Mediating Worlds: James Legge’s Comparative Apologetic Approach to Chinese Classics

Abstract This paper examines James Legge’s innovative use of comparative apologetics as a translation strategy in his rendition of Chinese classics during the Victorian era. While previous scholarship has often viewed Legge’s work through the lens of either colonial discourse or purely scholarly achievement, this study reveals how his comparative apologetic approach enabled a more nuanced cross-cultural dialogue between Chinese and Western thought systems. Through analysis of his translation choices, paratextual materials, and evolving interpretive frameworks, the paper demonstrates how Legge strategically negotiated between his missionary identity and scholarly commitments. His approach to key concepts like “Shangdi” (上帝), “Dao” (道), and Mencius’ theory of human nature reveals sophisticated comparative frameworks that acknowledge both similarities and differences between traditions. Though constrained by Victorian theological assumptions, Legge’s comparative apologetics created intellectual spaces where genuine cross-cultural understanding could emerge. His translation methodology – combining philological rigor with comparative religious frameworks – established new standards for scholarly translation while facilitating meaningful dialogue across profound philosophical differences. This research contributes to our understanding of how translation functions as cultural mediation in contexts of religious and philosophical difference, with implications for contemporary cross-cultural communication.