中國崛起是近年來國際間最引人注目的重大發展。中國究竟會如何運用他日益增長的力量？依照國際關係中現實主義傳統的權力政治邏輯，弱肉強食的叢林法則也就是國際間的法則。在中國力量還不夠的時候，只好「韜光養晦」；但是，當中國強大之後，就可「有所作為」。不過，這樣著重相對力量消長的現實主義物質觀點，卻也受建構主義理念觀點的挑戰：不同的集體理念之下國家會有不同的行為偏好，遂產生不同行為。這國家的集體理念一言以蔽之，就是「文化」。從此，關於中國的崛起，正因為中華文化是如此不同於西方，出於西方經驗的權力政治邏輯在中國並不適用，中華文化的核心內涵是講究仁義道德的儒家思想，所以中國崛起之後仍是「永不稱霸」。面對這樣的主張，不同的研究嘗試進行實證檢驗，並引導出了一個相對上還被忽略而值得持續探索的環節：中華文化的作用之下，中國除了自我克制不恃強凌弱，是否也會不計得失成就義舉呢？儒家思想中有所謂「濟弱扶傾」的俠義理念，這是否只是個高尚但虛幻的空談？還是說也曾落實在中國的對外行為上？對此，本研究將以清朝對西藏與尼泊爾的政策為案例進行實證檢驗，以對現實主義與建構主義的競爭觀點作一評判，並有助於吾人面對崛起的中國。 China's rise in recent years is the most notably event in international politics. How exactly will China employ its growing power? According to the realist tradition of power politics, the law of the jungle is the law of the international arena. When China is not powerful enough, China has its “low profile” policy. When China is strong enough, China can “make a difference.” However, this realist perspective is challenged by the constructivism. Different countries have different collective ideas of behavioral preferences, and these different ideas then produce different behaviors. Collective idea in a word, is “culture.” Chinese culture is so different from the Western culture. Thus, the powers politics of Western experience does not apply in China. The core substance of Chinese culture is Confucian virtue and morality. Given these value, a powerful China will “never seek hegemony.” This proposition is verified by different empirical studies, but an important issue is relatively ignored. Under the influence of Chinese culture, in addition to self-restraint on bullying others, will China help others regardless the gains and losses? “Help the weak and aid the needy” is a key virtue in Confucianism. Is this just a noble but illusory rhetoric? Or is it implemented in China's external behavior ? This study will exam China’s policies toward Tibet and Nepal during the Qing Dynasty to explore the answer to this puzzle, and the finding of this study will help us in the face of a rising China.
