John King Fairbank And American China Studies

The US is one of the most developed countries overseas which are engaged in China studies, and until now there's a one-and-a-half century's history. Carrying out the restudy on the American China studies is very helpful. It can widen the field of vision in us, know and understand ourselves well, impel the domestic scholarly research theory and the method innovation. The leader of the American Chinese Studies is the renowned historian, "the top-quality expert on China" John King Fairbank. In more than a half century's time, John King Fairbank studied in this field in China. His research mode, the scholarly works and the theory viewpoint have represented the US mainstream society's view, not only have affected several generation of American China scientists and West's Chinese educational world, but also have directly or indirectly affected the American Political circle and the public to the manner and the view of China, as well as the American policy toward China formulation.John King Fairbank and the team of American China studies which he leaded have pay a lot attention to the Contemporary China question research since long ago. Along with the new China's being established and highlighting of great achievement on socialist construction. The theory achievements on contemporary China studies particularly Marxism to conditions in China - - research into Mao Zedong Thought and Deng Xiaoping Theory become the main topic in the American China studies in the world of American educational research. They have achieved the remarkable achievement in this domain. "A stone from other hills may serve to polish the jade of this one". Restudying the research of John King Fairbank and the US's Mao Zedong Thought and Deng Xiaoping Theory will provide beneficial model and inspires for the domestic Marxism Chinese research. The full text besides the introductory remarks and the conclusion has three part composition altogether:The first part, the transformation of John King Fairbank and the American China studies from the tradition to modern. John King Fairbank is the renowned historian, the Chinese questions observer who was highly respected in the area of American China studies, a leading authority on contemporary history research of American China studies. His study took a decisive part in the transmutation of the research model of the American China studies. Early American China studies which were influenced by the European China studies paid great attention on the research of China question in ancient times and the language and writing research. As soon as John King Fairbank stepped into China studies area, he chose the modern China question research. As the scholar and the diplomat, he witnessed China society's vicissitude His early academic career and work experience in China established his foundation to the preliminary understanding on revolution in China. The establishment of John King Fairbank's "impact - -response"research model on the study of revolution in China has a huge influence to the American China studies. Although this research model has many problems, as a result of this research model establishment, American China studies began to pay great attention to the research of the revolution question to the contemporary China society day by day, specially Mao Zedong and the research on Chinese revolution leaded by Communist Party of China.The second part, John King Fairbank and US's Mao Zedong studies in the adverse circumstance rise. In the 50s -60s of 20th century, McCarthyism's running amuck caused grave devastation to the contemporary China studies. However, John King Fairbank had not given up China's research; he decided Mao Zedong and China's revolution and construction that Mao Zedong leaded as his main research direction. He established East Asia Research center in Harvard University; trained a group of Master and Ph D. students who were in Mao Zedong research direction; published a large number of books which were concerned Mao Zedong studies, of which Benjamin I. Schwartz's "the Chinese Communism and Mao's Rise" and Stuart R. Schram's "Mao Zedong's Political thought" are the important symbol which stood for the preliminary development of overseas Mao Zedong study. They generally thought Mao Zedong Thought was the innovation or departs from Marxism-Leninism. Because of John King Fairbank's splendid academic organizational work and the common research it formed an important academic faction among the study of overseas Mao Zedong around him - - Harvard school. As the conservative faction's representative, Karl A·Wittfogel attacked the viewpoint of Harvard School, he thought that Mao Zedong Thought directly originated from Marxism-Leninism. Therefore both sides launched more than 10 years debate on the relations between Mao Zedong Thought and Marxism-Leninism. Finally Harvard School gained the decisive victory. This debate has deepened and developed the overseas Mao Zedong Thought research, laying the foundation for the research's prosperity of overseas Mao ZedongThe third part, John King Fairbank and the prosperity of US's Mao Zedong Thought and Deng Xiaoping Theory research. After China's "Great Cultural Revolution" erupted, numerous scholars overseas changed the research angle into China, has gradually formed the high tide of overseas Mao Zedong studies. As the left wing's representative, Paver and Andrew Walder carried on the critiques to the viewpoint of Harvard School. They thought that Mao Zedong Thought is inherit and development of Marxism; Mao Zedong Thought was the new stage of Marxism development. Therefore they started the second debate on overseas Mao Zedong studies. Although the left wing gained the temporary victory, with "Great Cultural Revolution" coming to an end and China's denying to it, the people had to carry on the reconsideration to the former research. In this time John King Fairbank made enormous contribution to the normalization of Sino-American Relations. Along with China's reform and opening to the outside world, the research on Deng Xiaoping Theory became another hot spot. While the people reconsidered Mao Zedong studies, starting to carry on Deng Xiaoping studies, they carried through the comparative studies between Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping. John King Fairbank impelled US's Mao Zedong Thought and Deng Xiaoping Theory research during this period, because of his unremitting endeavor, overseas Mao Zedong Thought and Deng Xiaoping Theory research moved toward the new high tide.John King Fairbank and US's Mao Zedong Thought and Deng Xiaoping Theory research have lots of influence and inspiration to the research on the Sinicization of Marxism. For example, with a global perspective, lay emphasis on the theory model research and the theory thought training, strengthen the exchange between China and foreign countries, focus on the empirical study especially lay stress on the discriminating and use of the firsthand information, attach importance to the utilization of the interdisciplinary methods, carry out academic criticism positively, and so on, all of which are the aspects that we should strengthen.