A History of Modern Academic Thought: Hu Shi

Author: Geng Yunzhi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1997-06-01
Features: Whenever modern Chinese history is mentioned, Hu Shi cannot be excluded. On the centenary of Hu Shi's birth, the Institute of Modern History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences initiated this Hu Shi academic symposium, and Hu Shi in the History of Modern Scholarship is a collection of the outcomes of this symposium. Scholars discussed Hu Shi and his works, as well as his thoughts, from various perspectives and aspects, with both consensus and. However, each paper offers new insights and is highly enlightening, making it a valuable reference for academic studies. The May Fourth New Culture Movement marked a turning point between traditional and modern scholarship. Hu Shi and Chen Duxiu were equally renowned for leading this far-reaching new cultural movement. Hu Shi left behind numerous works, elevating vernacular literature to the halls of literary canon, founding the "New Red Society," advocating the use of Western scientific methods to organize China's traditional intellectual heritage, and writing Outlines of the History of Chinese Philosophy. His scholarship not only influenced the academic world at the time but also profoundly shaped the development of scholarship thereafter. Today, when studying the history of scholarship, research on Hu Shi remains indispensable and holds great significance. From November 7 to 10, 1991, the Institute of Modern History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences organized a Hu Shi academic symposium in Hu Shi's hometown, Jixi County, Anhui Province. Hu Shi in the History of Modern Scholarship is a compilation of the discussions from this symposium, including more than thirty papers by participating scholars, covering a wide range of topics: Hu Shi's influence on the New Culture Movement; Hu Shi's relationship with traditional Chinese culture; Hu Shi and Huizhou culture; Hu Shi's achievements and shortcomings in "organizing the national heritage"; his contributions to the study of fiction; his research on Mohism; evaluations of his work Outlines of the History of Chinese Philosophy; the significance of Hu Shi's re-examination of the Shui Jing Zhu controversy; Hu Shi's explorations of cultural issues in China; the relationship between "the moral order" and Hu Shi's thought; Hu Shi and the "Science vs. Metaphysics Debate"; Hu Shi's reforms of traditional Chinese education; discussions on Hu Shi's cultural philosophy, the core of Hu Shi's thought, and more. Each paper has its own unique features and new insights, offering comprehensive discussions on Hu Shi from the perspective of the history of scholarship.