A Study on the Origins and Development of Pre-Qin Philosophical Schools (New Perspectives on the Academic Activities of Pre-Qin Scholars)

Author: Feng Tieliu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-05-01
Features: Since the May Fourth New Culture Movement, academia has engaged in over eighty years of exploration into the doctrines of the pre-Qin philosophers, accumulating considerable achievements known as the "New School of Pre-Qin Studies." This book, following the work of many scholars, presents a scientifically grounded, fresh approach to understanding the origins, development, and evolution of the various pre-Qin philosophical schools. It empirically describes how these schools transformed into the mainstream academic and cultural traditions of modern China after the Qin and Han dynasties. It is hoped that this book will not only serve as a valuable resource for experts and scholars of ancient history but also provide young enthusiasts of traditional culture with new perspectives and research methodologies, enabling them to establish a more objective and historically accurate view of the evolution of Chinese culture. Written by Feng Tieliu, who has dedicated half a century to the study of pre-Qin philosophy, this book introduces entirely new arguments at the dawn of the 21st century. Over the past half-century, the author has focused on a key question: In the distant pre-Qin era over two thousand years ago, various philosophical schools—such as Confucianism, Mohism, Daoism, and Legalism—emerged in China. If we could today understand these schools not based on traditional interpretations but solely through reliable pre-Qin historical records and empirical methods, what would their doctrines and thought systems look like? How would the origins and development of these schools be revealed before us? Would they align with what modern people describe? Over the two thousand years since the Qin and Han dynasties, the ideas and cultures of these schools have evolved and transformed, eventually blending into what is now known as the "Chinese traditional civilization." But what was the process of this transformation? The author has incorporated all the conclusions drawn from this groundbreaking research into this book, aiming to open a new direction for the study of pre-Qin philosophy.