丁韪良《万国公法》翻译蓝本及意图新探

<万国公法>是美国长老会传教士丁韪良翻译、清政府资助刊印的第一部完整的西方国际法著作.本文根据惠顿英文版原书的多种版本及相关原始资料进行详细考证,认为<万国公法>的翻译蓝本是惠顿<国际法原理>1855年美国波士顿出版的英文第六版,而不是1836年第一版或1846年第三版;他的翻译基本上是忠于原著的,翻译本中涉及到的有关中国的内容出自于惠顿原书,并完全符合历史事实;有学者认为丁韪良在<万国公法>中以自己的口吻,增加了原书中"纯属子虚乌有"的内容,来为其政治目的服务,这是在没有核对原书的情况下,根据传统思维及主观猜测而得出的错误结论,应予澄清.本文还论述了丁韪良翻译此书的目的,首先是为自己今后在中国长期生存和发展创造更好的条件,更有利于他的传教事业及基督教在中国的发展,同时他也希望中国人了解国际法,以便对外交事务有所帮助.

New revelations on the original edition of Wan-Guo-Gong-Fa and the purposes of its translator, W. A. P. Martin

Wan-Guo-Gong-Fa,the first published book of western international law in the Late Qing Dynasty,was translated by W.A.P.Martin,an American Presbyterian missionary in China,from Elements of International Law,by Henry Wheaton.The conclusions of this article were based several of Wheaton's original books and other materials,including the sixth edition of Elements of International Law,published in 1855.Martin's translation closely follows Wheaton's original book;mentions of China in the book directly reflects Wheaton's original text and is historically accurate.In the past,some Chinese scholars have wrongly concluded that Martin inserted his own opinions into the translation.Martin's purpose of translating this book is twofold:first,to advance his own future development and to spread Christianity in China,and second,to allow Chinese to understand international law in order to use it for diplomatic affairs.