Ch'ien Mu
Encyclopedia
Ch'ien Mu was a Chinese
historian, educator, philosopher and Confucian considered one of the greatest historians and philosophers in 20th-century China.
, to suggest that in his childhood world the "small peasant cosmos" of rituals, festivals, and beliefs held the family system together. He received little formal modern education, but gained his knowledge on Chinese history and culture through traditional home study.
After teaching in universities in mainland China starting the in 1920s, he arrived in Hong Kong
in 1949. With help from the Yale-China Association
, along with other traditional scholars he cofounded New Asia College
. He later received honorary doctorates from both Yale University
and Hong Kong University.
in Taiwan
in October 1967 after accepting an invitation from the then President Chiang Kai-shek
in response to the Hong Kong 1967 Leftist Riots. He was given land in Waishuangxi in the Shilin District to build his home Sushulou (素書樓) while continuing as a freelance academic researching and giving lectures at universities in Taiwan. Ch'ien retired from teaching in 1984. After becoming one of the three constituent colleges of the Chinese University of Hong Kong
, in 1978 New Asia College inauguated the Ch'ien Mu Lectures in his honor. http://www3.cuhk.edu.hk/na/page_plain.php?lang=en&id=45
On June 1, 1990 the then Legislative Yuan members Chen Shui-bian
(later the 10th and 11th President of the Republic of China
) and Chou Po-lun, both of the Democratic Progressive Party (Taiwan)
espousing the Taiwan Independence Movement
, had accused Chien of occupying public land as the nature of gifting the land for Xushulau by Chiang Kai-shek was deemed to be illegal by Chen and Chou. Ch'ien and his wife moved out of Xushulau and relocated to a high-rise apartment in downtown Taipei City.
Ch'ien died on August 30 of 1990 a little less than three months after being forced to move out of Xushulau. Many of Chien's supporters, including his former students and many members of the public, have condemned the practice Chen and Chou of using Chien for scoring political points against the KMT which they believed caused his unnecessarily early death. Both Chen and Chou have since apologized for the damages of their accusations towards Chien, and Xushulau is now the location of the Chien Mu Memorial.
of the 1910s who are fundamentally skeptical of traditional Chinese philosophy and Confucianism, he insisted on the importance of traditional values of Chinese culture. By the time of his death in 1990, his objections to the rejection of tradition of Confucianism had gained wider credence, partly through the influence of his student at New Asia College, Yu Ying-shih
.
, tend to focus on his superficial knowledge of non-Chinese currents of thoughts when he wrote his treatises on cultural studies
, and his lack of objective, scientific method
-based, defense of traditional Chinese culture. Wang Yongzu (Wong Young-tsu) condemns Chien's own bias as "19th century traditionalist" in his "A Comment on Chien Mu's Treatise on Chinese Scholarships During the Qing Dynasty" (錢穆論清學史述評) being unable to view 19th century currents of thoughts with contemporary (20th century) perspectives. It could be argued, however, the opposition is based upon the critics' support of the New Culture Movement's legacies, which Chien explicitly rejected.
Another recurring theme from Ch'ien's critics, from the 1930s onwards, concerns his defense of traditional Chinese political system, headed by a monarch but with the government filled by examinations-based mandarins, as a representative form of government, as a simplistic fantasy.
In his survey, Traditional Government in Imperial China: A Critical Analysis Ch'ien describes the basic constitutive elements of China's traditional government as it evolved. He concentrates upon those dynasties he considers China's most representative: the Han, Tang, Song, Ming and Qing; and critically analyzes and compares their governmental organization, civil service examination system, taxation and defence.
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
historian, educator, philosopher and Confucian considered one of the greatest historians and philosophers in 20th-century China.
Life in China and Hong Kong
His biographer sketches the "economic mold" of Seven Mansions, his ancestral home in WuxiWuxi
Wuxi is an old city in Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China. Split in half by Lake Tai, Wuxi borders Changzhou to the west and Suzhou to the east. The northern half looks across to Taizhou across the Yangtze River, while the southern half also borders the province of Zhejiang to the south...
, to suggest that in his childhood world the "small peasant cosmos" of rituals, festivals, and beliefs held the family system together. He received little formal modern education, but gained his knowledge on Chinese history and culture through traditional home study.
After teaching in universities in mainland China starting the in 1920s, he arrived in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
in 1949. With help from the Yale-China Association
Yale-China Association
The Yale-China Association , founded in 1901, is a private, nonprofit organization with more than a century of experience contributing to the development of education in and about China and to the furtherance of understanding and knowledge between Chinese and American people...
, along with other traditional scholars he cofounded New Asia College
New Asia College
The New Asia College is now one of the constituent colleges of the Chinese University of Hong Kong .- History :New Asia College has its origin in the Asia Evening College of Arts and Commerce established in September 1949 by Ch'ien Mu and several other scholars from mainland China...
. He later received honorary doctorates from both Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
and Hong Kong University.
Life in Taiwan
Ch'ien relocated to the Republic of ChinaRepublic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
in October 1967 after accepting an invitation from the then President Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek was a political and military leader of 20th century China. He is known as Jiǎng Jièshí or Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng in Mandarin....
in response to the Hong Kong 1967 Leftist Riots. He was given land in Waishuangxi in the Shilin District to build his home Sushulou (素書樓) while continuing as a freelance academic researching and giving lectures at universities in Taiwan. Ch'ien retired from teaching in 1984. After becoming one of the three constituent colleges of the Chinese University of Hong Kong
Chinese University of Hong Kong
The Chinese University of Hong Kong is a research-led university in Hong Kong.CUHK is the only tertiary education institution in Hong Kong with Nobel Prize winners on its faculty, including Chen Ning Yang, James Mirrlees, Robert Alexander Mundell and Charles K. Kao...
, in 1978 New Asia College inauguated the Ch'ien Mu Lectures in his honor. http://www3.cuhk.edu.hk/na/page_plain.php?lang=en&id=45
On June 1, 1990 the then Legislative Yuan members Chen Shui-bian
Chen Shui-bian
Chen Shui-bian is a former Taiwanese politician who was the 10th and 11th-term President of the Republic of China from 2000 to 2008. Chen, whose Democratic Progressive Party has traditionally been supportive of Taiwan independence, ended more than fifty years of Kuomintang rule in Taiwan...
(later the 10th and 11th President of the Republic of China
President of the Republic of China
The President of the Republic of China is the head of state and commander-in-chief of the Republic of China . The Republic of China was founded on January 1, 1912, to govern all of China...
) and Chou Po-lun, both of the Democratic Progressive Party (Taiwan)
Democratic Progressive Party
The Democratic Progressive Party is a political party in Taiwan, and the dominant party in the Pan-Green Coalition. Founded in 1986, DPP is the first meaningful opposition party in Taiwan. It has traditionally been associated with strong advocacy of human rights and a distinct Taiwanese identity,...
espousing the Taiwan Independence Movement
Taiwan independence
Taiwan independence is a political movement whose goals are primarily to formally establish the Republic of Taiwan by renaming or replacing the Republic of China , form a Taiwanese national identity, reject unification and One country, two systems with the People's Republic of China and a Chinese...
, had accused Chien of occupying public land as the nature of gifting the land for Xushulau by Chiang Kai-shek was deemed to be illegal by Chen and Chou. Ch'ien and his wife moved out of Xushulau and relocated to a high-rise apartment in downtown Taipei City.
Ch'ien died on August 30 of 1990 a little less than three months after being forced to move out of Xushulau. Many of Chien's supporters, including his former students and many members of the public, have condemned the practice Chen and Chou of using Chien for scoring political points against the KMT which they believed caused his unnecessarily early death. Both Chen and Chou have since apologized for the damages of their accusations towards Chien, and Xushulau is now the location of the Chien Mu Memorial.
Works
Ch'ien wrote extensively on Chinese classics, history and Confucian philosophy. Unlike many 20th century Chinese intellectuals influenced by the New Culture MovementNew Culture Movement
The New Culture Movement of the mid 1910s and 1920s sprang from the disillusionment with traditional Chinese culture following the failure of the Chinese Republic, founded in 1912 to address China’s problems. Scholars like Chen Duxiu, Cai Yuanpei, Li Dazhao, Lu Xun, Zhou Zuoren, and Hu Shi, had...
of the 1910s who are fundamentally skeptical of traditional Chinese philosophy and Confucianism, he insisted on the importance of traditional values of Chinese culture. By the time of his death in 1990, his objections to the rejection of tradition of Confucianism had gained wider credence, partly through the influence of his student at New Asia College, Yu Ying-shih
Yu Ying-shih
Yu Ying-shih is a Chinese American historian known for his mastery of sources for Chinese history and philosophy, his ability to synthesize them on a wide range of topics, and for his advocacy for a new Confucianism...
.
Criticism
Critics of Chien's ideas, such as Li AoLi Ao
Li Ao , is a writer, social commentator, historian, and independent politician in the Republic of China .He is considered by many to be one of the most important modern Chinese essayists today, although critics have termed him an intellectual narcissist...
, tend to focus on his superficial knowledge of non-Chinese currents of thoughts when he wrote his treatises on cultural studies
Cultural studies
Cultural studies is an academic field grounded in critical theory and literary criticism. It generally concerns the political nature of contemporary culture, as well as its historical foundations, conflicts, and defining traits. It is, to this extent, largely distinguished from cultural...
, and his lack of objective, scientific method
Scientific method
Scientific method refers to a body of techniques for investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge. To be termed scientific, a method of inquiry must be based on gathering empirical and measurable evidence subject to specific principles of...
-based, defense of traditional Chinese culture. Wang Yongzu (Wong Young-tsu) condemns Chien's own bias as "19th century traditionalist" in his "A Comment on Chien Mu's Treatise on Chinese Scholarships During the Qing Dynasty" (錢穆論清學史述評) being unable to view 19th century currents of thoughts with contemporary (20th century) perspectives. It could be argued, however, the opposition is based upon the critics' support of the New Culture Movement's legacies, which Chien explicitly rejected.
Another recurring theme from Ch'ien's critics, from the 1930s onwards, concerns his defense of traditional Chinese political system, headed by a monarch but with the government filled by examinations-based mandarins, as a representative form of government, as a simplistic fantasy.
In his survey, Traditional Government in Imperial China: A Critical Analysis Ch'ien describes the basic constitutive elements of China's traditional government as it evolved. He concentrates upon those dynasties he considers China's most representative: the Han, Tang, Song, Ming and Qing; and critically analyzes and compares their governmental organization, civil service examination system, taxation and defence.
External links
- Chienmu's House in Shilin
- 近代的中国人，只因我们一时科学落后，遂误以为中国以往历史上一切文物制度全都落后了。”（《中国历史研究法》
- 钱穆在《中国历代政治得失》中深刻揭示“清朝是导致中国落后的根源
- 军机处则明明是一种军事统治的名称。既然最高法令均属于军机，当然只能说它是军事统治了
Reading
- Jerry Dennerline, Qian Mu and the World of Seven Mansions (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1988).