Mindset of Late Ming Scholars and Literary Case Studies

Author: Zhou Mingchu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1997-08-01
Features: This book focuses on the psychological changes of scholars, who were the elite of the late Ming period, during this historical transition period. It argues that the changes in scholars' psychology are closely related to the social and cultural changes of the late Ming era, and are also the result of the long-term development and deepening of their psychology. As a group, late Ming scholars exhibited a fundamental psychological tendency: the disintegration of the ideal personality that sought the unification of the orthodox and political order, along with self-awareness and the expression of individuality. However, in terms of individuality, each scholar had a different personality, and their psychology varied accordingly. While the book explores the collective psychology of scholars, it also conducts case studies on the psychology of four representative scholars in the late Ming era who made significant contributions to literature or thought.