向來的華語、日語、英語世界，對「東洋」一辭的釋義是分歧的。華語世界和英語世界不論在方位或是概念上，都以「我」為中心，把「東洋」理解為「遠方之地」或「蠻夷之地」；而以儒教文化傳人自栩的日本，卻未承繼中國傳統對「東洋」的解釋，而選擇把「我」涵括入「東洋」的地域範圍，視之為自我所隸屬的亞洲文化之統稱。按照津田左右吉（1873-1961）的說法，「東洋」意涵是在近代才遭受知識份子所更易，而這種作為一方面是要消弭傳統以中國文化（儒教思想）為文化根源的意識，推行日本才真正繼承東亞傳統、日本思想中早已孕育東方思想本源的觀點；一方面是在面對強勢的西洋文化時，也賦與日本的思想文化以一種普遍的價值，來相對抗衡。換言之，儒教在明治十年代（一八八０年代），伴隨國家主義的興起，再度獲選為替政權正當性辯護的工具，改頭換面成「亞細亞論」再生，其重要的書寫形式，就是環繞著「東洋哲學」、「東洋思想」、「東洋倫理」「東洋文化」、「東洋人」、「東洋學」、「東洋史」等等，朝向「西洋」的相對化印記「東洋」所呈現的論述。本文主要探討「東洋」一語在中國文化體系中的形成與發展，再聚焦於近代日本，選擇曾對「東洋」提出具體論述的井上哲次郎（1855-1944）、岡倉天心（1862-1932）、西晉一郎（1873-1943）、津田左右吉、橘樸（1881-1945）、竹內好（1910-1977）等六人，按其「東洋」論出現的順序，配合時代背景，分析知識份子所勾勒的「東洋」像、和近代日本「東洋」論的演變。內容側重於近代日本的知識份子之自我認同與自我詮釋、對文化血緣的回歸與超越；以及「東洋」論述中潛藏未現的、「日本人」面對「西洋」與「支那」時的相對意識。

　　　　　The term “Tung-yang” (Touyou) holds different meanings in the English-, Japanese-, and Chinese-speaking worlds. In both Western and Chinese society, the center of the world was constructed, both geographically and conceptually, in terms of “we”, “us”; and “ours”, while terms such as “Tung-yang” were understood as “distant, barbarian places.” The Japanese, who prided themselves as the real descendant of Confucian culture, did not follow the Chinese interpretation of “Tung-yang” but chose to be included in the Tung-yang region, and use the term to indicate the Asian culture that they belonged to. According to Tsuda Soukichi (1873-1961), the interpretations of “Tung-yang” underwent a change in the hands of intellectuals in the early eras of modern Japan. Eliminating the idea that Confucianism is the cultural origin of Japan, they promoted the concept that Japanese philosophy was the genuine successor of Asian traditions. Furthermore, they wanted to give Japanese philosophy an universal value that would complete the dominant Western culture. Accompanying the rise of nationalism in Japan in the 1880s, Confucianism was taken as the most effective tool for justifying political issues. It was reborn into a brand new “Asian discourse” which took form in such key phrases as “Tung-yang philosophy”, “Tung-yang thought” and “Tung-yang history”, to emphasize a discourse oriented towards “Tung-yang” as opposed to “Hsi-yang” (Western). The present article explores the formation and development of the term “Tung-yang” in the context of Chinese culture, as well as its definitions in modern Japan, based on the discussion of Inoue Tetsujiro (1855-1944), Okakura Tenshin(1862-1932), Nishi Shinichiro(1873-1943), Tsuda Soukichi, Tachibana Shiraki(1881-1945) and Takeuchi Yoshimi(1910-1977). A special attention is given to modern Japanese intellectuals' self-identification and self-interpretation, their returning to, and transcending of their own culture, as well as to their efforts to uncover the Japanese unconsciousness as a rival of, and an opposition to, Western and Chinese cultures.