曾纪泽是晚清率先接触并运用西学的官员。既有研究多立足于西学东渐史，论曾纪泽以“西学中源论”消化西学之得失。但鲜为学界所知的是，曾纪泽的出使日记《曾侯日记》在19世纪曾三度英译出版，日记中的“西学中源论”也引起广泛反响。发掘日记的译史脉络可知英文报刊解读曾纪泽此论的三种维度：一类认为“西学中源论”建立在中西文化相通的基础上，赋予现代机械正面的定位；另一类则认为“西学中源论”强调中国文明的优先地位，体现华夷朝贡心理；第三类指出此论的理据是“衰退观”，并借此批判欧美进步哲学。前两类观点与晚清西学东渐史上对“西学中源论”的探讨互为印证，第三类观点虽有违曾纪泽支持引进西方科技的立场，但有助于后世留意工业化在西方所受非议与曾纪泽对工业化的审慎态度。

Qing Diplomat Zeng Jize (1830-1890) is a well-known intellectual in learning and using Western knowledge. Existing research has discussed how Zeng interpreted and promoted modern knowledge under the idea of “Chinese origin of Western learning”. However, a few researchers have noticed that the influence of Zeng’s idea of “Chinese origin of Western learning” in the West. By identifying the production and dissemination of three translated versions of Zeng’s diplomatic journal in the 19th-century English world, this study examines the debates surrounding Zeng’s idea of “Chinese origin of Western learning” among English newspapers. It reveals that the English newspapers interpreted Zeng’s idea in three different ways: The first interpretation indicated that Zeng emphasized the essential similarities between Chinese and Western culture to promote modern machinery in China; the second one argued that the prominence of Chinese culture in Zeng’s idea reflected the Sino-barbarian dichotomy; the third one developed the deterioration opinion from Zeng’s idea to criticize the prevailing confidence in the upward evolution. The first two types of interpretations are consistent with the previous research of “Chinese origin of Western learning”. The last type is contrary to Zeng’s favor of introducing Western science and technology, but it helps to discover Zeng’s critical reflection on industrialization as well as the controversial situation of industrialization in Western countries.