Madman and Genius: The Unofficial Biography of Gu Hongming

Author: Li Yugang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-04-01
Features: As a renowned figure among scholars during the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China, Gu Hongming possessed both wit and humor in resolving disputes and delivering brilliant remarks. He was also known for his satire of the times, eccentricity, and love for debate. In the eyes of the Chinese, he seemed merely a monster and relic who admired and insisted on retaining feudal customs like polygamy, foot-binding, and queues, embodying stubborn conservatism and absurdity. To Westerners, he was seen as an extraordinary genius proficient in seven or eight foreign languages, uniquely bridging the cultural divide between China and the West and delivering high-level arguments on the merits of Eastern and Western civilizations. After all, "his nature was wild and untamed, often touching on taboos of the time," and people misunderstood him then, how could later generations understand him!