Kang Youwei's Treatise on Great Unity in Two Forms

Author: Kang Youwei
Editor-in-Chief: Pan Zhenping
Publisher:
Publication Date: 1998-06-01
Features: The Taotao Book and its precursor Comprehensive Canon of Public Law, included in this book, are representative works of Kang Youwei's early sociological theories. Although these books were written early, they were published too late and thus did not receive any response from academia at the time. However, Kang Youwei's Taotao ideology not only transcends his era and environment but also its utopian theory and its connection to foreign thought remain of significant research value today. Excerpt:
[Note 12] European modern utopian socialists were generally pacifists. For example, Fourier and Saint-Simon of 19th-century France, as well as their successors, abhorred class struggle and aspired to achieve their ideals through peaceful means. Plekhanov said, "They rejected revolutionary methods and paid no attention to politics" (in Utopian Socialism in the 19th Century, Volume 1, Commercial Press, 1980, p. 47), which is accurate. The most radical utopian socialist of 19th-century France, Cabet (E. Cabet), expressed his hatred for war in the famous Journey to Icaria with the following words: "If revolution were in my hands, even if I were exiled to death, I would grasp it and never let go." Compared to his Western predecessors, Kang Youwei's attitude toward revolution and war can be considered mild.
[Note 13] See the previously mentioned Two Works on Liang Qichao's Views on Qing History, p. 64. According to Liang Qichao, his teacher's thoughts were discussed differently at different times, and there were many contradictions. For example, in the Biography of Kang Nanhai (Volume 100 of Qingyi Newspaper, published in 1901), Liang Qichao introduced Kang Youwei's Taotao theory for the first time in a relatively detailed manner. This article was also the first to acknowledge that Kang Youwei wanted to be the "Martin Luther of Confucianism" and revealed that Kang had already become a fundamentalist, i.e., "engaged in the restoration of Confucianism." However, when discussing Kang Youwei's three-stage plan for "Confucian restoration," Liang first listed The Examination of Confucius's Reforms, then "The Great Learning Theory," and finally "The Subtle Words of the Great Changes," while The Examination of the False Classics of the New Learning was only listed as one of the "other books written by the master." From this, one can see the variations in Kang Youwei's thought.
[Note 14] It should be noted that Kang Youwei liked to present himself as a prophet. See Kang Nanhai's Self-Compiled Chronological Notes, Guangxu 12th Year (Bingxu) and Guangxu 13th Year (Dinghai).
[Note 15] See the previously mentioned Collected Works of Wanmu Jietang, Volume 1 (Outer Edition). Also see the previously mentioned Kangzi Inner and Outer Essays, pp. 62 and 65.
[Note 16] See the previously mentioned Kangzi Inner and Outer Essays, pp. 61 and 62.
[Note 17] The "Editor's Note" in the Studies on Chinese Culture journal published the Comprehensive Canon of Public Law. See the previously mentioned book, p. 324.
[Note 18] The "Editor's Note" in the Studies on Chinese Culture journal pointed out the completion date and basis for judging the Comprehensive Canon of Public Law after its compilation. Currently, similar claims in domestic publications include the following three types:
⑴ The Complete Works of Kang Youwei, compiled and edited by Jiang Yihua and Wu Genliang, published by Shanghai Ancient Books Press in October 1987, p. 275, "Note": "Judging from the content and structure of this work, it is likely a revised version of The Book of Public Principles; however, it also cites statistical data from a French divorce in 1891 and the birth of an infant, indicating that the Comprehensive Canon of Public Law was revised in the early 1890s."
⑵ The Kangzi Inner and Outer Essays, selected academic works of Kang Youwei, edited by Lou Yuli, published by Zhonghua Book Company in August 1988, "Preface": "This book was written around the same time as Inner and Outer Essays. However, the statistical data on the population of Paris in France in 1891 cited in the 'Marriage' section clearly does not match the Human Public Principles and Public Principles Book written between 1885 and 1887."