"Being a Scholar and Being a Philosopher - The Academic Journey of Chinese Scholars (Volume 1 and 2)"

Author: Bing Zheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: The spirit of Chinese scholars at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries was extremely painful. The great empire was defeated by Western powers time and again, with scenes of land cession, indemnities, and loss of sovereignty everywhere. The reform movement failed, and the heads of the Six Gentlemen were beheaded in the streets and displayed publicly. It was an era filled with darkness. In such an era, Li Houchao wrote passionately, calling out: "Change must change, and not merely by force. Those who change by force hold the power in their own hands; those who change without force merely yield to others." The 20th-century study of humanities and social sciences in China began with the word "force."
The first "force" refers to the academic trend of introducing Western humanities and social sciences, represented by figures like Li Houchao and Yan Fu. From then on, Chinese scholars stepped out of the narrow confines of ancient Chinese classics and began academic exploration in fields such as law, political science, economics, and sociology.
The second "change" refers to the May Fourth New Culture Movement, represented by figures like Li DaZhao, Chen Duxiu, Xu Zhensu, and Hu Shi. It marked a spiritual separation from feudal cultural traditions, leading Chinese scholars to pursue an academic spirit of science and democracy.