The Autobiography of Tsai Meng-lin

Author: Jiang Menglin
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-10-01
Features: An important reference book for the Harvard University Center for Far Eastern Studies, almost every young person in Taiwan considers it a "textbook for life." This book records the hundred-year history of China from 1842 to 1941. The first half is based on the author's "personal experiences," while the second half is based on his "direct observations." The author regarded this book as "somewhat like an autobiography" and said, "After seventy years, it is the time when his wisdom crystallizes. At this stage, he writes about his memories filled with philosophical insights and the charm of life. What it reflects is not his entire life, but the era he lived through."
Reasons for Reading This Book: It is a rare achievement to narrate the story of such an extraordinary era in such an accessible and approachable tone. Without a high level of cultural refinement, it would be impossible to accomplish this. Therefore, Luo Jialun used two lines of Wang Anshi's poetry to evaluate it: "Seems ordinary, yet extraordinary; Easy to achieve, yet difficult." It was the "textbook for life" for young people of his generation, and it can be the "textbook for life" for young people of our generation. Perhaps it will even be the "textbook for life" for the next generation of young people. This is because all these generations face the same era theme: finding a place to stand in the collision of Eastern and Western cultures.
Target Audience: Readers familiar with or unfamiliar with Western studies, students studying abroad or planning to study abroad, scholars of the history of Westernization in China, college students or university presidents, and all those who are willing to read.