從「如何」到「為何」：探索下個世代的中國研究

From How to Why: Exploring the Next Generation of China Studies

冷戰期間的中國研究，有著諸多對於中國可以「如何」的討論，如此以未來想像維繫中國認同，正是當時高舉「自由中國」的政治意義。冷戰末期，台灣伴隨民主化而來的本土化和台灣認同崛起，以及兩岸交流後獨白式的中國想像難以維繫，中國認同的基礎逐漸崩解，「『非』中國」成為台灣認同的重要元素。關於中國的公共論述，也就轉向「為何」要談中國。已故的中研院朱雲漢院士，相當能夠展現前一個世代中國研究的本體論與認識論，本文即從朱院士的學思歷程，對照晚近普受關注的一系列「中國因素」著作，來談中國研究的典範變遷，並探索下一個世代的中國研究。

During the Cold War period, research on China featured numerous discussions on how China could be. This approach of maintaining Chinese identity through future imaginaries was politically significant at the time, as it aligned with the promotion of a ''Free China.'' In the late stages of the Cold War, Taiwan's democratization brought about localization and the rise of Taiwanese identity. Alongside cross-strait exchanges, the monologic imagination of China became increasingly unsustainable, leading to the gradual dissolution of the foundation of Chinese identity. In this context, the concept of ''non-China'' became a crucial element in Taiwanese identity. The public discourse regarding China thus shifted to questions of why China should be discussed. The late Academician of Academia Sinica Yun-Han Chu exemplifies the ontological and epistemological dimensions of the previous generation's research on China. This article examines the paradigm shifts in China studies through the scholarly journey of Academician Chu, comparing it to recent works on the ''China factor'' that have gained widespread attention, while exploring the future trajectory of China studies for the next generation.