Abstract: During the Ryukyu Affair , the suzerain-vassal system between China and Ryukyu Islands was on the verge of collapse.What was the evolving Chinese public opinion regarding this event ? At the outset , the public demanded that the Qing government fight to retain the Ryukyu Islands , this gave way to a demand to abandon it , but ultimately public opinion supported retention.Actually , all these popular demands focused on suzerainty , unlike the J apanese demand to annex the Ryukyu Islands.Because the Chinese concept of foreign affairs lagged behind the international reality , the Qing government inevitably took a passive position on the Ryukyu Affair.

摘要： 在琉球事件当中宗藩体制正面临着崩溃 ,中国社会舆论如何看待这一事件 ?在不同阶段 ,舆论先是要求清政府与日本争琉 ,继而要求清政府舍琉 ,最后要求清政府为琉存祀 ,而所“争”、所“舍”、所“存”的都是中国对于琉球的宗主权 ,而不是像日本那样对琉球的领有权提出要求。中国社会外交观念落后于国际现实 ,外交自然只能处于被动。