中国的“西方”概念由来已久,最早可追溯到上古时代的神话传说。按时序有关“西方”的学说大概被分为五个阶段:“第一,上古时期内外关系‘基本之形式’之形成。第二,秦汉帝国时期神圣方位的东移。第三,汉魏晋南北朝时期西天观点之诞生及神圣方位复归于西的进程。第四,隋唐帝国时期到‘晚期帝制中国’(宋元明清)时期与海洋世界密切相关的‘南海’与‘西洋’观念的产生与异域方位观念的转变。第 The concept of ”Western“ in China has a long history and can be traced back to the myths and legends of ancient times. The doctrine of ”Western " according to the time sequence is probably divided into five stages: First, the formation of the ’basic form of internal and external relations in ancient times’ Second, the eastward movement of the holy position during the Qin and Han Empires Third, The birth of the Western viewpoint in the Han, Wei, Jin, Northern and Southern dynasties and the return of the sacred position to the West.Fourth, the concepts of ’South China Sea’ and ’Western’ closely related to the Sea World during the period from the Sui and Tang dynasties to the ’Late Imperial Monarchy’ (Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties) Produce and exotic orientation changes