What does National Studies mean? What are the disciplines involved?

The ancient Chinese term "national education" refers to the "Imperial College", i.e. the national school, which is very different from the modern concept. Before the Qin and Han dynasties, academic to "teach" or "family" classification, not called "learning". At the end of the Western Han Dynasty, Liu Xin made "seven liao", began to call the study of literature and exegesis as "elementary school", so there is the name of "learning", and thereafter there is the scripture, metaphysics, science, and so on. The modern sense of "national education" originated in Japan, at the end of the 19th century, under the stimulation of Western learning and "Europeanizationism", Japanese thought from the world's cultural pattern of re-cognition of their own culture, and the emergence of the promotion of "national essence", "national culture", "national culture", "national culture", "national culture", "national culture", "national culture" and "national culture". "The Japanese academics have also been promoting Chinese culture in Japan. For Chinese culture, Japanese academics also had a not-so-pejorative "Chinatology". This naturally infected the Chinese scholars in a similar situation. 1902 fall, exiled Liang Qichao had discussed with Huang Zunxian and others, in Japan to establish the "National Education Newspaper". Huang advocated the creation of a "history of national education" first. Because of Huang's opinion, Liang Qichao gave up the idea of founding the National Education Newspaper.

At this time, those who advocated the "national education" were still the nationalists. 1904, Deng Zi Shanghai's "Political and Art Bulletin" published in the third issue of the "preservation of the national education", discussing the importance of preserving the "national education". In January and February of the following year, Deng Shi, Huang Jie and others set up the Society for the Preservation of National Studies in Shanghai, with the aim of "studying national studies and preserving the national essence", and issued the Politics and Arts Bulletin and the Journal of National Studies. Most of the participants were members of the Chinese League or intellectuals inclined to revolution. The terms "national studies" and "national essence" were hardly distinguishable from each other, and both were popular in the early 20th century, implying the significance of the cultural reflection of the intellectuals in Aichung. They labeled their cultural traditions as "national", containing a deep sense of patriotism. Of course, the two connotations are not different. "National essence" to "national science" as the basis, and "national science" is more broad. Generally speaking, "national essence" of the center of gravity in the "essence", not without conservative colors, to the nationalists as a representative; "national science" in the substance of the "learning The essence of "national science" is "learning", without a clear ideological orientation, and the commentators include many scholars outside of the nationalist school and its school.

On the definition of "nationalism", in 1906, Deng Chen wrote an article in the Journal of Nationalism, saying: "What is nationalism? A country of all the learning. There is a land and life on it, because to become a country, there is a country that has its own learning. Learning is also, learn the learning of a country for the country, and self-governance of a country." (Deng Shi, "National Studies Seminar Record", Journal of Nationalism, No. 19) He emphasized the usefulness of national studies, and "national studies" as "all the studies of a country", a broader concept. As a matter of fact, the term "national studies" refers to traditional Chinese scholarship in general, and its extension varies according to the context. Sometimes they emphasized the study of Confucius, and sometimes they attached importance to the study of classics, but they never replaced the national studies with Confucianism or the study of classics, but took the classics, history, sons, and collections as the basic content. Liu Shipei, the academic leader of the nationalist school, attached more importance to Confucianism, and did not replace the national education with Confucianism. His "The Development of National Studies" does not define "National Studies", but focuses on analyzing the flow of Confucianism, and also involves the study of children. This is basically in line with Deng Shi's emphasis on the idea that "Confucius' school is a national school, and all the sons are also national schools" (Deng Shi, "On the Revival of Ancient Learning", Selected Essays of the Decade Before the 1911 Revolution, vol. 2, p. 59, Sanlian Bookstore, 1963). The most influential master of nationalism, Zhang Taiyan, was no exception.

When the Society for the Preservation of Chinese Learning was founded, Zhang Taiyan was in Shanghai's West Prison and did not take part in its work. However, he was the ideological leader of the Society for the Preservation of National Learning and the Nationalists. Therefore, his concept of "national education" is quite representative. His life many times lecture "nationalism", and more systematic, important lectures are three times:

1906, Zhang Taiyan released from prison to the east, advocating anti-Manchu revolution, but also focus on the study of nationalism, and the development of nationalism. In September of that year, the young people in Japan to set up a national studies seminar, recognized the chapter as "a great leader in the field of national studies", and asked him to teach national studies. They announced that the content of the lecture "a, Chinese language and writing production of the original; a, canonical system so that the purpose of the facilities; a, the ancient characters of the deeds of the law can be." In addition, "Mr. Zhang's Buddhism is especially good, and he said that the world will be changed by Buddhism, and this is also the main point of the purpose of the lectures" (Preface to the National Education Seminar by the initiator of the National Education Seminar, Selected Essays of the First Ten Years of the Xinhai Revolution, vol. 2, pp. 501-502). It can be seen that the chapter of the "national education" is mainly language and writing, canonical system and history (Zhang Taiyan that "national essence" "can be divided into three: one is the language and writing, the second canonical system, the third is the deeds of the people) ". See July 15, 1906, "Welcome Speech for International Students in Tokyo", p. 276 of Zhang Taiyan's Selected Political Essays. (It can be seen that at this time, Zhang's concepts of "national education" and "national essence" were basically the same). He included the study of classics, history, son and collection in the "national science", especially to clarify the way of learning. 1922, between April and June, Zhang Taiyan in Shanghai, "about the national science" and "school of national science" 10 times. "10 times. Hundreds of people to dozens of people each time to listen to the lecture, the newspaper widely publicized, the formation of the chapter's second culmination of lectures. Lectures by Cao Juren records organized into the "Introduction to Chinese studies" book, involving the scriptures, history, son, collection, but to the scriptures, son of the main, the book "Introduction" part of the author of several insights about the "Chinese studies". The second part of the book is about the "schools of national studies", in which the "schools of classics" are mainly based on the ancient scriptures, and the "schools of philosophy" are focused on the pre-Qin and later Confucianism, and the "schools of literature" are mainly based on the ancient scriptures. The "School of Literature" describes the literary achievements of successive generations (Zhang Taiyan, An Introduction to Chinese Studies, organized by Cao Juren and read by Tang Zhijun, Shanghai Ancient Books Publishing House, 1997). 1934, Zhang Taiyan founded the Zhang's Chinese Studies Seminar in Suzhou, which is the most informative and systematic of his lectures, reflecting his academic summaries of his later years. The lecture was later published by a number of people to organize. This lecture is about 160,000 words, more than the previous "national reason on balance", "introduction to Chinese studies" for more. The whole manuscript **** divided into "elementary school said", "scripture said", "history said", "the sons said", "A Brief Introduction to Literature", and "A Brief Introduction to History", "A Brief Introduction to Sons", and "A Brief Introduction to Literature". While emphasizing traditional academic methods (such as literalism), he still took the traditional sutras, histories, scholars, and collections as the centerpiece of "national studies". This reflects the mainstream of the concept of "national education" in the late Qing Dynasty.

After the May Fourth Movement, the idea of "organizing national history" became popular. The term "national history" became popular, and had the tendency to replace the "national education". The ideological concepts of the intellectuals of the May Fourth Movement differed greatly from those of the Nationalists, and Xu Xiaotian, who edited the "Discussion of Nationalism", said, "The three words 'Nationalism' are still considered to be invented by those who have a clearer mind in recent times. Some call it 'national studies,' some call it 'old studies,' and some call it 'nationalist studies.'" (New Preface to the Collection of Discussions on Guohu Xuexue, p. 3, Collection of Discussions on Guohu Xuexue, No. 1, Qunxue Society, 1927 edition)

What is "Guohu Xuexue"? Wu Wenqi believed that a distinction should be made between "Guohu xuexue" and "Guohu"; "Guohu" is material, while "Guohu xuexue" is a science. A science. "The study of analyzing, synthesizing, and comparing various methods of organizing China's national history is called Guohu xuexue" (Wu Wenqi, "Reassessing the Value of Guohu xuexue" (Discussion of Guohu xuexue), No. 1, p. 41). By "Guohu" they meant the whole of traditional scholarship itself, including the classics, history, the classics, and the collected works. By "Guohu xuexue" they meant the entire traditional scholarship itself, including the classics, history, sonography, and collected works, and by "Guohu xuexue" they meant the objective study and elaboration of it. Thus, Cao Juren admitted that "the customary term 'Guoyu' is almost the same as the so-called 'middle school' and 'national studies' in the past. " (Cao Juren, "The Meaning and Value of Guohu Xuexue," Guohu Xuexue Discussion Collection, No. 1, pp. 60-65). As a matter of fact, traditional scholarship itself also includes the "study" of previous generations, and the term "Guohu xuexue" highlights "study" and "organization", but only emphasizes the "study" and "organization" of previous generations. The term "Guohu xuexue" emphasizes "research" and "collation", but only emphasizes the abandonment of the traditional dregs. The "national studies" inherited the traditional methods of examination, exegesis, and proofreading, but also drew on Western studies, focusing on empirical research. The same is true of "Guohu Xuexue". In other words, the basic content and research methods of "Guoyu Xuexue" and "Guoxuexue" are not very different, but the main difference lies in the ideology, that is, the attitude to treat and study traditional scholarship. Generally speaking, the intellectuals of the May Fourth Movement paid more attention to cleaning up the dregs of traditional scholarship than those of the late Qing Dynasty. A small number of them took the banner of "national history" mainly to show the ideological difference with the old-fashioned scholars.

In fact, the term does not indicate ideological distinction. "In the May Fourth period, both "old school" and "new school" scholars used the term "Guohu". At the beginning of 1919, when the old and new cultures were in a fierce battle, the more conservative scholars at Peking University founded the monthly magazine Guoshu (国故), in order to "promote the scholarship of China's past". Against this background, Mao Zishui and Fu Sinian wrote an article in Xinchao magazine to address the tendency of "sticking to the past" and "copying the past" and proposed to "organize the past" with a scientific attitude and method. This view was supported by Hu Shi and others. This view was supported by Hu Shi and others. The so-called "collation" is not limited to the examination and exegesis, but also includes the evaluation of value and the search for cause and effect. They not only used modern concepts to excavate and promote ancient learning, but also emphasized the cleaning up of "national dregs" and the downfall of "idols". Gu Jiegang pointed out in the preface to the fourth book of Ancient History: "There are many idols hidden in our ancient history." The imperial system represents the idol of race, the royal system is the idol of politics, the Taoist system is the idol of ethics, and scripture is the idol of scholarship. The study of ancient history is to break these idols, "so that each of them may return to its place in history" (Gu Jiegang, "Preface", Luo Genze, ed. Ancient History Discussions, vol. 4, p. 13. (Park Society, 1930 edition, photocopy of Shanghai Bookstore, Republic of China Series, No. 4). The "organization of national history" was branded with a new culture.

While the popularity of the "national history" was growing, the term "national education" had not disappeared. The advocates and researchers of the "finishing of the national history" often use the two together and replace each other. Hu Shih said: "'National Studies' in our eyes is just 'National History' and its abbreviation. All of China's past culture and history is our 'national history'; the study of this past history and culture is 'national history', or 'national science'. " (Hu Shih, "Declaration on the Publication of the Quarterly Journal of National Studies," Zhang Ruoying, "Historical Materials of the New Literary Movement in China," p. 195, Guangming Bookstore, 1934) With the decline of the May Fourth New Culture Wave, the term "national studies" was universally recognized and applied in the 1930s, and the term "national studies" was widely used. The term "national studies" was generally recognized and applied in the 1930s, while "national history" disappeared.

In the 1920s and 1930s, there was no authoritative definition of the term "national studies", but the term "national studies" itself had developed considerably. As a result of the "reorganization of national history", institutions and journals for the study of national studies sprang up. With the further deepening of the integration of Chinese and Western academics, some university departments or institutes of national studies dealt with art, archaeology, and so on, in addition to the Four Books, but generally still interpreted "national studies" as "traditional Chinese scholarship", and the main contents were still the sutras, histories, scholars, and collections. At the Tsinghua Institute of National Studies, Wu Mi believed that "the so-called national scholarship refers to the entirety of Chinese academic culture." Liang Qichao, Wang Guowei, and others instructed students to write essays that did not, however, go beyond the scope of the sutras, histories, sons, and collections. It has been pointed out that "although the books on 'national studies' are called 'a vast ocean of books' ...... until today, the four-part system of Jing, Shi, Zi, and Jiji is still in wide application. This classification is still widely used by modern catalogers. In the view of modern catalogers, this classification is naturally meaningless. But in the general study of the 'national studies' people, but also thought that there is no need to break, because there is his historical significance and value of the existence." Ma Ying's "Introduction to National Studies" was divided into five major parts: classics, philosophy (including the study of sons, science and Buddhism), history, literature, and other academic disciplines (page 19 of Ma Ying's "Introduction to National Studies", 1934 edition of the Dahua Bookstore). The many popular books on Chinese studies were no exception. Chiang Mei-sheng by the "introduction to Chinese studies", *** divided into 12 chapters, its title is: the classics, zhuzi, Qin of the anti-scientific, two Han transmission of the classics, the end of the Han dynasty of the new doctrine, the Wei and Jin metaphysics, the North and South Dynasties, Sui and Tang of the scriptures and Buddhism, the Song and Ming ethics, the Qing dynasty, the study of evidence, the history of a broad range of literature, a broad range of recent academic thought (Chiang Mei-sheng, "Introduction to the Chinese studies", pp. 2-3, is the Central Bureau of Books, 1934 edition). Zhang Zhenyong edited "national science common sense answer" (Commercial Press 1935 edition), the book is divided into text, scripture, son, history (with geography), science, poetry, essays, lyrics, novels and operas, etc. 9 parts; Li Lengzhi edited the "general knowledge of the national science to describe the" "classification of the full from the four parts of the intervening people, but also can be the order in order to seek" (Li Lengzhi edited the "national science common sense to describe"). Li Lengzhi compiled "national education general knowledge to describe" page 1, Beijing bookstore printing in 1934); Shanghai daitong bookstore published "national education general knowledge" series, *** elementary school, scripture, history, literature, words, rhyme, science, son study, poetry, say part of the 10 kinds of books.

After the 20s, Beijing, Shanghai and other places published more than ten kinds of journals with the name of "national science". Such as Peking University's "national", "Quarterly Journal of National Studies", "National Studies Monthly", "National Studies Weekly"; Beijing described the Society's "National Studies Monthly"; Tsinghua School Research Institute's "National Studies Series"; Peking University of China's "Series of National Studies" and so on. In Shanghai, there were the National Studies Magazine of the National Studies Changming Society, the National Studies Series of the National Studies Research Association, and the National Studies Monthly published by the Daito Bookstore. Beyond Beijing and Shanghai, Song Yuren as president of the Sichuan National Society in the early 1920s printed "National Studies Monthly"; Nanjing Southeast University, Nanjing Higher Education Division of the National Studies Society published "National Studies Series"; Xiamen University, "National Studies Special Issue"; to the 30s, Suzhou, Jiangsu, Wuxi and other small and medium-sized cities there are also National Studies organizations and publications.

These publications have different ideological tendencies, but there is no major difference in the appearance of the academic center of gravity of the classics, history, son and collection. Shanghai Dandong Bookstore's "Monthly Journal of National Studies," named Sinologists' Monthly in English, was meant to be a general reference to the organization of a "Chinese studies" or "Sinology". However, the treatises published in the journal still fall outside the scope of the four books. Peking University's "Quarterly Journal of Chinese Studies", although published with the "Chinese Studies" related to oriental languages, Indian religions and philosophies, the center of gravity is still in the "four parts". Fujian's "Special Issue of National Studies" and Chengdu's "Monthly Journal of National Studies" are similar. The second issue of the South's "National Studies Series" was issued with special issues on elementary school, economics, zhuzi, history, literature, etc. On the other hand, after the 1930s, the "National Studies Special Issue" was published on the "Four Parts". On the other hand, after the 1930s, the concept of "national studies" also appeared to be "generalized", and some research institutes or journals even included Western disciplines in "national studies". This has departed from the essence of "traditional Chinese academics", and eventually led to the disintegration of "national studies" into modern academic disciplines. In addition to academic transformation, development factors, the concept of "generalization" to a certain extent led to the disintegration or demise of "national studies". The continued existence of the Wuxi School of Chinese Studies, Zhang's Chinese Studies Seminar is still centered on the four departments.

In summary, despite the differences in people's understanding, the essence and basic connotation of the "national education" in the early 20th century has not fundamentally changed. It is not a vast subject, but refers to traditional Chinese scholarship, and the main research content is the long history of scripture, history, son, and collection. Whether the traditional method of examination and interpretation is adopted, or Western ideas and methods, there is no conflict with "national studies". But if you completely deviate from its essence and center of gravity, it will inevitably lead to the demise of "national education".