近代中國的緬甸認識：以晚清遊歷書寫為中心

Abstract

本文聚焦於晚清從天下到萬國的世界觀變化時期，以緬甸為個案，探討中國域外知識的推進；以及在國際關係呈現的現實之前，域外知識如何作為政治實踐的基石。本文在地理學基礎工具書的根基之上，運用親歷其地的緬甸書寫，觀察在中緬各自經歷的變化中，近代中國如何認識緬甸。研究顯示，近代中國緬甸認識的推進，主要在三個層次上展現：一是概念上對「蠻國」價值的重新定義；二是觀看尺度從緬甸整體到路線上細節化的深化；三則是現實面上考量商貿利益、參看英國治理，以及西南邊疆議題上的心戰攻防。將宏觀知識系統變遷之歷史影響帶入觀察，可見「緬甸」認識實為包含了處於中國內部的西南地區、邊境交界地帶的野人山、蠻國身分的緬甸，三者組成的廊帶。此認識亦為作者們在各自寫作企圖中，編織精確與模糊的各式內容，以符合當下需求的實作產物。另一方面，從本文探討之三位非正規仕途出身之作者案例亦可發現，對於尚處於分散隨機式收集域外知識的晚清而言，知識轉化為行動的過程中，高度受書寫當事者的個人仕途、人脈和企圖心，其書寫作品的傳播程度與途徑是否充足影響，提出之論點和做法也必須與外在現實環境的限制協商。

This article focuses on the period of shifting worldviews from “Tianxia” to all nations during the late Qing Dynasty. Using Burma as a case study, it explores the advancement of China’s extraterritorial knowledge and examines how such knowledge served as a cornerstone for political practice before the manifestation of diplomatic realities. Building upon fundamental geographical reference works and utilizing firsthand travel accounts of Burma, this paper observes how modern China perceived Burma amidst the transformations experienced by both nations. The research indicates that the advancement of modern China’s understanding of Burma unfolded across three levels: first, the conceptual redefinition of the value of Burma as a “barbarian state”; second, the deepening of the observational scale from a holistic view of Burma to detailed route specifics; and third, practical considerations involving commercial interests, references to British governance, and psychological warfare strategies regarding Southwest frontier issues. By incorporating the historical impact of shifts in macro-knowledge systems, it becomes evident that the perception of “Burma” actually constituted a corridor composed of three elements: the Southwest region within China, the Kachin Hills in the borderlands, and Burma’s identity as a “barbarian state.” This perception was a practical product, where authors wove together precise and vague content within their respective writing intentions to meet the needs of the time. Furthermore, through the cases of the three authors from non-traditional bureaucratic backgrounds discussed in this article, it is observed that during the late Qing—a period of decentralized and random collection of extraterritorial knowledge—the process of transforming knowledge into action was highly influenced by the authors' personal careers, social networks, and ambitions, as well as the extent and channels of their works' dissemination. Their proposed arguments and practices also had to be negotiated within the constraints of the external environment.