Ninety Years of Hunan Academic Style (Including Classics and General History)_Essentials of Chinese Classics (Volume 1)

Author: Qian Jibo
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-09-16
Features: Hunan, as a province, is surrounded by the Yangtze River to the north, the Five Ranges to the south, and borders Guizhou and Sichuan to the west, where the Miao people gather. It is a land enclosed by mountains and rivers. The region has few water resources but abundant mountains, with rugged and steep river gorges, making transportation by boat and carriage difficult. The stony and ochre soil indicates a hard and unyielding geology, and the people's character tends to be stubborn. As a result, the customs are often closed off, rarely influenced by the cultural traditions of the Central Plains. Yet, it has also developed its own customs, enabling its figures to stand independently from those of the Central Plains. Outstanding individuals and blessed land give rise to great scholars, who appear one after another. They have no predecessors to look back to and no successors to look forward to, with broad perspectives and solitary hearts. They embrace both the present and the past, possessing independent and free thoughts, as well as unshakable wills and perseverance. They delve deeply into ancient studies while forging their own paths, not being confined by traditional knowledge. Guided by righteousness to benefit the people, they discipline themselves and set the tone for a new era—this is all due to the influence of geography. —Qian Jibo
This book is a work on the development and changes in Hunan's academic and intellectual traditions before the Xinhai Revolution. It adopts a biographical form, grouping and profiling various individuals, aiming to highlight the independent and free thoughts and unshakable wills of Hunan scholars. The thirteen figures discussed in the book, though primarily from Hunan, have had broader influences (such as Zeng Guofan), and some of these influences continue to this day.