Between Politics And Academy

Kwanghua University, a famous private institution of higher learning branched off Saint John’s University, was created by Chinese people after Massacre of May30th Movement. During the first12years from1925to1937, its creed of "Restoration to Education Rights" and free open campus atmosphere attracted many first-rate Chinese scholars—including Hu Shi, Luo Longji, Xu Zhimo, Wang Zaoshi—to teach there. Through their speeches and works, these intellectuals critiqued the state vehemently, which made Kwanghua the headquarters of intellectuals favoring liberalism. Professors liken Lv Simian, Qian Jibo, and Jiang Weiqiao put great efforts in writing and teaching, aspiring to establish Kwanghua as a center for traditional Chinese culture. Comparing these two groups of professors, we can see the Chinese intellectuals’awareness of political participation, fighting spirit and traditional Confucian spirit for Chinese culture. Focusing on the research of professor groups during the first12years of its establishment, this paper analyzes their political speech, academic research, public communication in order to find out the opposing and complementary spiritual traditions casted by the professors at different stages of the school development.