郭嵩焘在充分了解“国情”和“洋情”的基础上 ,提出了“以和为主”的外交思想 ,这是近代中国理性外交思想的发端。它不仅促发了人们传统外交思想的转变 ,在中国近代外交思想史上起到了奠基和启蒙的作用 ,而且对于启迪人们认识西方、学习西方 ,加速中国的近代化进程 ,起到了推动的作用 On the basis of full understanding of “national conditions” and “foreign sentiments,” Guo Songtao put forward the diplomatic thought of “taking harmony as the mainstay”, which is the starting point of the rational diplomacy in modern China. It not only stimulated the transformation of people’s traditional diplomatic thinking, but played the cornerstone and enlightenment role in the history of Chinese modern diplomacy. It played a catalytic role in enlightening people’s understanding of the West, learning from the West and accelerating China’s modernization.