How to understand the concept of "Chinese studies"

How to understand the concept of "Chinese studies"

Chinese studies in a broad sense refers to the cultural heritage and academic records of China in past dynasties, including the history, philosophy, geography, politics, economy, calligraphy and painting, music, Yi ology, martial arts, medicine, astrology, architecture and so on in ancient China. Sinology in a narrow sense refers to China's ancient theory. The following is my understanding of the concept of "Chinese studies". Let's have a look!

How to understand the concept of "Sinology" 1 "Sinology" is highly valued and used today, but there are still different views and explanations. These different viewpoints and explanations have different opinions and great ambiguities, which of course have great influence on understanding the relationship between Chinese studies and soft power. Therefore, how to treat "Chinese studies" has become a prerequisite for further exploring the relationship between Chinese studies and soft power. At present, the different views and explanations of the concept of "Chinese studies" can be summarized into two kinds of tendentious understandings: one is to understand "Chinese studies" in a narrow sense and transform this concept into "Confucian classics"; The second is to understand "Sinology" in a broad sense and transform this concept into "China's traditional academic culture". Compared with the two, there seem to be more people who advocate the latter understanding.

To explain the relationship between sinology and soft power, it is obvious that only by understanding the concept of sinology in a broad sense can this relationship be rich and profound. At the same time, it is easier to explain and grasp the concept of "Sinology" by changing "Sinology" into "China traditional academic culture".

This is because the meaning of "China's traditional academic culture" is clearer than that of "Chinese studies". From this perspective, although "Sinology" and "China traditional academic culture" are two different concepts, they are directly related. In order to explain and grasp the concept of "Sinology", it can be transformed in a certain sense.

After the concept of "Sinology" was transformed into "China's traditional academic culture", its meaning became specific and clear, which actually showed two meanings:

The first meaning of sinology refers to the original meaning of sinology, that is, China's traditional academic culture, which is the object of study and research after entering the 20th century. For example, in 1904, Deng Shi published "On the Preservation of Sinology" in the Bulletin of Politics and Arts, and in 1906, Zhang Taiyan established the Sinology Research Society in Tokyo, in which the word "Sinology" was the first.

The second meaning of sinology refers to the study, research and even interest and hobby of sinology in the first meaning, that is, the study, research and even interest and hobby of China's traditional academic culture, such as the "Sinology College" and "Sinology Class" established in several universities today, the "Sinology Edition" opened in Guangming Daily and China Reading Newspaper, and the "Sinology craze" that people often say in recent years.

At present, there are at least 10 definitions of Chinese studies, although there are not as many as hundreds of definitions of "culture". But to sum up, there are only six kinds and three categories: first, the study of "national heritage", or "primary school" such as giving lectures, phonology and textual research, or the traditional "study of classics and history"; Second, the study of "Six Arts", if the commentator specifically refers to "Six Classics", then Chinese studies are "Six Classics" and "Six Classics" are classics, then Chinese studies are classics. Both of them belong to the same category, and they are both narrow views on Chinese studies. Three refers to Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism, with Confucianism as the main body; Fourth, it refers to the "four parts" of classics, history, Confucianism and collections. These two belong to the same category, which is China's traditional view. Five fingers are different from "western learning" or "Marxism-Leninism" in "China traditional academic culture"; Sixth, it refers to the academic culture of contemporary China, that is, the so-called "Great National Studies" theory, covering all disciplines such as China, the West and Malaysia. Both of these views belong to Chinese studies in a broad sense.

In fact, every school has its own truth and one-sidedness. The narrow view of Chinese studies reveals the oldest and most distinctive knowledge in China culture, which is its strength. However, its disadvantage lies in limiting Chinese studies to traditional primary schools, classics, history or Confucianism. However, the broad concept of Chinese studies is widely compatible, but it is too broad to reflect the academic characteristics of China for thousands of years. In my opinion, the "national studies" that we should advocate now should be a new national study that is compatible with one yuan and multiple elements and keeps pace with the times. It refers to the traditional culture of China dominated by Confucian culture, including Confucian classics, history, philosophers, literature, art and other traditional academics.

How to understand the concept of "Sinology" Chapter II Sinology generally refers to a unique and complete cultural and academic system based on pre-Qin classics and a hundred schools of thought contend, covering Confucian classics in Han Dynasty, metaphysics in Wei and Jin Dynasties, Neo-Confucianism in Song and Ming Dynasties, Han Fu, parallel prose in Six Dynasties, poems in Tang and Song Dynasties, Yuanqu, novels in Ming and Qing Dynasties and historiography of past dynasties.

The concept of Chinese studies has existed in the history of China, and it has existed in Zhou Li and Jin Shu. But the so-called "national studies" always refers to "schools established by the state". At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, Zhongdu Guo Zi School was established, and later changed to imperial academy, which was in charge of the order of Chinese students. Imperial academy has etiquette, music, law, archery, imperial examination, calligraphy, mathematics and other teaching subjects.

In recent years, some scholars believe that the term Sinology comes from Japan, in order to trace its roots and explore local culture. The name of "Sinology" began in the late Qing Dynasty. At that time, Europe and America entered China in the name of "new learning" and "western learning". In contrast, people call China's inherent knowledge "old learning", "middle school" or "national studies". The so-called Chinese studies now include China's ancient thoughts, philosophy, science, technology, history, geography, politics, economy, calligraphy and painting, music, art, medicine, astrology, architecture and many other aspects. But in a broad sense, Sinology refers to China's ancient and modern culture and scholarship, including China's ancient history, thought, philosophy, geography, politics, economy and even calligraphy and painting, music, Yi Xue, skills, medicine, astrology, architecture and so on. They are all related to the category of Chinese studies.

Sinology can also be said to be China's ancient theory, among which the pre-Qin philosophers are the representatives, and their thoughts and theories have a far-reaching influence on the traditional culture of China. They formed the thoughts of military strategist, legalist, Mohist, Confucian and Taoist. These thoughts discuss how to govern the country from different aspects. It had a far-reaching influence on the rulers of past dynasties, and gradually formed China's traditional cultural concept. Scholars such as Li and others believe that the definition of sinology generally refers to the literature of the country. Similar names include the national language "Mandarin" and the national anthem "National Anthem". He believes that China has always been famous for its literature in history, and its genres include ancient prose, poetry, ci, songs, fu, novels, music and songs. The content includes history, thought, philosophy, geography, politics, economy, calligraphy and painting, music, Yi-ology, technology, medicine, astrology, architecture and so on. These arts and cultures, which belong to the category of literature, are obviously different from western "scientific" works. It is more appropriate to collectively refer to these arts and cultures as Chinese studies. Similarly, every country has its own national studies. India has Indian studies, and Egypt also has Egyptian studies.

National literature is the foundation of the nation. Li believes that the connotation of Chinese studies includes various disciplines with national cultural and artistic characteristics.

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