近代以来，在西学东渐与西力东侵的背景下，国人开始了对西方的认知和对自身文明的审视。传统中国作为社会理想典范的“三代”内涵逐渐发生变迁：思想家最初以“三代”为文明准则来评价西方社会；其后为推动变法改制，开始吸收西方制度和学术因素以充实“三代”的内涵；进而将“三代”与西方社会比附为变法改制塑造正当性，“三代”内涵无限扩张，最终“三代”与西方（泰西）合流，“西方”作为一个内含着“三代”的社会理想典范逐渐形成，“三代”则沦为一个时间概念。考察晚清“三代观”的变迁，对思索近代以来中国文明观的转变以及西方形象的形成都有重要意义。

 

 The Eastward Spread of Western Culture and the Change of the View of “Three Dynasties”

 

LIU Ming （Chinese Academy of Social Sciences）

 

Abstract:Since modern times,with the background of eastward spread of Western culture and power,Chinese people started to understand the West and look at their own civilization.In this process,the connotation of “three dynasties”,which was regarded as social ideal model by the traditional China’ gradually changed.Thinkers initially regarded “three dynasties” as the civilized standards to evaluate the Western society and gave the “civilized” image of the West.Later, in order to promote political reform,thinkers began to absorb the Western system and academic theory in order to enrich the connotation of  “three dynasties”.And then through the analogy of the Western society with the “three dynasties”,thinkers wanted to shape the legitimacy for the political reform,and caused the infinite expansion of connotation of “three dynasties”.In the end the West and “three dynasties” became the similar concept and the “West” as a social ideal model containing the “three dynasties” gradually formed.To study the change of the view of “three dynasties” in  late Qing dynasty has great significance for thinking about the change of Chinese social ideal model,the transformation of civilization concept and the formation of the Western image.

 

Key words:the view of “three dynasties”;social ideal model ;civilization concept; eastward spread of Western culture