Abstract
Unlike the world’s other ancient civilizations, which arose within relatively small geographical areas, Chinese civilization developed over a vast territory surrounding the Yellow and Yangtze River valleys, and was able to amass and sustain an immense population. This geographic feature has imbued Chinese civilization with an exceptional capacity to maintain stability, to absorb and to integrate.
This chapter was translated by Joanna Guzowska.
Translator’s note: The expression “Chinese Intellectual Tradition” is meant to render the Chinese term guoxue 国学 which will be discussed later in the chapter. Its literal meaning is “a state’s learning” and its primary reference is a state’s, in this case China’s, indigenous intellectual tradition and body of knowledge, including its inherent organizing principles, especially prior to that state’s exposure to the modern West. (trans.).
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Notes
- 1.
Translator’s note: The expression “early modern” is used here to translate the Chinese term jindai 近代 which refers to the period between the Opium Wars of 1839–1842 and 1856–1860 and the 1919 May Fourth Movement.
- 2.
The Erya is an early Chinese glossary. The title could perhaps be translated as “Approximating the Correct [Use of Language].” I render it in the original throughput the chapter. (trans.).
- 3.
Translator’s note: Laozi’s death cannot be dated with any accuracy. (In fact, it is debated within contemporary scholarship whether he was a historical figure at all. The Chinese historiographical tradition presented him as an older contemporary of Confucius.).
- 4.
Throughout the chapter I will refer to this work as the Shuo wen Dictionary.
- 5.
Translator’s note: The term li xue 理学 literally means “Principle Learning” and can also refer to one strand within the broader formation bearing this name. I translate li xue in the broad sense as “Neo-Confucianism” and li xue in the narrow sense as “Principle Learning.”
- 6.
Han Learning will be characterized later in the chapter.
- 7.
Translator’s note: The term used by the author, baike quanshu 百科全书, is normally translated as “encyclopedia” and I do so here. However, the Vast Documents of the Yongle Era is not an encyclopedia in the modern European sense but an example of what the Chinese traditionally referred to as lei shu 类书, or “classified books.” Lei shu did not synthetically present existing knowledge, but compiled and organized existing literature. The Vast Documents of the Yongle Era purported to preserve all literature known in China at the time.
- 8.
The literal meaning of this expression is something like “to brace oneself up and run one’s country well.”
- 9.
Inhabitants (the Chinese title: 华事夷言) (the Chinese title: 四洲志).
- 10.
The Chinese title is Wuzhong qiyuan 物种起源.
- 11.
(the Chinese title: 天演论, where tianyan 天演 refers to natural evolution, now termed jinhua 进化).
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Chen, L. (2017). A Brief Account of the Development of the Chinese Intellectual Tradition. In: The Core Values of Chinese Civilization. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-3367-4_3
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