest in Eastern culture and religion, and their impact on his advocacy of New Humanism.

並列關鍵字

Irving Babbitt ； Critical Review ； Hu Shi ； Mei Guangdi ； Wu Mi ； New Humanism

參考文獻

Babbitt, Irving(1908).Literature and American College: Essays in Defense of the Humanities.

Babbitt, Irving(1924).Democracy and Leadership.

Babbitt, Irving(1926).Humanist and Specialist.

Brennan, Stephen C.(1987).Irving Babbitt.

Chang, Hsin-hai(1965).Irving Babbitt and Oriental Thought.Michigan Quarterly Review.4