晚清時期傳入中國的西方英雄豪傑，無論政治精英，還是一般傑出人物，經譯者改寫後，大都以完美的理想形象出現。凱薩琳則是為數不多的例外。晚清知識份子打造的凱薩琳形象，集多重矛盾於一體。「弑君篡位」，又享有「俄之令辟」的美譽；侵略弱小，卻被賦予政治強人、革命家形象；「內行不修」、「女德有虧」，但同時也是指導晚清新女性行動的典範。本文主要以晚清知識份子翻譯的凱薩琳傳記、史學譯著(包括譯自西方和明治日本的著作)中有關凱薩琳的記載與譯者評注為研究對象，同時結合凱薩琳在西方、明治日本和晚清的接受，通過原文、譯文本對比分析，考察改良派與革命派、傳教士與晚清知識份子、明治知識份子與晚清知識份子在各自所處的具體歷史、文化語境下針對凱薩琳的立場、態度分歧及由此打造不同的凱薩琳形象，分析晚清知識份子建構其合法身份的過程和改寫策略，探討背後的原因。研究表明，在內憂外患的現實形勢逼迫下，凱薩琳的雄才大略、積極進取及其在內政外交上取得的傲人成績，直接促成了人們對她的「越界」行為達成一致諒解，或者認為後者根本無足輕重。其背後的深層思想主導則是儒家經世思想和斯賓塞的社會達爾文主義結合形成的功利主義思潮。雖然在大多晚清知識份子看來，儒家學說倡導的德性倫理仍然重要，但為了挽救民族危亡，最重要的已不是道德，而是能力；不是立德，而是立功。

Western heroes who are introduced to Late Qing China, no matter political elites or other worthies, are always reshaped as a perfect model with merits and virtues through the translator’s rewriting. But Catherine the Great is one of the few exceptions. Her images in Late Qing China are full of contradictions. She is simultaneously treated as an usurper & a monarch of great wisdom and virtue, an invader & a strong governor and a libertine & a model for women in Late Qing China, and the inconsistencies demonstrate the conflict between the Confucian ethics of virtue and utilitarianism which play different roles in different times of Late Qing China. With national crisis aggravated in the beginning of 20th century statecraft thought and Social Darwinism which are the embodiment of utilitarianism in Late Qing China dominate the intellectual circle and Catherine’s positive images therefore overwhelm the negative ones. Although most of the intellectuals still acknowledge the importance of Confucian Ethics of Virtue, in order to save the nation from peril, they think the most important is performing meritorious deeds rather than cultivating virtues.