Breaking Through the Dawn of the Middle Ages - The Thought of World Salvation and Enlightenment in the Late Ming and Early Qing

Author: Ma Tao
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-09-01
Features: This book is an expanded and revised work based on the author's doctoral dissertation, serving as a specialized treatise on the late Ming and early Qing intellectual trends. Its distinctive feature lies in its broad perspective and comprehensive coverage, encompassing the economic, philosophical, literary, and scientific thought of this period. The book presents extensive yet focused discussions, forming a self-contained system. Its theoretical innovation lies in summarizing the characteristics of this era's intellectual trends as "salvation and enlightenment," arguing that it encompasses both salvation and enlightenment. The economic liberalist thought is the manifestation of "salvation and enlightenment" in the economic domain. Its historical significance is twofold: on one hand, it completes the critique and summary of traditional Chinese thought, and on the other hand, it nurtures certain elements of modern Chinese thought, serving as a bridge between traditional Chinese thought and modern new learning. The book also draws on modern institutional economics theory to analyze why this intellectual trend failed to propel China toward modern industrial civilization, comparing it with Western social systems and drawing insightful conclusions.