卡本特的人情性學及其同／異性戀論述在中國的轉譯與取捨

Edward Carpenter ’s Humane Sexology in China: The Cultural Translation and Adaption of Discourses on Homosexuality and Heterosexuality in Republican China

本文全面考察英國社會主義思想家愛德華．卡本特(Edward Carpenter, 1844-1929)的性理論進入中國前後的發展與轉化歷程。我將藉由此一個案研究，凸顯近代性學的異質性，並探究民國作者在接受或回應其思想之際，所闡發的論點、兩性思維與跨文化歷史意涵。卡本特的作品是聯繫民國時期同性戀與異性戀論述的重要思想橋梁：中國對他的著述譯介，同時含括「以異性戀為主流」和「為同性愛正名」兩大面向。然而，中國知識分子多涇渭分明地介紹或引述卡本特的異性戀與同性愛思想。我們應如何理解上述民國時人譯介與挪用卡本特思想的獨特現象？換個方式問，這種現象反映出當時中國譯介者什麼樣的思想傾向與文化性格？要釐清這些問題，必須在跨文化多語際的脈絡下考察卡本特思想的流轉和在地演變。
本文的主要論點有二。首先，我把卡本特的性理論詮釋為「人情性學」，並說明其與歐陸所代表的「科學性學」之差異，以釐清民國譯介外來性學的多源性與思想定位。其次，我將闡明卡本特作品在中國的譯介，既參與也見證了民國社會建構起異性戀常規(heteronormativity)的現代性／別文化過程。這個過程顯示卡本特對理想情愛的描摹，被中國論者一廂情願地理解為異性戀話語，他對男男情愛的深切詠讚則如曇花一現，被漸居主流的同性戀疾病化理論所取代。

The present article undertakes a systematic study of the cultural translation and adaptation of the sexual theory proffered by British socialist thinker Edward Carpenter (1844–1929) before and after being introduced into China. Through this case study, I highlight the heterogeneity of modern sexology and explore the arguments, gendered thinking, and cross-cultural historical implications of Chinese authors when encountering or responding to these sexological ideas. Carpenter’s works on sexology served as an important ideological bridge connecting discourses on homosexuality and heterosexuality in Republican China, Chinese-language translations of which include two primary aspects:“mainstreaming heterosexuality”and“justifying homosexuality.”However, Chinese intellectuals often introduced or quoted Carpenter’s discourse on heterosexual relations without mentioning his thoughts regarding homosexuality, or vice versa. How should we understand this rather unique phenomenon of translation and appropriation of Carpenter’s thought in modern China? In other words, what ideological tendencies and cultural character does this phenomenon reflect at that time? To clarify these issues, it is necessary to examine the circulation and local evolution of Carpenter’s thought in a cross-cultural and multilingual context.
Two main points are argued in this article: first, I interpret Carpenter’s theory on sexuality as“humane sexology”in distinction to the“scientific sexology”represented by continental Europe, particularly German sexologists, so as to elucidate the multiple sources and ideological orientations of foreign theories in the making of modern sexuality in Republican China. Secondly, I demonstrate that the translation of Carpenter’s works both participated in and witnessed the emergent modern sex/gender discourse of constructing heteronormativity in China. This discursive process illuminates that Carpenter’s description of ideal love was interpreted out of the wishful thinking of Chinese male intellectuals as heterosexual oriented, and despite emerging fleetingly in 1920s China, his deep praise of male-male love was replaced by the mainstreamed pathological theory of homosexuality.