Humanistic Quest - A Comparative Analysis of the Thoughts of Prominent Contemporary Chinese and American Scholars - The Lin Tongqi Collection

Author: Lin Tongqi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-10-01
Features: Not every historian is fortunate enough to have their work subjected to insightful and thorough analysis, and beyond that, it is rare to see these works examined appropriately and persuasively within the broader historiographical currents of their time. Historians themselves, of course, cannot achieve this. To do so requires not only an outsider's perspective but, if possible, also an insider's empathetic understanding. And Lin Tongqi is the ideal figure to perform this task for me. Among contemporary scholars, he may be the one who best embodies the advantage of combining the perspectives of both the outsider and the insider. — Paul A. Cohen
He is deeply passionate about intellectual exploration. For him, it seems difficult to stop thinking, to cease refining his thoughts. Mr. Lin seems to be more concerned with the act of thinking itself than with publishing his ideas. Mr. Lin's relentless intellectual admonition: "To know what you know and to know what you do not know is true knowledge." Although his knowledge is vast, he writes with great caution, never venturing beyond his areas of expertise. — Lin Weiming
Your thesis demonstrates an accurate, meticulous, and profound grasp of the issues, revealing your intellectual and academic prowess. Some theorists in our circle possess only a black-and-white, linear way of thinking, which prevents them from uncovering the truth of the matter or writing articles with depth. I hope your work can inspire our intellectual community, exert a beneficial influence on some scholars, and encourage them to read your articles thoughtfully. — Wang Yuanhua to Lin Tongqi
As a personal collection, this book reflects the author's intellectual journey over the past two decades. While this process may not be entirely self-conscious, it is subtly guided by a pursuing goal that sets the direction of exploration. I attempt to summarize this pursuing goal as "the humanistic quest." In this sense, the book can be seen as a record of the footsteps left by the humanistic quest, hence the title "The Humanistic Quest."
Indeed, this quest encompasses both the material and institutional aspects of culture and touches upon metaphysical and religious domains, but its focus remains firmly on human beings. Its core is a question directed at humanity. However, as everyone knows, humans must and can only draw knowledge and values from the culture of the group they grow up in to enrich themselves. Otherwise, not only will they struggle to survive, but even if they do, they will remain mere shells or "empty vessels." (Therefore,) the humanistic quest inevitably involves both the quest for humanity and the quest for culture. The reshaping of the Chinese national spirit is also inextricably linked to where cultures of different nations are heading, inseparable.
The several American scholars and thinkers discussed in this book address these questions and concerns from their respective research fields (such as literature, history, philosophy, anthropology, and American studies) and perspectives. In fact, they are all representative figures of humanism in their respective fields in contemporary America. I believe the humanistic quest is not only the pursuit of many scholars in mainland China and myself but also the pursuit of the American scholars introduced in this book. In other words, the problem consciousness swirling in the minds of scholars on both sides of the Pacific overlaps and intertwines. In fact, it is precisely this intersection and overlap that attracted me and drove me to study their thoughts. This research can essentially be understood as a multi-faceted, cross-cultural intellectual dialogue centered around several specific issues within the same overarching problem consciousness.