China issue: Voices from the academic community

Author: Li Jing
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2002-02-01
Features: The title of this book is "China's Problems," intended to indicate the rich and real circumstances faced by a knowledge-seeking individual confronting reality in the current times, as well as the pure attitude of a "researcher" in such circumstances. Indeed, we are living in an era full of "problems." In other words, one could also say we are in an era of reform, development, and vitality. The reason for naming it "China's Problems" is that if an era is so named without hope and refuses to change, it will not have problems but only answers. Therefore, "problems" are the vitality and hope of our time, and discovering, revealing, and researching "problems" must call upon the responsibility and conscience of intellectuals of this era. As for effectively solving problems, that is the responsibility of the broader people of this time. A group of Chinese intellectuals with diverse academic backgrounds but with unique insights and foresight, driven by reason, passion, and deep, sharp honesty, confront the issues head-on, speak frankly about beliefs, face the times, its, and the situation, declaring openly—whether by extracting the poison of authoritarianism from traditional culture and tracing the roots of injustice, or by analyzing the intense collision of contemporary social thoughts and rediscovering the value orientation of intellectuals, or by persistently exploring the spiritual resources of our time and raising the banner of ultimate concern, or by precisely analyzing the latent critical issues in China's current economy, rule of law, press, education, and other fields, uncovering positive factors and healthy measures, or by foreseeing the tests and challenges China will face after joining the WTO, as well as the ways to respond and what might be possible. Although some views may not be fully by readers, including the editors, in the process of transforming real problems into academic insights, the scholars' meticulous efforts, their faithfulness to scientific principles, and their outstanding individuality amid a sea of diversity are deeply cherished and respected. It should be said that this is a collective and important declaration by intellectuals stepping out of their studies and engaging with the public sphere. Edited by Li Jing and planned by Lin Xianzhi, this book not only gathers various concerns, insights, true knowledge, questions, wisdom, aspirations, and common sense but also pursues rational depth in thought and approachability in expression, aiming to make it easy for more citizens to care about, offer insights on, and independently think about China's real-world problems.