Western Studies (2003 Issue 1, Issue 1 of the series)

Author: None
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2003-12-01
Features: In the minds of the Chinese people, Western learning may have a fairly clear concept, that is, the knowledge of the Western world. However, this division between the East and the West, although seemingly distinct, becomes entangled upon closer examination. We can only broadly say that Western learning here refers to the knowledge of Western Europe and the United States. Of course, among these disciplines, this journal focuses only on the social sciences and humanities, while being unable to explore natural sciences, technological sciences, and others. The Chinese people's contact with Western learning has a long history. Starting from the introduction of Western learning by missionaries like Matteo Ricci in the late Ming Dynasty, it has been over four hundred years. Even if we count from the period after the Opium Wars when the Chinese began to study the West, it has been a full half-century. During this time, various ideas and actions such as Sinocentrism with Western application, complete Westernization, complete Sovietization (the knowledge of the Soviet Union is also Western), and now the quite influential complete Westernization have emerged. It can be said that our study of Western learning has been quite thorough. However, until today, our Western learning has not yet reached the world's top level. The proof is that we lack world-class Western learning works and almost no Western scholars who can compete with first-class Western scholars. The cause of this situation is mainly due to the long-term weakness of our country's national strength, which cannot provide us with abundant resources for Western learning and favorable conditions for studying it. However, it may also be related to the mindset of our scholars over the years. The attitude of Chinese scholars toward Western learning, although it can be said to vary greatly, can be broadly divided into two types: one is to take national studies as the foundation, learning Western learning only to acquire some theories and methods to study national studies; the other is to believe that since we are behind, we only have the right to learn from Western learning, how can we question or debate with it. Of course, many people also want to seriously study Western learning and explore a unique path for Chinese Western learning research, but limited by conditions, they have not achieved particularly outstanding results. Now, our comprehensive national strength has greatly improved, and we have relatively good conditions for studying Western learning. Through the efforts of several generations of Western learning scholars, we have also accumulated relatively substantial academic resources for Western learning, as well as relatively outstanding middle-aged and young scholars in Western learning. Therefore, this journal dares to propose the study of Western learning as its goal. We hope:
1. To study Western learning with an equal mindset and a global perspective. Since the beginning of humanity, many great civilizations have been created, all of which have made contributions to human development. In modern times, the West has been at the forefront of human development, and there are many aspects worth learning. However, learning does not mean blindly following or worshipping. Instead, Western civilization should also be placed in the long river of human history and studied and identified from a global perspective. In the past, we vigorously opposed Eurocentrism, but in fact, we may not have even understood the essence of Eurocentrism. Today, we should not create an Eastern-centric theory or any other centrism either.
2. To promote a down-to-earth and serious academic atmosphere. The primary task of studying Western learning is to overcome the language and textual barrier, which requires hard work. Research should start from original materials. The ancients said, "Every word must have a source," which is indeed a bit too rigid, but it is necessary to have evidence for every statement. If one only circles around the results of Western research or second-hand materials, it will be difficult to achieve any originality or innovation.
3. We hope to start from materials and achieve theoretical innovation in the study of Western learning. Doubt is the beginning of innovation. We must dare to doubt the existing theories, methods, and conclusions of Western learning. With doubt, there will be problems, and with problems, there will be research. Of course, doubt is not whimsical thinking but requires serious study of materials, a global perspective for comparison and observation, and the establishment of multiple reference frameworks. With the correct and scientific problems, we will have a way to solve them. Then, we must still put in hard work to possibly solve the problems we raise and achieve innovation. We hope to gradually build our own systems, theories, and methods in various disciplines of Western learning through bit by bit accumulation and brick by brick construction. Only in this way can we produce first-class Western learning works and first-class Western learning scholars. Of course, we do not want to create a comprehensive and all-encompassing system without specific research. Greek learning is generally considered the source of Western learning, so Greek studies and Byzantine studies are the first areas this journal will develop. At the same time, we hope to promote and develop the entire field of Western learning through this journal. Therefore, all Western studies, whether in philosophy, history, linguistics, law, economics, political science, sociology, or religious studies, are within the scope of this journal's focus. However, we hope to start from the beginning when studying Western learning, so it may be somewhat biased toward the past and less focused on the present.