From the Four Books to the Seven Arts: Academic Disciplines and the Creation of the Modern Chinese Knowledge System

Author: Zuo Yuhhe
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-10-01
Features: The current trend of academic specialization in China originated in the late Qing Dynasty. The shift from the "Four-Part Learning" to the "Seven-Part Learning" that began at that time was one of the important markers of the transformation from traditional Chinese academic categories to modern academic categories. The dramatic changes in China's traditional "Four-Part Learning" in the late Qing Dynasty were closely related to the rise of pragmatic learning and the spread of Western studies in China. The decline and transformation of traditional scholarship were intertwined with the introduction of Western studies, creating a mutually interactive relationship. The introduction of Western studies not only impacted traditional scholarship but also challenged the old-style academy education system, leading to the modernization of both Chinese traditional scholarship and the academy system. This transformation began around the 1860s and took shape roughly by the early 20th century. It was largely established by the May Fourth Movement and finally completed by the 1930s.