| Hu Shi is one of the most important scholars of China in the 20 th Century.His academic research covered almost all fields of Sinology, and have obtained great achievements during the Republic of China, and has gradually formed his own Sinology view.Hu Shi was deeply influenced by traditional Chinese culture when he was very young, and he has a deep knowledge, which have significant impacts on his Sinology view formation and development.The development of Hu Shi’s Sinology view in Minguo period can be divided into the following stages:The first stage, roughly from 1912 to 1919, Hu Shi advocated Western learning and criticized traditional Chinese culture. During his study in America, Hu Shi formed a relatively mature Sinology view, and came up with the idea of using western academic theory to modify Chinese traditional culture.When he returned to China, Hu put himself to the New Culture Movement and launched a literary revolution to transform traditional Chinese literature.In this revolution, Hu Shi criticized classical Chinese language seriously and advocated vernacular,while he also criticized some traditional values.In the second stage, roughly from 1919 to 1926, he split partnership with politicized New Culture Parties and started the movement for rearranging the national heritage.Hu Shi’s academic research covered almost all fields of Sinology.Under the guidance of the thought of “sorting out the traditional civilizationâ€, Hu Shi’s critical attitude towards Sinology somewhat softened than before.He affirmed the value of traditional culture and excavated the resources of traditional culture. Hu Shi had a more modest attitude to Sinology than before during this period.In the third stage, roughly from 1926 to 1937, Hu Shi conducted an in-depth reflection to the movement of Rearranging the National Heritage.At the same time, Hu Shi came into contact with more western culture during this period. When comparing Chinese culture and western culture, Hu Shi had a clearer understanding of why Chinese culture lagged behind the western culture.Accordingly, Hu Shi advocated the “Wholesale Westernization†theory, aiming to reform traditional Chinese culture by introducing massive western culture into China.In the fourth stage, roughly from 1937 to 1942, at the moment of a serious national crisis,Hu Shi devoted himself to the anti-Japanese cause, as many scholars who were concerned with the fate of their own country. Hu Shi began to praise traditional Chinese culture and promote the excellent traditional culture to American people,which contributed to western support in the anti-Japanese War.In the fifth stage, roughly from 1937 to 1942, Hu Shi devoted into the study of Sinologywith great enthusiasm after he had stepped down as Chinese Ambassador to the United States.Chiang Kai-shek stuck to his policy of dictatorship after the victory of anti-Japanese War. Under such circumstances, Hu Shi didn’t cooperate with the Kuomingtang in politics and dedicated himself to the study of Sinology. During the period of the Civil War between the KMT and the Communist Party of China, Hu Shi held to his intellectual dreams rather than being swayed by political pressures.The changes of Hu Shi’s Sinology view were triggered by multiple factors, including traditional Chinese culture, western culture, academic consciousness of searching for truth and use and the real cultural environment.Nowadays, in the process of traditional Chinese culture construction, we should be fully aware of the advantages of Hu Shi’s Sinology view while reflecting on his deficits. Our culture policies need to be adjusted within the national context; our traditional culture should be inherited critically; modern transformation of the cultural heritage should be promoted rationally;we should make efforts to introduce Chinese culture all over the world; the relationship between the academic truth and practice should be handled properly.at the same time. |
