孟德斯鳩的中國觀

A Perspective of China from Montesquieu

龔鵬程(Peng-Cheng Kung)

《國際論壇》 2期 (2001/07) Pp. 1-51

https://doi.org/10.7072/AJIS.200107.0001

並列摘要

The realization and perspective of the European society regarding China has gone through a tremendous change since the mid-18(superscript th) century. Prior to this change, Europe had viewed China with respect and admiration. They regarded China not only as a highly civilization but its political system and moral thought were satisfactory to be the model for Europe. However, after the 18(superscript th) century, China's world position has been gradually downgraded while the Chinese society and culture has become a negative representation. Judging from the aspect of modern thoughts, though there were so many reasons which led to such a dramatic change, Charles Louis de Secondat Montesquieu's ”the Spirit of law” cannot be left without attention.
Montesquieu considered China the paradigm of Asian civilization. From his viewpoint, Europe was free at that time whereas in China, it was the combination of monarchism, totalitarianism and slavery. Apart from this, the geographical environment, climate, population, customs, the relations between men and women, ethical norms, and the systems of law and politics of the two sides were all-different.
His analysis has had a great impact upon the Oriental Despotism and the extraordinary presumption to China for the European society. In addition, it influenced the way how the Chinese viewed their own culture at the time when China was under its reform in the last years of the Chin dynasty.
This essay has been divided into eight paragraphs and its main purpose is to examine the argument and viewpoint of Montesquieu. By exploring his approach and expression in depth, it is able for us to comprehend his impact upon the change of the way how the Europeans viewed China, then, to reconsider the Chinese attitude of the time towards Montesquieu.