一19世纪中叶以来,中国的天朝大国梦被西方列强的大炮轰得粉碎,在救亡图存的社会氛围中,出现了西学东渐的局面。自由主义思想也在这样的形势下被介绍到中国来。除了严复之外,谭嗣同、梁启超也都有着或多或少的自由主义倾向。他们是中国的第一代自由主义者。严复在他的一些论文 Since the middle of the 19th century, the dream of the great heavenly nation of China, smashed by the shelling of the Western powers, has seen the gradual emergence of Western learning in the social atmosphere of saving the nation. Liberalism was also introduced to China under such circumstances. In addition to Yan Fu, Tan Sitong and Liang Qichao also all had more or less liberal tendencies. They are China’s first generation of liberals. Yan Fu in some of his papers