A Life for Academics: Spine or Cover with Flaws

Author: Zhang Shilin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-02-01
Features: When Chinese culture faced the awkward situation of national identity and the life-or-death crisis amidst the conflict between tradition and modernity, as well as the East and the West, 44 great scholars in various academic fields—Pan Quanfang, Zhong Jingwen, Deng Guangming, Bai Shouyi, Zhang Dainian, Yang Bojun, Ji Xianlin, and Zhou Zhenfu—jointly wrote the memoir of 20th-century Chinese academic culture. It can be said that this book is a roster of the elite of 20th-century Chinese academic culture, and more importantly, the soul history of 20th-century Chinese academic culture. At the age of 80 or above, these century scholars shared their personal experiences, mentor-mentee relationships, and insights into their academic pursuits. Through the flowing and profound words, we can perceive how the subtle interplay between individual choices and historical circumstances deeply influenced the development of academia.
This book is a collection of academic autobiographies by 44 domestic academic masters. All the authors are witnesses to the history of 20th-century Chinese culture and academic development. They possess both a traditional Chinese academic heritage and a deep foundation in Chinese classics, as well as an academic background and methodology rooted in Western studies. The included essays are titled "Myself and (with)"—such as "Myself and Pre-Qin History," "Myself and Chinese Folklore Studies," etc.—and reflect on their academic lineage, family traditions, struggles and joys in scholarship, and personal insights. The topics cover the history of philosophy, thought, culture, literature, legal history, economic history, archaeology, folklore, history, Buddhism, religious studies, phonology, museology, and nearly all fields of traditional Chinese cultural research. The academic styles and experiences of these senior scholars hold irreplaceable guiding value for future generations.