Spirit of the Chinese People

Author: Gu Hongming
Translator: Du Chuan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-10-01
Features: "Gu's writings in foreign languages, expounding Confucianism and Taoism, caused a sensation at the time, and Gu himself was indeed a remarkable figure. His magnanimity and self-pleasure, his disdain for both the Chinese and foreigners, were truly close to madness. Yet he could speak in accordance with his actions, and he ended his life in obscurity. Compared to those who kowtowed to the powerful, is he not the difference between a human and an animal?" — Lin Yutang, a great translator and humorist "I believe that Mr. Gu Hongming, who has emerged from China's 2,500 years of culture, is already enough to bring honor to the world in the 20th century." — Li Dazhao, one of the leaders of the New Culture Movement "Mr. Gu is indeed the representative of Chinese culture, and the only Chinese ambassador in the world." — Wu Mi, a professor at Peking University and a cultural giant "In his lifetime, Gu Hongming had already become a legendary figure; after his death, he might even become a mythical figure." — Wen Yuanning, a professor of English at Peking University
Knowledge creates miracles, and good books change destinies. The Spirit of the Chinese People (Part II) is Gu Hongming's masterpiece in promoting traditional Chinese culture to the West. The book includes two parts: The King and The Story of the Chinese Oxford Movement. The King is a collection of various essays written by Gu Hongming in 1900. According to the account of his colleague and close friend Zhao Fengchang, The King sold extremely well upon its publication, with "countries competing to read it." Luo Zhenyu also said, "Europeans fought to spread it, and at the time, it was so popular that paper became expensive." In the early 20th century, Gu Hongming's reputation in the eyes of the world, especially in Western society, far surpassed that of Kang Youwei, Liang Qichao, Zhang Taiyan, and even Yan Fu. Some say that the true understanding of China in the modern Western world began with Gu Hongming, and that their true understanding of him also began at this time. The Story of the Chinese Oxford Movement was written in memory of Zhang Zhidong and was first published in Shanghai in 1910. In the book, Gu compares Zhang Zhidong to the British Cardinal Newman of the 19th century, contrasting the Qingliu movement led by Zhang Zhidong in protecting China's Confucian ethics with Newman's Oxford Movement in England, which attacked liberalism. He points out that both Zhang Zhidong's Qingliu movement and Newman's Oxford Movement opposed and attacked the same enemy—the destructive power of modern Europe's highly developed material civilization.