森霸天河的迷思──中國猶太人研究之回顧 / 甘汝誠、老冠祥
撮要
自從八十年代政治改革開放以來,「中國猶太學」再度被追捧成為國內少數民族研究的熱門項目;1992年中以建交進一步為學術研究提供了良好的政治環境。中國國家主席江澤民近日歷史性的出訪以色列,使這自明、清、民初以來曾經轟動基督教,但後來因著開封猶太社群的解體而變得沈靜的大發現,再次成為中國國內研究歷史及人類學者追捧的對象;有關的專書、論文如雨後春筍。作者比較自十七世紀利瑪竇以來基督教研究開封府猶太社群的動機和成果,和近日國內的研究;進而分析了當日面對開封猶太社群的漢化,以及基督教和美國猶太人曾提出的拯救方案。方案主要是針對社群解體的主要因素:與其他猶太社群斷絕了聯繋。昔日的方案有三:1)移民。將他們遷回巴勒斯坦,他們的故土 ; 2 ) 宗教的再植。以上海為中心重新教導他們歐美的猶太教;3)寄託中國教會之內。第 一個方案今已成為以色列國的國策;可惜中以兩國元首互相訪問時皆避而不談。第二個方案,或因歷史的變幻(美國內戰)’或因宗教傳統的不同而夭折。至於第三個方案更從未党現。結果,開封府昔日猶太人聚居之所淪為中國旅遊的新景點,而中國猶太人的遺裔至今仍為未得之民。作者提醒今天華人教會應秉承以往基督教與開封府猶太人之間以宗教為基礎的交往,鼓勵教中同道重開中國猶太學 在宗教方面(特別是對流失國外經卷)的研究,以補國內以歷史學和人類學為主導研究的不足。他們主張今天要恢復中國猶太遺裔的猶太心靈,不必捨本逐末重覆國內學者的研究,而是要教導他們失去了的聖經知識,恢復他們作為「聖書民族」的尊榮,好回應四百年前那「馬其頓的呼聲」。
ABSTRACT
The discovery of Kaifengfu Jewish community that excited the Christian world since Ming Dynasty and its dissolution was once important topics in modern Chinese religio-ethnological research. Following the normalization of the diplomatic ties between China and Israel, and Chairman Giang’s recent historical visit to Israel, this later silenced great discovery owing to its dissolution, has again become a popular research subject for historians and anthropologists in China. The authors compare the studies done by Christian community since Father Rici in the 17th Century with the current research done in China; they, then, analyze the rescue plans proposed by the Chinese Christian church and the American Jewish community in Shanghai, dealing mainly the cause of community dissolution: their isolation from other Jewish communities. The proposed rescue plans included: 1. Immigrate back to Palestine, their homeland; 2. With Shanghai as the education base,teach them the European Judaism; 3. Rebuild Jewish congregation under the patronage of the Chinese Christian Church. The first proposal has now become Israel’s national policy. Unfortunately, the leaders of the two countries were reluctant to raise the issue when they met. The second proposal was aborted probably because of their inconformity to European Jewish traditions, as well as the outbreak of the American civil war. The third proposal had never been actualized. As a result, the site of the ancient Chinese Jewish community becomes a new tourist spot, while the remnants of the Chinese Jews remain as an “unreached” people. The authors remind the Christian churches to continue the research in Chinese Judaism building on the relgious ties between Chinese Church and the Kaifengfu Jewish community in the past. They opine that though there is no need to compete with what the modern Chinese scholars have done, it is definitely the obligation of the Chinese Christians to teach the Chinese Jews the Word of God,so they can reclaim their honour of being the “People of the Book.”
原載於《建道學刊》15期(2001年1月),頁165-222。
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