National Essence Journal -(Full 16 volumes)

Author: Deng Shi / Huang Jie (editors)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: March 1, 2006
Features: In the late 19th century, as China's doors opened, some righteous individuals were deeply shaken by the advanced social systems and technological civilizations of the West. On one hand, they despised the corruption and incompetence of the late Qing government; on the other hand, they expressed great concern over the apathy of the public at the time. As a result, "restoring the Han dynasty" and "awakening the people's intellect" became fashionable slogans. At the same time, study societies and periodicals sprang up like mushrooms after rain across the country. These societies and periodicals either criticized social problems or discussed both academia and politics. The Gong Cuie Xuebao (Journal of the National Essence Society) was even a publication that "discussed techniques while also engaging in revolution." The National Essence Society was founded in 1905 with the of studying Chinese classics and preserving national essence, exhibiting a certain retrogressive tendency. Its initial founders included Deng Shi, Liu Shipei, and others, with daily affairs primarily handled by Deng and Huang. On February 23 of the same year, the Guocui Xuebao (Journal of National Essence) was officially launched. The editorial office was located in Huifuli, on the east side of the old police station on Sifang Road in Shanghai, with Deng Shi serving as the chief editor. The main contributors in the following years included Deng Shi, Huang Jie, Liu Shipei, Chen Qubing, Ma Xulun, Zhang Taiyan, Tian Beihu, Wang Kaiyun, Liao Ping, Zheng Xiaoxi, and Wang Guowei, among over fifty others, most of whom were members of the National Essence Society.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Chinese society was plagued by the extreme corruption of the late Qing government, leading to the division of the country by foreign powers and the decline of national strength. As a result, among the intellectuals, the call for "expelling the Manchus" reached unprecedented heights, with nationalism becoming the theoretical embodiment of the late Qing revolutionaries. This can be seen in the "Guangfuhui" (Revive the Han Dynasty Society) organized by Gong Shiquan, Cai Yuanpei, and others in Shanghai in 1904. The Guangfuhui was deeply rooted in Han traditional nationalism, hence its alternative name, "Jiaoguhui." Liu Shipei later joined this organization as well. The society's manifesto consisted of only two sentences: "Restore the Han dynasty, reclaim our homeland." Although the Guocui Bao (Journal of National Essence) was influenced by this trend, its inaugural editorial deeply lamented the decline of "the voice of Xia" and the fading of "modeling after the ancients," strongly advocating for "preserving, loving the country, and maintaining simplicity," with the founding being "to explore and preserve the nation." However, as the contributors were all renowned masters of Chinese classics at the time, their academic value was self-evident. With contributors like Zhang Taiyan and Liu Shipei representing the pinnacle of late Qing academic scholarship, the journal attracted widespread attention from its inception. Even decades after its discontinuation, its influence remained.
This edition is based on the classified compilation of the early Republic era, with illustrations from each issue extracted and compiled at the beginning of the book. Additionally, the table of contents for the main text is provided at the beginning for the convenience of readers.