History of Chinese Political Thought

Author: Xiao Gongquan
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-11-01
Features:
1. This book adopts a perspective from political science and employs historical methods to briefly outline the general development of political thought in China since the late Zhou Dynasty for reference by students in political science departments of universities. For the period before the Western Zhou Dynasty, due to scarce historical records, it follows Confucius's example of leaving doubts unresolved, without establishing a separate section for narration, but instead attaching relevant content as needed in chapters on Confucius, Mencius, and others.
2. The structure of this book organizes content chronologically by era and thematically by school of thought, primarily drawing from works of previous scholars that possess theoretical value. Major political discourses with significant influence are discussed, while discourses focused on specific, localized practical issues are generally omitted.
3. This book maintains an objective stance toward the thoughts of different schools. When critical remarks are included, they are intended to clarify the historical position of each school, not to arbitrarily praise or denigrate, or to make subjective judgments about their merits or flaws.
4. The fifth part of this book was originally lost due to wartime circumstances, but its title is retained to indicate the original plan.
5. The author's knowledge is limited, and the manuscript was completed during a wartime period when access to reference materials was difficult. Not only is the author's understanding narrow, but there is also a concern that errors may be numerous. Without prior guidance from esteemed scholars, the author sincerely hopes for corrections and corrections as needed.
Professor Michael A. Fuller of the United States has spent over a decade translating Xiao Gongquan's A History of Chinese Political Thought. The first volume was published last year by Princeton University Press, comprising 778 pages. The entire work is divided into three major parts based on the historical context of political thought: political thought under the feudal system, political thought under the autocratic system, and political thought of the modern state. Additionally, it is analyzed into four periods—creation, imitation, transformation, and maturity—comprising five parts and twenty-five chapters, covering the period from pre-Qin times to Sun Yat-sen.
This book adopts a perspective from political science and employs historical methods to briefly outline the general development of political thought in China since the late Zhou Dynasty for reference by students in political science departments of universities. The structure of this book organizes content chronologically by era and thematically by school of thought, primarily drawing from works of previous scholars that possess theoretical value. When critical remarks are included, they are intended to clarify the historical position of each school, not to arbitrarily praise or denigrate, or to make subjective judgments about their merits or flaws.