東洋史學與社會科學為日本中國研究兩個切入方法，但學界向來都側重 史學，少談及社會科學中國研究的發展情況。本篇以慶應義塾大學為個案， 討論1899 年以至1985 年該校政治學科的中國研究，指出國家一直是日本近 代備受關注觀念，因此當社會科學傳入日本時，政治學成為最重要範疇。慶 應之政治學者亦因此受西方政治學風影響，以西方政治理論研究中國，建立 一個與東洋史學不同之傳統。此種趨勢到二戰後並無改變，但由於西方影響 力由歐洲轉移美國，美國之區域研究亦成為慶應義塾大學戰後重要方法。雖 然如此，本文亦強調戰後政治學科之中國研究並非全盤西化，戰爭所產生之 體驗亦對中國研究帶來衝擊。政治學科方法及研究不但代表中國研究內涵的 轉變，亦代表對中國新認識角度的出現，成為本世紀日本之中國研究以至中 國認識一個重要因素。

Oriental history and social science are two approaches that are commonly employed in Japan’s China studies field. However, a review of the China studies in Japan shows that social science has largely been ignored over oriental history in the academic circle. Using Keio University as a case study, this article tries to indicate the significance of the political science which was brought in as part of the social science and became extraordinarily influential because the idea of the state was always a major concern in the modernization process of Japan. As the consequence of the wholesale importation of this Western approach, the political scientists of Keio University established a tradition in China studies field completely different from that in oriental history. This strong imprint from the West survived after the Second World War although the origins of the influencing source switched from Europe to the United States. Area studies, a new approach emerging in the postwar American academy, became the major framework in analyzing China in the Department of Political Science at Keio University. Nevertheless, this article tries to stress that Keio’s political scientists did not accept the American approach without any reservation. Their experiences from and reflections on the War also created impact upon China studies field. This new approach brought in by the political science renders not only a change in methodology and themes in China studies field in Japan, but also a new perspective in knowing China which will have significant influence in this century Japan’s China studies field and Japan’s knowledge of China.