「歐戰」與中國的現代性

The World War I and China's Modernity

現代性(modernity)在定義上產生了諸多歧異，其中最重要的歧異之一，莫過於普遍主義(universal modernity)與多元主義(multiple modernity)的爭論。在近代中國的「轉型時期」(1895-1925)中，思想界對於現代性的爭論，其主流意見常有以激進主義的形式，來宣揚普遍主義現代性的傾向。相對於此，多元主義現代性的論點，則多半被當成保守主義（或甚至是反動主義）。本文無意全面性地反省這一現象。而是擬藉著二十世紀初年的「歐戰」(1914-1918)對中國的影響，重新檢討民初中國思想界以《東方雜誌》和《新青年雜誌》為代表的對現代性的兩橛觀點，以及此一對立論述在思想史上的主要意義。

In world-wide academic circle, the idea of modernity has caused many debates. One of the most critical debates is that between ”universal modernity” and ”multiple modernity”. During the ”transitional era” (1895-1925), mainstream Chinese intellectuals tended to support the idea of ”universal modernity” in a form of radicalism. In contrast, protagonists of ”multiple modernity” were often regarded as ”conservatives” or even ”reactionaries”. This paper has no intention to discuss in its entirety these two major concepts of modernity on theoretical level. Instead, it mainly explores and interprets the meaning through two groups, those related to Eastern Miscellany Magazine (Dongfang Zazhi) and New Youth Magazine (Xinqingnian Zazhi), during the WWI period from the perspective of the two major concepts of modernity.