Confucius and China in the Modern Age (Volume 1)

Author: Lin Ganguan, Tian Renlong, Zhai Qingfu
Translated by Chi Zhen
ISBN: 978-1-84464-264-9
E--ISBN: 9781844643738
Hardback - 302 pages
April 2021
English
£75 €90 $120
Description:
This book draws together the contrasting strands of academic material on the advancement and impact of Confucianism within modern day China. Edited by China’s foremost expert in this field, this new title examines the events from the 20th and 21st centuries to help unravel the reasons why Confucius belief endured within a rapidly modernising China. Kong Fu-Tzu and Confucianism have undergone dramatic ups and downs during the 20th century in China and the ideological and political struggle between the groups who worships Confucius and anti-Confucius has existed for half a century. After the Culture Revolution, the study of Kong Fu-Tzu and Confucianism are able to be studied without any political meddling and has achieved great success. However, the academic field is still holding different opinions towards this. This book has tried to sort out Kong Fu-Tzu and Confucianism’s history in last century and analyzes some important topics and issues with evidence. It’s also given readers some new opinions about several questions, through which we could learn more about intellectual history, academic history and political history of modern China.
Content:
Chapter 1 Confucius in China Prior to the Twentieth Century
The Deification of Confucius
Confucianism in Crisis in the Late Feudal China
The Taiping Rebels’ Disparagement against Confucius and Confucianism
Chapter 2 The Hundred Days’ Reform and Confucius
Calling the Spirit of Dead Confucius: Kang Youwei’s Theoretical Preparation for Hundred Days’ Reform
Liang Qichao, Tan Sitong and Yan Fu: Responding to the Mission Venerating Confucius and Protecting Confucianism
The Conservatives’ Attack on Reform in the Name of Protecting Confucianism
Chapter 3 Debates Involving Confucius on the Eve of the 1911 Revolution
Divergent Ideas about Confucius and Confucianism among Reformists
Confucius and Confucianism in Revolutionaries’ Eyes
Chapter 4 Venerating Confucius and Restoring
Antiquity in the Early Republican of China: A Farce
The Appeal for the Founding of National Confucian Church
Yuan Shikai: Rehabilitating Confucianism and Restoring Monarch
Some Cultural Elites’ Opposition to Pro-Confucian Movement
Confucius and Confucianism in Eyes of Liang Qichao and Gu Hongming
Chapter 5 The May Fourth and New Culture Movements and Intellectual Storm Against Confucius and Confucianism
Chen Duxiu’s Criticism of Confucianism and Pro-Confucians
Li Dazhao’s and Wu Yu’s Critical Reexamination of Confucius and Feudal Ethics
Confucius and the Feudal Ethics in the Critical Eyes of Lu Xun, Qian Xuantong and Hu Shi
Yi Baisha’s A Sincere Reassessment of Confucius
Xin qingnian’s Criticism of Confucius and Its Repercussions on Chinese Society
Chapter 6 Pro- and Anti-Confucians during the First Kuomintang-Communist Party Cooperation
Sun Yat-sen and Dai Jitao
The Communists’ Critique of Dai Jitaoism
Chapter 7 The Study of Confucianism in Post-May Fourth Era
Hu Shi and his Two Research Works
Liang Qichao: Confucius and Political Thoughts in Pre-Imperial China
Confucius and Confucianism under the Scrutiny of Gushi bian
Confucianism in Feng Youlan’s A History of Chinese Philosophy
Zhou Yutong: True Confucius and False Confucius
Confucius in Debates Involving Chinese Social History
Chapter 8 Studies in Confucius and His Thinking, 1937-1949
Kuomintang’s and CPC’s Attitude towards Chinese Historico-Cultural Heritages
Mao Zedong, Liu Shaoqi and Luofu: Setting forth Confucius
Chen Boda’s Study of Confucius and Confucianism
Hu Shi and Chen Duxiu: Two Radical Critics’ Reevaluation of Confucius
Confucius and His Thinking in Works of Zhang Junmai and Qian Mu
Liang Shuming: Rethinking Confucius
Confucius in Zhang Yinlin’s General History of China
Fan Shoukang’s Analysis of Confucius’s Thinking
Guo Moro’s Reexamination of Confucius and His Thinking
Three Marxist Historians’ Reappraisal of Confucius
Confucius in Works of Hou Wailu and Du Guoxiang
Cai Shangsi’s Criticism Against Confucius
Bibliography
Index
Author:
Lin Ganquan is the editor of China’s Historical Research Magazine. Previous positions include Director of the Institute of Historical Research at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Member of the State Council Published Ancient Books Arrangement & Planning Group, Vice Chairman of Editing & Publishing Committee of Guo Moruo's works, Presidium Member & Vice Chairman of China History Institute, President & adviser in Chinese History of Qin and Han Dynasties Research Association, President of Guo Moruo Research Association in China. Lin Ganquan is currently the Presidium Member of The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (literature & philosophy department) and Professor at the Institute of History Research at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.