孔子最初通过何种途径进入美国,这是学术界一直未能回答的问题。细致研读美国早期文献之后可知,美国社会能够知晓孔子,得益于耶稣会会士、新教传教士、美欧商人和美欧外交人员撰写的各类著述。四大群体依据自己的在华经历和深入思考,翻译了孔子的所有论著,写作和发表了蔚为壮观而又富含孔子信息的中国观感。这些书籍、信函、报告和演讲或者在美国出版和重印,或者被美国图书馆收藏,或者通过媒体摘登被民众所熟悉,成为美国认识孔子的初始途径。由此形成的孔子观影响着后来乃至当今美国人的对华认知。 Confucius initially through which way to enter the United States, which is academics has been unable to answer questions. After studying the early American literature, we can see that the American society can know Confucius and benefit from all kinds of writings written by Jesuits, Protestant missionaries, American and European businessmen and the diplomatic staff of the United States and Europe. Based on their own experience and thought in China, the four major groups translated all the Confucian treatises, wrote and published the Chinese concept of spectacular and rich Confucius information. These books, letters, reports and speeches were either initially published or reprinted in the United States, collected by the U.S. Library, or made public by the media, becoming the initial way for the United States to recognize Confucius. The resulting Confucian outlook influenced later and even today’s American perception of China.