Humanistic Search: A Comparative Analysis of the Thoughts of Prominent Contemporary Chinese and American Scholars

Author: Lin Tongqi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-10-01
Features: Not every historian is fortunate enough to have their work receive insightful and thorough analysis, and beyond that, it is not uncommon for these works to be examined in a more comprehensive historical context with precision and persuasiveness. 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 person to do this for me. Among contemporary scholars, he may be the one who best embodies the advantage of combining the perspectives of both an outsider and an 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 focus more on the act of thinking itself than on publishing his ideas. Mr. Lin's relentless intellectual teaching: "To know what you know and what you do not know is true knowledge." Although he is knowledgeable in many areas, he writes with great caution, never venturing beyond his own scope of expertise. — Lin Weiming
Your thesis demonstrates a keen, 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 conscious, it is subtly guided by a pursuit that sets the direction of exploration. I attempt to summarize this pursuit 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 "A Record of 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 the human. Its core is the question posed to humanity. However, as we know, humans must and can only draw knowledge and values from the culture of the group they belong to in order 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 necessarily 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, an inseparable connection. The several American scholars and thinkers discussed in this book, from their respective research fields (such as literature, history, philosophy, anthropology, and American studies), approach these questions and concerns from their unique perspectives, offering their own answers. In fact, they are all representative figures of humanism in their respective fields in contemporary America. I believe the humanistic quest is not only a pursuit for many scholars in mainland China and myself but also for the American scholars introduced in this book. In other words, the awareness of issues that revolves in the minds of scholars on both sides of the Pacific overlaps and intertwines. In fact, it is precisely this intersection and overlap that attracts me and drives me to study their thoughts. This research can essentially be understood as a multi-faceted, cross-cultural intellectual dialogue centered around specific issues within the same overarching awareness of the quest.