近代東亞地區，西學的傳播和吸收過程，由於過去學界較缺乏跨國進行區域性研究，普遍認為因日本文明開化明治維新之成功，使日本成為西方學說引介的東亞區域中心，其他各國難免受到日本學術思想和風氣的影響。對此，本文透過 Chambers’s Educational Course: Political Economy for Use in Schools, and for Private Instruction 之翻譯本《佐治芻言》 (中，1885)、《西 洋事情‧外編》(日，1868) 和它的轉譯本《西遊見聞》 (韓，1895) 作為東 亞近代知識轉型期間，引進西方知識的共同文本 (common text) 進行參閱 比較。尤其此三本書在東亞三國引進西方政治知識和文明論述時，都起著重要作用，本文以此為重要線索進行討論，對於學界一般認為東亞引進西方知識係自歐美 (西方) 經由日本再至中國之單線途徑的說法，提出有需檢討之個人觀點。

Because of a lack of transnational research in the past, the prevalent view of the dissemination of Western knowledge in East Asia during the 19th century has focused on the Meiji Restoration in Japan. In this view, the enlightenment movements of the Meiji Restoration first turned Japan into a regional introduction center of Western knowledge in East Asia, and then other countries were affected by Japan’s academic thinking and culture. This paper offers a new perspective based on an in-depth and wide-ranging study. Three separate translations of Chambers’ Educational Course: Political Economy for Use in Schools, and for Private Instruction, circulated in China (Zuozhi chuyan 佐治芻言) in 1885, in Japan (Seiyo jijo Volume II 西洋事情‧外編) in 1868, and in Korea (Seoyugyeonmun 西遊見聞) in 1895. The three translations, which all emerged from the same original text, became one of the main sources of East Asian understanding of the Western political economy. Unlike previous research, the present study employs a comparative approach to transnational academic research on the “common text” that resulted in the introduction of Western knowledge to East Asia. The concept of “common text” provides important clues to contemporary scholars-clues that stress the need to revise the general view of Japan as the regional introduction center of Western knowledge in East Asia.