這一篇拙文是筆者應「敘事學會」於2006年10月舉辦的學術研討會的邀請而寫的一篇文章，也是筆者多年來在探討「中德早期關係史」外，也想了解的一個問題，即在「中西文化交流」的專題中，大多的學者較注重探討西方人如何認識中國，或西方人對中國的觀感如何？不過，筆者則較注意歷史上早期中國人如何認識西方，特別是如何認識「德國」或「德國人」？中國人對「德國」或「德國人」的意象如何？其實對這些問題筆者於2000年8月在輔仁大學歷史系主辦的「七十年來中西交通史研究的回顧與展望－以輔仁大學為中心研討會」發表一篇〈元明清三朝天主教來華傳教與中德早期關係〉已注意外，並在2002年向國科會申請研究「早期中國人的德國觀」的專題計畫中也特別關注。因此本文擬從這一篇研討會論文與這一專題研究計畫的研究心得，來討論有關元、明兩朝的中文典籍或圖籍中是否對遙遠的「德國」或「德國人」有所記載？如有，是如何記載或敘述？記載或敘述的內容從敘事學的觀點又牽涉到那些問題？而且想進一步探討這些敘事或記載是否促成當時中國的士大夫對「德國」或「德國人」的「認識」與「認知」？是否影響或改變當時中國人以「天朝自居」的狹隘世界觀？

The author writes this essay at the invitation of Taiwan Narrative Studies Association for an academic seminar, and it is also an issue that the author attempts to understand in addition to his researches and studies on "The Initial Relation between China and Germany". Especially in the special topics of "Chinese and the Western culture exchanges", most of the scholars emphasize on the study of "How the Western understand China?" or "What was the impression of China to the Western people?". On the contrary, the author pays more attention to the issues such as: "How the ancient Chinese understood the Western? Especially how they understood "Germany" or "German"? What was the Impression of "German" or "Germany" to ancient Chinese people? Regarding to these issues, the author further published an essay: "The Missionary Work of Catholicism in China During Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties and the Initial Relation between China and Germany", and conducted a seminar "Review and Outlook of the Researches and Studies on the History of Communications between China and Europe since the Past 70 Years" held by the Department of History, Fu Jen Catholic University in August 2000. Furthermore, the author has made an application to the National Science Council, Executive Yuan in 2002 for the subsidy of his studies on the special plan "Views of ancient Chinese to Germany". For this reason, the author further attempts to discuss the issues on whether the ancient Chinese books and sketches recorded in the Yuan and Ming Dynasties had any narration to the distant "Germany" or "German" from what was learned by the author from the abovementioned essay and the special study plan? If yes, how were they recorded or narrated? Moreover, the author attempts now to undertake further researches and study on the topics, such as: "Whether such records and narrations had promoted the ancient Chinese literati officialdom to "know" or "understand" the "Germany" or "German?" and "Whether such narration had affected and changed the narrow global view of the ancient Chinese who believed that the Imperial China was the ruler of the whole world?"