Liberalism and Modern Society: A Collection of Lectures by John Dewey in China: A Collection of Lectures by John Dewey in China

Author: Yuan Gang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-08-01
Features: John Dewey was a world-famous thinker of the 20th century, a major representative of pragmatism, and an outstanding educator and social activist. He traveled and lectured in China from 1919 to 1921 for over two years, delivering more than 200 speeches in total. These included long academic lectures at universities as well as short speeches for the general public, with audiences often numbering in the thousands. His Chinese-translated speeches were published in major newspapers and magazines at the time and gained widespread circulation. Some of these speeches were even compiled into books, causing a sensation in the academic circles of the era. In 1998, Dewey's lectures in China were selected by the China Culture College as an "important document that influenced the course of 20th-century Chinese history." Dewey's visit to China was a significant event in the history of modern Chinese philosophy, politics, and educational thought. However, due to the limitations of the time, Dewey's lectures were not recorded, and no English originals were preserved. Even his outlines were lost, leaving only the translated Chinese manuscripts as the only surviving records. Only a small portion of these were published at the time, while the majority were scattered across old publications such as the Morning News, the Current Affairs Journal, and the Republic Daily. This has posed great challenges for researchers, leading to significant gaps in the study of the impact of Dewey's visit to China, the evolution of his thoughts during his time in China, and the flow of Chinese and Western intellectual and cultural exchanges. This book comprehensively organizes and compiles historical documents related to Dewey's lectures, bringing together those scattered across newspapers and books of the time. It also includes some speeches by Dewey's wife, an "Annual Timeline of Dewey's Activities in China," an "Index of Dewey's Lectures in China," and several commentaries by prominent figures. It is a valuable resource for researchers and worldwide.