An Intellectual History of Modern China (Cambridge Modern China Series) [Hardcover]

Merle Goldman (Editor), Leo Ou-fan Lee (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 10, 2002 | ISBN-10: 0521801206 | ISBN-13: 978-0521801201 | Edition: 1

An Intellectual History of Modern China is the only comprehensive book on modern China's intellectual development from the nineteenth to the end of the twentieth century.While existing studies tend to focus on individual Chinese thinkers, this book includes all the major Chinese thinkers, as well as political figures who have influenced China's modern history. Merle Goldman and Leo Ou-fan Lee introduce this this collection of essays, drawn from the later volumes (Volumes 12, 13, 14, 15) of The Cambridge History of China. The chapters, authored by eminent historians and social scientists in the field of Chinese studies, together trace the transformation of Confucian ideas, the introduction of Western views and the resulting, uniquely Chinese view of the world. By linking key intellectual developments and figures to emerging political movements, they explain the profound impact of changing ideas and values on Chinese politics and revolution. Merle Goldman brings the history up to date with a new, concluding chapter on the post-Mao era and China's intellectual scene at the end of the twentieth century.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...all chapters balance the emphasis of the thinking and actions of individual intellectuals with their broader historical, cultural, and political context, in order to encompass the broader conscious life in intellectual history. This comprehensive summary of classical scholarship is a useful guide for scholars and upper-division undergraduates who will benefit from its broad chronology and emphasis on many important Chinese thinkers and political figures." M. Cristina Zaccarini, Adelphi University, Garden City, New York, Candian Journal of History

"Skillfully and thoroughly investigates the intellectual history of modern China...Insightful and definitive." History: Reviews of New Books

"This is a must read for anyone who wants to understand China's twentieth century intellectual history." Journal of South Asian and Middle Eastern Literature

"Certainly politics is important in understanding public life in China, but the publication of this volume challenges and begs historians to move away from conceptualizing all intellectual history of China as political history. This book is worht reading and provides a point of departure for intellectual histories of modern China." China Review International

"In this collection of carefully researched essays, leading scholars explicate China's intellectual transformation from the 1890s to the 1990s...the rewards are many, and the potential for further research remains strong. As an "intellectual history of modern China" instead of a "modern Chinese intellectual history", the volume continues to inform and to orient further research." - The Journal of Asian Studies Wen-Hsin Yeh, University of California, Berkeley

Book Description

An Intellectual History of Modern China is the only comprehensive book in English on modern China's intellectual development from the nineteenth to the end of the twentieth century. While existing studies tend to focus on individual Chinese thinkers, this book includes all the major Chinese thinkers, as well as political figures who have influenced China's modern history. Merle Goldman and Leo Ou-fan Lee introduce this collection of essays, drawn from the later volumes (Volumes 12, 13, 14, 15) of The Cambridge History of China. The chapters, authored by eminent historians and social scientists in the field of Chinese studies, together trace the transformation of Confucian ideas, the introduction of Western views and the resulting, uniquely Chinese view of the world. By linking key intellectual developments and figures to emerging political movements, they explain the profound impact of changing ideas and values on Chinese politics and revolution. Merle Goldman brings the history up to date with a new, concluding chapter on the post-Mao era and China's intellectual scene at the end of the twentieth century. This book offers a summation of classic scholarship on the intellectual life of modern China. Scholars and students will find useful general background, incisive analysis, and inspiration for future research in China's intellectual history.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 616 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press; 1 edition (June 10, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521801206
• ISBN-13: 978-0521801201
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,768,563 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)