Characteristics of ancient Chinese culture

Author: Xu Zongyuan / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: This small book consists of two parts: Five essays on Chinese culture and history, which are lectures delivered in late June 1987 at the Institute of History, Tsinghua University, Taiwan. The other four essays are from lectures given at Tsinghua University in 1985, attached to the general education course taught by Brother Shen Junshan, discussing the background of the modern scientific revolution and some discussions that did not occur in China. As for the appendix, it uses the concepts of breakthrough and transformation to compare the emergence of several ancient civilizations, serving as background material for the aforementioned nine essays. The discussions in these essays generally reflect my recent reflections on Chinese history over the past two or three years. As personal perspectives, they naturally involve more interpretation than narration and analysis, and naturally cannot be entirely consistent with others' views. Every historian benefits from reflecting every few years to at least clarify their own thoughts. After another few years, my views will inevitably change, so this small book is not just a milestone in my personal intellectual journey. It does not qualify as a definitive conclusion, nor is it mature enough. I only hope that in a few years, I will have a more comprehensive interpretation, representing a new stage of understanding.