Studies On A Last-Generation Scholar-Official Feng Xu

During the late19th Century and the beginning of the20th Century, at the upper hand dominance of Western Countries, the national crises of China went from bad to worse. Various ideas of reform and actions of revolution occurred one after another. Due to the introduction of Western Civilization, traditional political systems, economic structure and ideologies underwent explicit or implicit multiple transformation. The transformation of the surrounding environment was sure to lead to transformation of national mentality and manifested among intellectuals. During the past studies, we used to focus on the two categories of conservative and radical intellectuals on their radicalism or reactionary conservatism and investigate the interaction between intellectual group and historical development from perspectives of promoting or hindering historical development, ignorant about the accurate investigation of social realities or alternative intellectuals who were different from either the old or the new. They were in a new period but nostalgic for the old, wandering between the old and the new, but remained calm and self-confident, and revealed the true value of traditional culture by their own example.The thesis selects Feng Xu and a typical representative of intellectuals of such a category. Through digging up forgotten historical materials, depicts the ups and downs Feng had experienced in modern social transformation, his stubbornness and pursuit, his melancholy and resignation. By comparison and analyses, the thesis tries to manifest the value of such intellectuals in social transition and the mental odyssey of intellectuals limited by traditional moral modes. In depicting the average yet unusual life, the thesis observe the reality of traditional culture in modern society.Feng Xu was not only famous for his lyrics, poetry and calligraphy among the literati, but also participated actively in various relief charitable activities late into his advanced years.Speeches and deeds and history of such a prominent intellectual with far-reaching social influence had faded into oblivion. Nowadays there are only a few pieces about him in our whole country. It is not enough for us to get an insightful view of people and events against the unique background.The thesis tries to reveal the life journey of such a scholar-official as Feng Xu, and search for the footing of the Chinese culture that once was or is losing ground to decrease the former or our past or would-be inappropriate or pre-set research attitudes. Thus we can return to the plausible picture of modern China and feel the epoch situation and unique meaning of traditional Chinese culture.