Journal of National Essence (Full 16 Volumes)

Author: Deng Bin, Huang Jie
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-03-01
Features: In the late 19th century, with the opening of China's doors, some patriotic individuals were deeply shaken by the advanced social systems and technological civilization of the West. On one hand, they detested the corruption and incompetence of the late Qing government; on the other hand, they expressed great concern over the apathy of the general populace. As a result, "restoring the Han dynasty" and "awakening the people's intellect" became fashionable slogans of the time. Simultaneously, study societies and periodicals sprang up like mushrooms after rain across the country. These societies and publications either criticized current issues, or discussed both academia and politics, with the Journal of the National Essence Preservation Society being a publication that "discussed techniques while also engaging in revolution." The National Essence Preservation 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 society's official publication, the Journal of National Essence, was officially launched. The editorial office was located in Huifuli, facing the old police station on Sijiao Road in Shanghai, with Deng Shi serving as the chief editor. The main contributors in the following period 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 Preservation 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 "eliminating the Manchus" reached unprecedented heights, with nationalism becoming the theoretical embodiment of the late Qing revolutionaries. This can be seen in the "Revive the Han Society" () organized by Gong Shiquan, Cai Yuanpei, and others in Shanghai in 1904. The organization was deeply rooted in Han Chinese traditional nationalism, hence its alternative name, "Restore the Ancient Ways Society." 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 Journal of National Essence was influenced by this trend, its inaugural editorial deeply lamented the decline of "Han culture" and the weakening of "scholarly traditions," strongly advocating for "preserving, loving the nation, and maintaining simplicity," with the founding being "to explore and preserve the nation." However, due to the contributors being renowned scholars of Chinese classics at the time, its academic value was self-evident. With contributors like Zhang Taiyan and Liu Shipei representing the pinnacle of late Qing scholarship, the journal attracted widespread attention from its inception. Even decades after its discontinuation, its influence remained significant.
This publication, based on the classified compilation of the early Republic era, extracts the illustrations from each issue and places them at the beginning of the book. Additionally, the main content is indexed and appended before the text for the convenience of readers.