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February 8, 2025
8:00 - 9:30 PM ET
Voltaire and the Enlightenment Era’s Fascination with China
伏尔泰与启蒙时期欧洲“中国热”学
Throughout modern history, much focus has been placed on the influence of Western thought on China. However, during the Enlightenment of the 17th and 18th centuries, Europe experienced a profound and enduring fascination with Chinese civilization that deeply influenced various aspects of European society. Known as a pivotal era of intellectual awakening, the Enlightenment emphasized reason and rationality as tools to dispel ignorance. Lesser known is the significant role that Chinese culture played in shaping this intellectual movement.
Among the many figures of this period, Voltaire stands out as a key advocate for Chinese culture. As both a leader of the Enlightenment and a passionate admirer of Chinese civilization, Voltaire lauded China as a model society. His writings and advocacy greatly shaped Europe’s perceptions of China, accelerating Europe’s modernization and laying intellectual groundwork for revolutionary change.
At this lecture, Prof. Zou of Nankai University will explore Voltaire’s pivotal role in Europe’s “China fever” during the Enlightenment, focusing on three key aspects:
Voltaire’s life and the intellectual climate of his time.
His depictions of China in his writings.
His adaptation of the Chinese drama The Orphan of Zhao into the five-act play The Chinese Orphan.
中国自近现代以来，出于推动社会变革的需要，人们往往更多关注西方思想文化对中国的影响，实际上，在17-18世纪的启蒙运动时期，中华文明在欧洲也掀起了一次经久不衰的“中国热”，深深影响了欧洲社会生活的方方面面。众周所知，启蒙运动是欧洲继文艺复兴之后又一次伟大的人类思想解放运动，其核心思想是“理性崇拜”，用理性之光驱散宗教愚昧的黑暗，但鲜为人知是，这一时代精神背后一定程度上还蕴含着中国文化的深刻影响。其中，伏尔泰的作用功不可没，他不仅是启蒙运动的旗手，也是中国文化最深切的认同者和最热情的颂扬者，正是在他的大力宣扬，使得当时的欧洲人把中国当作他们要模仿和效法的理想社会的榜样，其最直接的后果就是加速了欧洲现代化进程，为大革命奠定了思想基础。
华美人文学会特邀南开大学邹雅艳副教授于美东时间2月8日晚8时至9时半（北京时间2月9日早9时至10时半）做专题讲座，从伏尔泰与“中国热”的缘起谈起，为听众详细解读这一中华文明之光照亮欧洲的辉煌时刻。
伏尔泰是中国古老文明的真正发现者和发掘者，使欧洲人重新认识了中国文化，他对中国文化的挖掘是全面而立体的，从历史到哲学、从民风民俗到文艺创作。本讲座主要从以下三个方面来介绍：
1、 伏尔泰生平和他的时代；
2、 伏尔泰著作中对中国的介绍：
3、 伏尔泰根据《赵氏孤儿》改编五幕剧《中国孤儿》。
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