Life and Culture

Author: Pu Muzhou, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-04-01
Features: This series is a compilation of classic works by Taiwanese scholars in the field of Chinese history over the past fifty years. It is divided into thirteen topics and fourteen volumes, including:
(Historiographical Methods and Historical Interpretation);
(Institutions and the State);
(Politics and Power);
(Thought and Scholarship);
(Social Change);
(Economic Fluctuations);
(Cities and Villages);
(Families and Society);
(Women and Society);
(Lifestyle and Culture);
(Rituals and Religion);
(Life and Medicine);
(Art and Archaeology).
The series is edited by Professor Huang Kuan-chong, Professor Xing Yi-tian of the Academia Sinica's Institute of History and Philology, and Professor Deng Hsin-nan of the Center for Medieval Chinese History at Peking University. Each topic is edited by a Taiwanese scholar with deep expertise in the field. Each volume includes a preface by the general editor and an introduction by the volume editor. The purpose of the introductions is to provide an overview of the internal and external contexts and major developments in Taiwanese Chinese history research at different stages, as well as to introduce the authors and essays in the volume. Some introductions focus on introducing the included essays and authors or the reasons for their selection, while others highlight global trends in historical research, and some center on the volume editor's perspectives on a particular field, each with its own unique features.
After each article, a brief author bio and the original publication details are provided to facilitate further research for interested readers. The series gathers renowned works by many international scholars. Elderly scholars such as Yan Gengwang, Lao Gan, Fu Lecheng, and Dai Yanhui, contemporary historical luminaries like Yu Ying-shih, Xu Zongyuan, Lu Yao-dong, and Mao Han-guang, as well as middle-aged and young scholars with strong Western academic backgrounds, such as Chen Ruoshui, Yan Juan-ying, and Li Zhen-de, are all included. The series represents the representative works of several generations of Taiwanese scholars over the past half-century, truly a gathering of renowned scholars and outstanding works.
The general selection principle for the articles in this series is to prioritize recently published works to showcase the latest trends and achievements. However, each volume has its own distinct focus. Some volumes, such as Lifestyle and Culture, include nearly all papers from the past decade, while others, like Institutions and the State, feature more works from several decades ago. This reflects the shifting directions and centers of focus in Taiwanese Chinese history research. Due to various constraints, exchanges between scholars across the Taiwan Strait, access to information, and the ability to consult relevant papers have been somewhat limited. Domestic scholars and researchers have long called for timely access to the work of Taiwanese scholars in this field, which has been the primary motivation for the publication of this series.
There are significant differences between Taiwan and mainland China in the study of Chinese history. Taiwanese scholars, deeply influenced by Western Sinology while also being highly familiar with Chinese culture, bring more innovation and vitality to their research. In terms of research topics, in addition to traditional subjects, Taiwanese historians have established unique themes, such as medical history and body history, which have attracted international attention. The publication of the Taiwan Scholars’ Studies on Chinese History series should provide domestic historians with new materials, information, and areas of focus, and will have a very positive impact on academic exchanges and interactions between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.