Early Sino-American Relations Research (1784—1884)

Author: Qiu Huifei
Publisher:
Publishing Time: Not available
Features: This book can be considered the most comprehensive work by mainland scholars on Sino-US relations during this period. First, the author extensively draws on existing research both within and outside China. The book has a dedicated introductory chapter that introduces and reviews the research on Sino-US relations during this period by scholars both in China and abroad. Important works known to the author, including recent academic publications in China, are included. Academic research follows the general rules of epistemology, progressing from superficial to deeper understanding and from partial to more comprehensive perspectives. Research also keeps pace with the times. All subsequent research builds on the foundation of previous work. Second, the author has put significant effort and depth into uncovering historical materials. Any serious historian values historical sources. Historical writing is not something that can be done at will. Many historians have this experience: when writing, they are cautious, fearing that the sources may be flawed. Even with great attention to this issue, problems may still arise in the sources, and even some great historians are not immune. Even accomplished historians, to achieve new results, must uncover new materials, showing that the effort of digging for sources is indeed a major task, a lifelong pursuit for historians. Third, as the author states, this book is a specialized research work, which is one of its distinctive features. During my time working at the Institute of Modern History, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, I often heard Professor Li She, the former deputy director, emphasize the importance of specialized research. He opposed the tendency to write a comprehensive history at every turn, believing that only specialized research can push historical studies deeper. This book conducts separate studies on important aspects of early Sino-US relations, such as trade, missionaries, and the issue of extraterritoriality.