Civilianism and Modern Society (A Collection of Dewey's Lectures in China)

Author: Yuan Gang Sun Jiaxiang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-08-01
Features: John Dewey was a world-famous thinker of the 20th century, a major representative of pragmatism, and an outstanding educator and social activist. During 1919–1921, he traveled and lectured in China for over two years, delivering more than 200 speeches in total. These included long academic lectures at universities as well as short speeches for the general public, with audiences often numbering in the thousands. The Chinese translations of his speeches were published in major newspapers and journals of the time and gained widespread circulation. Some of his speeches were even compiled into books, causing a significant stir in the academic circles at the time. In 1998, Dewey's lectures in China were selected by the China Culture Academy as an "important document that influenced the historical process of the 20th century in China." Dewey's visit to China was a major event of great significance in the history of modern Chinese philosophy, politics, and educational thought. However, due to the limitations of the time, Dewey's lectures were not recorded, and no English originals were preserved. Even the outlines were lost. What remains are the translated Chinese manuscripts of his speeches. Only a small portion were published at the time, while the majority were scattered in old publications such as the Morning News, the Current Affairs Journal, and the Republic Daily. This has posed great challenges for researchers, leading to significant gaps in both Chinese and international academia regarding the study of the impact of Dewey's visit to China, the evolution of his thought during his time in China, and the flow of Chinese and Western intellectual and cultural exchanges. This book comprehensively compiles and organizes Dewey's speeches that were scattered in newspapers and books of the time through a thorough review of historical documents. It also includes some speeches by Dewey's wife, an "Annual Chronology of Dewey's Activities in China," an "Index of Dewey's Lectures in China," and several commentaries by prominent figures. It is presented to researchers and worldwide.