来华传教士对美国感知中国形象的影响及意义

李霄鹍^[1]

内容提要：本文简要考察了美国的中国形象知识来源，指出商人、传教士和外交官（军人）群体构成了美国对华直接观察认知的源头。这其中，在长达一个世纪的时间里，传教士通过著书立说，发行报刊，回国后巡回演讲，在对华关键问题上游说美国决策高层甚至总统本人等多种形式向美国各个阶层传递中国形象，成为影响美国中国观的重要的知识和舆论来源。

关键词：美国来华传教士　中国形象　认知来源

Missionaries'Impact on the American Concept about China and Its Significance

Abstract:The paper briefly studies the knowledge sources of U.S.to understand the image of China.It points out that a group of businessmen，missionaries and diplomats(solders)constitutes the main sources of American direct observation of China.Once upon a century，missionaries as lobbyists became the messenger to construct China's image to every American class including highlevel policy-makers and even the president himself through books and articles，newspapers and publication and lecture tour back to their homes，thus becoming the most influential source of knowledge for America to construct China's image.

Key words:American Missionaries in China　Image of China　Cognition Source

考察和明确美国的中国形象来源需要先明确两个问题：第一，从认知发生时间先后来确定“源头”问题；第二，从认知产生的影响力来确定来源的重要性问题。根据相关资料，我们可以将美国的中国形象来源分为：想象性认知来源、知识性认知来源和观察性认知来源。