Another Western Learning (Chinese Modern Students in Germany and Their Acceptance of German Culture)

Author: Ye Jun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-05-01
Features: The concept of "Western Learning Spreading Eastward" has been frequently used in academia but is overly broad. Specific to the intellectual and cultural resources of each country, they differ significantly, especially in the case of German thought, which is distinctly unique compared to the "Anglo-American tradition" and "Soviet resources." Similarly, during the process of "Western Learning Spreading Eastward," the differences in the receiving subjects often determine the significant variations in their choices of taste and value orientations. The role of students who studied in Germany is pivotal in the introduction of German intellectual resources into modern China. Based on these considerations, this paper selects modern students who studied in Germany as the research subjects. In the writing process, it focuses on the key cases of Ma Junwu, Zong Baihua, Chen Qian, and Feng Zhi from the first half of the 20th century; at appropriate times, it will also examine other influential students who studied in Germany during the same period. Previous accounts and studies of Chinese students who studied in Germany mainly focused on the organization of historical facts, with very few in-depth explorations of individual cases, thus lacking a "sympathetic understanding" and "considerate respect" for the research subjects. Past research on these four scholars primarily emphasized their roles as either revolutionaries, aesthetes, representatives of the "War State Faction," or outstanding poets, while overlooking their uniqueness as modern intellectuals, especially those with a background in studying in Germany. Given the current state of academic research, this paper narrows its focus, attempting to reveal the influence and significance of students who studied in Germany in the history of modern Chinese culture through several representative cases. In the selection and study of cases, it strives to consider the interplay of different eras (and comparative analysis within the same era), different professional backgrounds (and comparative analysis within the same profession), and different scopes of activity (and comparative analysis within the same field), thereby highlighting the paper's research question: How did modern Chinese students who studied in Germany seek paths for the development of Chinese culture? The basic strategy of the research is: "seeing the big in the small," "using individuals to lead the history," and "using problems to generate ideas." The basic approach is: "case studies as the foundation," "conceptual analysis as the thread," "responding to the question of finding a path for Chinese culture as the center," and "influence studies as the fundamental method," all aimed at exploring the establishment of Sino-German intellectual and cultural relations. Therefore, this paper attempts to grasp the cultural contributions of students who studied in Germany after their return from Germany within the broader context of Sino-German cultural exchange, based on the changes in the history of modern Chinese culture. It highlights their localized role after choosing, borrowing, and absorbing German resources, tracing the formation of their ideas through the interplay and connections of literary history, educational history, academic history, and intellectual history, and exploring the role of German resources in shaping their ideas. The content of each chapter is as follows:
Chapter 1 is the introduction, which provides an in-depth analysis of "Western Learning Spreading Eastward," German resources, the cultural historical significance of students who studied abroad, and the intellectual and cultural relations between China and Germany, thereby outlining a relatively complete and clear theoretical framework for the paper. It also introduces the research achievements in relevant fields to date, summarizes the basic paradigms of research in this field, and establishes the research approach and direction of this paper.
Chapter 2 examines the relationship between German culture and the formation and practice of Ma Junwu's pragmatic university concept. It uses the concept of "pragmatism" to connect his early enlightenment translation activities with his later development of the pragmatic university concept while serving as the president of Guangxi University, summarizing his ideas as the pragmatic university concept for running Guangxi University.
Chapter 3 explores the German cultural background and the significance of Zong Baihua's cultural national construction ideal in the history of modern culture. It uncovers the long-overlooked "pragmatic sentiment" hidden beneath Zong Baihua's image as a "leisurely aesthete," emphasizing how Zong Baihua, using the platform of the Shishijinbao·Xuelamp during the Anti-Japanese War, gathered the efforts of others to realize his cultural national construction ideal.
Chapters 4 and 5 respectively examine the connection between Chen Qian's "national literature concept" and Feng Zhi's "academic writing" and German culture. The selection of these two friends, who have similar experiences, the same profession, extensive interactions, yet vastly different fates, follows a comparative approach. In terms of the artistic quality of literary creation, Chen Qian is indeed inferior to Feng Zhi. However, when it comes to the of engagement with the world and the sentiment of pragmatism, Chen Qian surpasses Feng Zhi. Throughout the paper, Goethe, as a symbol of German intellectual and cultural thought, is chosen to provide a common topic for modern Chinese students who studied in Germany. Through the different interpretations of Goethe by these scholars, the paper aims to illustrate that the acceptance of external resources primarily depends on the recipients' own intellectual tastes, value orientations, and the historical context they are in.
Chapter 6, "Conclusion," provides a theoretical overview of the entire paper. It summarizes the characteristics of modern students who studied in Germany and their cultural historical significance, analyzes their views on German culture, revealing their strengths and weaknesses and the lessons they offer, and further emphasizes their achievements and shortcomings in responding to the era's questions—finding a path for Chinese culture.