Modern Notions of Civilization and Culture in China

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xii

   PDF

2. The Chinese People’s “Great Geographical Discovery”

   • Weigui Fang

   Pages 1-8

3. Wen Is the Manifestation of the Great Way

   • Weigui Fang

   Pages 9-23

4. The Bankruptcy of Chinese Order in East Asia

   • Weigui Fang

   Pages 25-36

5. After Japan’s Departure from Asia, Where Did the Once Prosperous China Go?

   • Weigui Fang

   Pages 37-45

6. The Paradigm Shift of “Civilization” in the Age of Transformation

   • Weigui Fang

   Pages 47-59

7. The Early Spread of “Civilization” as a Modern Notion in China

   • Weigui Fang

   Pages 61-75

8. “Civilization” and “Culture” in Bilingual Dictionaries

   • Weigui Fang

   Pages 77-85

9. Getting Prepared for a Meeting with Western Civilization

   • Weigui Fang

   Pages 87-99

10. Distinguishing Between “Civilization” and “Culture” in the New Culture Movement

    • Weigui Fang

    Pages 101-113

11. Back Matter

    Pages 115-125

    PDF

This Key Concepts pivot examines the fundamental Chinese ideas of ‘Civilization’ and ‘culture’, considering their extensive influence both over Chinese society and East Asian societies. The pivot analyses the traditional connotations of those two concepts and their evolution in the Sino-Western exchanges as well as their renewed interpretation and application by contemporary Chinese scholars. It analyses how the years 1840-1900 which mark a period of major transition in China challenged these concepts, and highlights how the pursuit of innovation and international perspective gave birth to new values ​​and paradigm shifts, and culminated in the May Fourth New Culture Movement. Considering the underlying humanistic ideas in the key concepts of traditional Chinese civilisation and culture, this pivot contributes to this series of Chinese Key Concept by offering a unique analysis of the conceptual evolutions brought about by the change of values in 21^st century China.

• Chinese Ideas of ‘Civilization’ and ‘Culture’
• Chinese Ideas and Sino-Western Exchanges
• Societal Transition in China and Paradigm Shifts
• Chinese Reform and Opening to the World
• Chinese Philosophy and Innovation
• Humanism in Chinese Philosophy
• Chinese Culture and East Asian Societies

“Professor Weigui Fang became one of the first scholars in China to focus on the history of concepts when his research essay on changing notions of civilization and culture in modern China was published in 1999. During the entire process of modernization that set in after the mid-19th century, in the wake of the Opium War, the demand for reform and change was the consensus of almost all intellectually awake Chinese. At the time, it was mainly due to externally enforced contact between China and the Western world that an unprecedented change occurred that effected a profound shift in cultural values, especially concerning the idea of wenming. This ancient Chinese concept thus acquired a new trope and perspective. Modern Notions of Civilization and Culture in China discusses in simple terms the paradigm shift and conceptual changes surrounding the wenming concept in the intellectual history of modern China.” (Fansen Wang, Professor and Vice President, Academia Sinica, Taipei, China)

• Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China

  Weigui Fang

Weigui Fang is Distinguished Professor at the School of Chinese Language and Literature, Beijing Normal University, China. He is Changjiang Scholar and Director of the Center for Literature and the History of Ideas at BNU. His research is focused on Comparative Literature, modern Chinese culture and literature, History of Concepts, Sociology of Literature, and international sinology. He has authored 10 books and published more than 100 scholarly papers.



Weidong Wang is Associate Professor of Translation Studies, Renmin University of China, a supervisor for masters in translation, and a senior member of the Translators Association of China (TAC). He used to be a main contributor to the prestigious "Translation" column of Ying Yu Xue Xi, a renowned English language-learning magazine widely read across mainland China.

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