Western Studies. 2003. Issue 1. Issue 1 of the series.

Author: Peng Xiaoyu Zhang Xushan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-12-01
Features: In the eyes of the Chinese people, Western learning may have a relatively clear concept, that is, the knowledge of the Western world. However, this division between the East and the West, although seemingly distinct, becomes entangled upon closer examination. We can only broadly say that Western learning here refers to the knowledge of Western Europe and the United States. Of course, among these disciplines, this journal focuses only on the social sciences and humanities, while it is powerless to explore natural sciences, technical sciences, and others. The Chinese people's contact with Western learning has a long history. Since the introduction of Western learning by missionaries like Matteo Ricci at the end of the Ming Dynasty, it has been over four hundred years. Even if we count from the time when the Chinese began to learn from the West after the Opium War, it has been a full half-century. During this period, various ideas and actions such as Sinocentrism with Western application, complete Westernization, complete Sovietization (the knowledge of the Soviet Union is also Western), and now the quite influential complete Westernization have emerged. It can be said that our research on Western learning has been quite extensive. However, until today, our Western learning has not yet reached the world's top level. The proof is that we lack world-class Western learning works and almost no scholars who can compete with first-class Western scholars. The cause of this situation is mainly due to the long-term weakness of our country's national strength, which cannot provide us with abundant resources for Western learning and favorable conditions for studying it. However, it may also be related to the mindset of our scholars over the years. The attitude of Chinese scholars toward Western learning, although it can be said to vary greatly, can be broadly divided into two types: one is to take national studies as the foundation, learning Western learning only to acquire some theories and methods to study national studies; the other is to believe that since we are backward, we have no choice but to learn from Western learning, how can we question or debate with it. Of course, many people also want to seriously study Western learning and explore a unique path for Chinese Western learning research, but limited by conditions, they have not achieved particularly outstanding results. Now, our comprehensive national strength has greatly improved, and we have relatively good conditions for researching Western learning. Through the efforts of several generations of Western learning scholars, we have also accumulated relatively substantial academic resources for Western learning, as well as relatively outstanding middle-aged and young scholars in Western learning. Therefore, this journal dares to propose the study of Western learning as its goal. We hope:
1. To study Western learning with an equal mindset and a global perspective. Since the beginning of humanity, many great civilizations have been created, all of which have contributed to the development of humanity. In modern times, the West has been at the forefront of human development, and there are many aspects worth learning. However, learning cannot be a step-by-step imitation, nor can it involve worship. Instead, Western civilization should also be placed in the long river of human history and studied and identified from a global perspective. In the past, we once fiercely opposed Eurocentrism, but in fact, we may not even have fully grasped the essence of Eurocentrism. Today, we should not create an Eastern-centric theory or any other centrism either.
2. To advocate a down-to-earth and serious academic atmosphere. The primary requirement for studying Western learning is to pass the language and text barrier, which requires hard work. Research should start from original materials. The ancients said, "Every word must have a source," which is indeed a bit too rigid, but it is necessary to have evidence for every statement and to be credible. If one only circles around the results of Western studies and second-hand materials, it will be difficult to achieve any originality or innovation.
3. We also hope to start from materials and achieve theoretical innovation in the study of Western learning. Doubt is the beginning of innovation. We must dare to doubt the existing theories, methods, and conclusions of Western learning. Only with doubt can there be problems, and only with problems can there be research. Of course, doubt is not aimless thinking, but rather requires serious study of materials, a global perspective for comparison and observation, and the establishment of multiple reference frames. With the correct and scientific problems, we will have a way to solve them. Then, we must still put in hard work to possibly solve the problems we raise and achieve innovation. We hope, through bit by bit accumulation and brick by brick construction, to gradually establish our own systems, theories, and methods in various disciplines of Western learning, so that we can produce first-class Western learning works and first-class Western learning scholars. Of course, we do not want to lack specific research and then create a comprehensive and all-encompassing system. Greek learning is generally considered the source of Western learning, so Greek studies and Byzantine studies are the first areas this journal will focus on developing. At the same time, we hope to use this journal to promote and develop Western learning as a whole. Therefore, all Western studies, whether in philosophy, history, linguistics, law, economics, political science, sociology, or religion, are within the scope of this journal's focus. However, we hope to start from the beginning when studying Western learning, so it may be a bit more traditional than modern.