美國哥倫比亞大學中國史教授畢漢思，與芝加哥大學中國文學教授芮效衛二人，接受訪問時異口同聲地指出，中華民國是研究中國語文及研究中國文化的理想地點，她所提供的研究機會遠比中國大陸為好。

　　畢漢思與芮效衛兩人，同時也都是史丹福大學主辦美國各大學中國語文聯合研習所 （簡稱史丹福中心）的董事。他們表示，這個中心在臺北市成立十八年以來，結業學員在七百人以上，返回美國後繼續研究中國問題。學成之後，分別在學術界、政府機構或對亞洲有興趣的公司及銀行任職。

由美十所大學組成董事會

　　「據統計，美國學術界中，獲得中國問題研究博士學位者，每四人中就有三人曾經在史丹福中心唸過中文，由此可見這個中心在美國漢學界及中國研究方面所產生的影響力有多大。」

　　史丹福中心是由美國研究中國問題頂尖的十所學校：哈佛，耶魯，哥倫比亞，普林斯頓，密西根，康乃爾，芝加哥，史丹福，加州大學柏克萊分校及西雅圖華盛頓等大學推派代表組成董事會，決定有關事項。在臺北借臺大校園一角施以密集的中文訓練，中心設所長一人有由董事會聘請。

　　現任所長安德生，曾於1972至1973年在史丹福中心上過課，後來獲有哥倫比亞大學政治學博士。這一年利用學校年假的機會重回臺北輔導其他的學生。他指出，中心招訓的學員，以美國各大學的研究生為主，必須原來已有一至二年修習中文的經驗，提出申請後經董事會考試通過，同時還要有教授的推荐才行，即結業後須繼續中國研究的學業。

　　畢漢思和芮效衛兩人此次訪華，主要就是和有關方面商討史丹福中心的未來，看看如何能籌募更多的經費，支付日增的費用。

所有教師全部為中國人

　　芮效衛教授指出，中心初創時，聘請的有經驗的中文教師所支領的薪水，比起其他教員高出了許多。但在過去十八年中，中華民國政府數度調整教職人員的待遇，中心的財力無法追得上其速度及幅度，相形之下，中心教師的薪水顯得少些，董事會注意到此事的影響，所以才急著想解決這問題。

　　目前，史丹福中心有專任教師八人，兼任教師廿人，全是中國人。而學生僅有卅一人，幾乎相當於以「一對一」的方式教授課程。事實上也是如此，每名學員每週上課五天共廿小時，上午的兩小時是一個老師一個學生，下午採小班制，二或三人一班。教材則是中心根據需要自行編製的，注重口語教學，修業期限為九個月或稍長。

　　史丹福中心預定明年將學生名額增至四十五人。畢漢思教授說:「中心拉近了美國人民和中國人民之間的距離。美國學生來此，不僅學習說中國話，同時還籍著和中國人的交往，實地了解中國文化和社會。中心的重要性和貢獻已獲得美國各界的重視。」

兩人都是美國著名漢學家

　　畢漢思和芮效衛二人都是美國著名的漢學家。原籍瑞典的畢漢思表示，他是在偶然的機會下，獲得瑞典著名漢學家高本漢的賞識，而開始對漢學發生興趣。原來研究歷史與地理的他，轉而研究漢朝的歷史，並把重點放在人口問題上。他在二十五史地方誌中，找出各朝代的人口統計，並作成分布圖，再比較各時期的分布情形，發現在西元一世紀時，中國人民作了第一次的南遷，到了唐代則是第二次的南徙，以後南方的人口日漸增加。

　　芮效衛則是出生在南京，隨著傳教士的父母在中國住了一段時間，但在回美國三年之後，漸漸淡忘所學的中國話。到了十六、七歲時，芮效衛再度回到中國大陸，那時一九四零年代末期，政治動盪不安，他父母想到再回到中國的機會不大，如不利用這機會學中文，很說不過去，便為他請了一位教外國人說中文有多年經驗的老師，每天上一小時的中文課，專學說中國話。有一次，他要求老師教他寫中文姓名。結果，他整晚都在練習，對於中文的書法著了迷，也使他開始學寫中文。回到美國之後，他便把全付心力放在研究漢學上。尤其對中國文學、戲曲有著濃厚的興趣。

最欣賞金瓶梅和紅樓夢

　　目前在美國大學教授各時期中國文學作品翻譯的芮效衛，最欣賞 「金瓶梅」 與 「紅樓夢」 兩部著作。他指出，在過去十年中，有關中國戲曲、文學作品的研究往前邁進了一大步。不僅注意到早期文學作品的發展，並且認真研究戲曲、小說中傳統的評論文字。

　　他說，研讀這些評論文字對於了解作者的思想、作品的本身都有很大的幫助，可惜的是，在五四運動之後，往往只看小說，劇本的本身不再研讀這些評論。今後在這方面的研究應當認真重新的受到重視。

　　畢漢思教授指出，近年來，美國漢學界年輕一代有個趨勢，對於明朝以後的歷史有著更大的興趣，不像他們兩人研究較早時期的中國歷史。使他們往往有 「養子」 的感覺。

在華研究漢學佔先天之便

　　比較臺灣、美國及西歐三地研究漢學的環境，芮效衛表示，各地都有著很好的環境。美國研究漢學的學者及學生人數要比西歐多，但是，西歐卻有著許多著名的漢學家，而美國的國會圖書館，哈佛、哥倫比亞、芝加哥以及加州大學 （柏克萊） 的圖書館有關漢學的收藏豐富，舉世聞名，給予研究者不少方便。

　　畢漢思認為，在臺灣研究漢學，佔著先天上的便利。中國學者比西方學者熱悉中國語文、社會及習慣，無須在這方面多花時間。同時，中華民國有著許多珍貴的史料，是歐美國家所沒有的。例如，中央研究院所收藏的一些石刻，未曾印行，是研究中國古代史的重要資料。又如故宮博物院的一些珍藏，他們兩人對於故宮的熱心協助學者研究，表示十分的感激。

　　在過去一、二十年中，中華民國與美國及西歐的漢學界曾作過許多的交流活動，國際性漢學家會議的召開，使得有關學者可以交換彼此的研究心得。

新人輩出促進文化交流

　　芮、畢二人一致認為，近年來漢學界的一些發展，對於漢學的研究有著重大的意義。一是西方年輕學者的中國語文能力遠較早一輩的學者為強，他們到臺灣，可以直接接觸中文資料，和學術界以中文直接討論問題；一是在美國讀過書的很多中國學者，將西方漢學家的研究論文及心得，翻譯成中文，介紹給中華民國的漢學界，達到彼此溝通的效果。這種日增的交流活動，使得過去二十年的漢學研究向前邁進了許多。

    During an interview, Columbia University professor of Chinese History, Hans Bielenstein, and University of Chicago professor of Chinese Literature, David Tod Roy both expressed that the Republic of China (R.O.C.) is the most ideal place for researching Chinese language and culture, adding that the opportunities for researching and studying provided there are far and beyond those on the Chinese Mainland. Dr.'s Bielenstein and Roy are both directors of the Inter-University Program for Chinese Language Studies, Stanford University (Stanford Center). They said that since the center had been established in Taipei 18 years ago, over 700 students who've graduated the program have continued to study topics related to China after their return to the United States. Many of these students return to academia, government organizations, companies that are interested in Asia, as well as banks.    

A Directorship Organized on Behalf of 10 American Universities.

    "According to statistics, in American academia, every three out of four doctorate holders who research China have studied at the Stanford Center. It's clear that the Stanford Center has had a massive influence on the realm of sinology and Chinese Studies in the United States."

    The Stanford Center is composed of 10 top-tier universities which study Chinese issues: Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Princeton, U. of Michigan, Cornell, U. Chicago, Stanford, U.C. Berkeley, as well as the University of Washington at Seattle. The schools sent representatives to form a board of directors and to make decisions on relevant issues. The center, located in a corner of National Taiwan University, uses intensive Chinese language training. The Stanford Center's director is appointed by the board of directors.

    The current director, James B. Anderson, studied at the Stanford Center from 1972-1973. He later went on to Columbia University where he earned a doctorate in political science. This year he is using his leave to return to Taipei and mentor other students. He points out that the majority of students recruited by the center are American graduate students who have already studied Chinese for one to two years. After applying, they need to pass a test administered by the board of directors. Simultaneously, they need a teacher's recommendation, and after graduation they must continue working in the field of Chinese studies.

    This time, Bielenstein's and Roy's main purpose in visiting Taiwan is to discuss the Stanford Center's future with the relevant parties and see how the center can control rising costs by securing more funding.

All the Teachers are Chinese

    Dr. Roy points out that when the center was first established, the salary received by experienced Chinese teachers was much higher than other instructors. But in the last 18 years, the R.O.C. government has thoroughly regulated the treatment of instructors and teachers. The center's financial resources cannot keep up with the government's speed and parameters. In comparison, the salary of teachers at the Stanford Center now seems less substantial. The directors have noticed the effects of this situation and are eager to find a solution to this problem.

    At present, the Stanford Center has eight full-time teachers and twenty part-time instructors. All of them are Chinese. Students, on the other hand, number at thirty-one, nearly a one-to-one ratio for teaching courses. Each student attends twenty hours of class every week. In the two hours in the morning, students attend one-on-one courses. In the afternoon group classes, students are arranged in classes of two or three students. The teaching materials, emphasizing spoken Chinese, are written and published by the Center as needed. The period of study is usually nine months or a little longer.

    The Stanford Center is planning to increase next year's student numbers to forty-five. Dr. Bielenstein states: "The Center has fostered understanding between Chinese and Americans. When American students come here to study, not only do they learn Chinese, they also make connections with Chinese people to really understand Chinese culture and society. The Center's importance and contributions are valued by many fields and industries in America."

Both Professors are Famous American Sinologists

    Dr. Bielenstein and Dr. Roy are both famous American Sinologists. The Sweden-born Bielenstein expressed that it was just happenstance that he began to develop an interest in Chinese studies after he was recognized by the great Swedish Sinologist Bernhard Karlgren. Originally studying history and geography, Bielenstein changed his research focus to the history of the Han Dynasty, specifically questions about population.  Using the regional chorography in official historical books, he sought out each dynasty's population estimates, and created a distribution map. He then looked at the disbursement circumstances and discovered that during the first century of the Western calendar, the Chinese population made its first southern migration. During the Tang Dynasty, they made their second migration. Since then, the southern population continued to increase.

    Dr. Roy was born in Nanjing. He lived in China for a time with his missionary parents. However, three years after returning to the United States, he gradually began losing the Chinese he had learned. When he was sixteen or seventeen years old, Roy once more returned to mainland China. It was the end of the 1940's; the government was very unstable, and his parents thought that further opportunities to return to China were unlikely. It would be an unacceptable loss if he didn't use this chance to study Chinese. So, Roy's parents found him a teacher with many years of experience teaching Chinese to foreigners. He had class for an hour every day just to learn Chinese. Once, Roy asked his teacher how to write his name in Chinese. He ended up spending the entire night practicing, becoming fascinated with Chinese calligraphy in the process. This motivated him to learn how to write in Chinese. After returning to America, he put all his efforts into studying sinology. He is especially interested in Chinese literature and traditional operas.   

Most fond of The Golden Lotus and Dream of the Red Chamber

    Dr. Roy, who is currently a professor in the translation of Chinese literature, is most fond of The Golden Lotus and Dream of the Red Chamber. He points out that within the past ten years, research in Chinese literature and plays has progressed in leaps and bounds. Not only has there been a new focus on early literary developments, but there's also been avid research on plays and the traditional commentary within novels.

    Roy says that studying these commentaries is extremely helpful in understanding the author's thought processes and the original nature of the works. Unfortunately, after the May Fourth Movement, people often read the novels and plays, but no longer studied the commentaries. In the future, studies in this area should receive more attention and emphasis once more.

The Innate Advantage of Studying Sinology in Taiwan

    While comparing studying sinology in Taiwan, the U.S., and Western Europe, Dr. Roy expressed that each area offers a great research environment. The number of American students and scholars is far greater than that of Western Europe, but Western Europe has many famous sinologists. The U.S. congressional library, Harvard, Columbia, U. Chicago, and U.C. Berkeley's libraries are world-renowned for their abundant collections on sinology, which are a great help to researchers.

    Bielenstein thinks that studying sinology in Taiwan gives researchers an innate advantage. Chinese scholars are more familiar with the Chinese language, society, and customs than Western scholars, and thus do not have to spend much time on this part of research. At the same time, the R.O.C. has many valuable historical materials which the U.S. and European countries do not possess. For example, some stone carvings stored at the Academia Sinica, which have not yet undergone imprints, are important historical artifacts for researching Ancient China. Other examples are some collections at the National Palace Museum. The two professors expressed their deep gratitude to the National Palace Museum for aiding scholars in their research.

    In the past ten or twenty years, sinologists from the R.O.C., the U.S., and Western Europe have participated in many exchange events. These international sinology conventions have enabled scholars to exchange notes on their research.

New Scholars Give Rise to Cultural Exchanges

    Both Dr. Bielenstein and Dr. Roy agree that developments in recent years have had a massive impact on the field of sinology. Today, young western scholars' Chinese abilities are far stronger than the previous generation. In Taiwan, they can study Chinese materials themselves and use Chinese to engage in discussion with scholars in the field. At the same time, many Chinese scholars who have studied in the U.S.  have translated papers of Western sinologists into Chinese, introducing them to R.O.C. sinologists and allowing for scholarly exchanges. Increasing activities like these have brought about much advancement and progress in sinology during the past twenty years.

Translated by 史天慕 (Timothy Lewis Smith).  
Edited by 蔣鵬博 (Mpaza Kapembwa) 、宋玉萍（Sabrina Castle）and 邱筱涵