西方人士之了解孔子,最先多半通过传教士之手。当时对孔子学说发生兴趣的,并不限于传教士们内部;对孔子学说的兴趣,也不止于应否将“上帝”译成“乾”之类的争论.大数学家莱布尼兹对于《易经》,便曾倾注了莫大热情,启蒙思想家伏尔泰更极力推崇孔子,相信是他使得中国免遭神权统治之苦。一般说来, Western understanding of Confucius, most of the first through the hand of the missionaries. The interest in Confucianism at that time was not limited to the missionaries; the interest in Confucianism was more than the debate about whether or not “God” should be translated as “dry.” The great mathematician Leib Nizi devoted a great deal of enthusiasm to the Book of Changes, and Enlightenment thinkers voltaire advocated Confucius more and more, believing that he made China free from theocracy. In general,