Knowledge and Inheritance of the School of Wan
As a centerpiece in the academic discourse of the Qing Dynasty, textology during the reign of Qianlong (1735-1796) and Jiaqing (1796-1820) exerted a significant influence on the development of Chinese academia both during its heyday and during the modern period. Scholars from Huizhou (a historical region in southeastern China) were among the foremost to reflect on the academic concepts and the style of pursuing studies in the textology during Qian-Jia period. At that time, Huizhou was famous for the prosperity of its culture and the talent of its residents. Scholars of Confucian classics like Jiang Yong and Dai Zhen focused on textual exegesis and historical studies; their style reflected shrewd summary and adept inductive reasoning. They were representative of a group of scholars that insisted on marshalling abundant evidence to establish facts, and to carry forward innovation based on classical traditions. They created a unique style, called the “school of Wan”.
Xu Daobin is a researcher from Ministry of Education Key Research Institutes of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Center for Hui Studies at Anhui University. His book Knowledge and Inheritance of the School of Wan introduces famous Huizhou scholars from the Qing Dynasty and their studies and treatises. It was published by Huangshan Publishing House in March 2012.
Xu Shiyou, a professor at the History and Culture College at Central China Normal University, noted the breadth of Xu Daobin’s book, observing that it refers to many fields of academics in Qing Dynasty and Chinese traditional culture. Prof. Xu praised the variety of historical references, noting that Xu Daobin had arranged the book to reflect academic development in Huizhou, including commentary on the regional environment and historical changes. The book also included an in-depth analysis on Huizhou scholars’ reactions to Western sciences in the modern period. Prof. Xu also commented on Xu Daobin’s detailed explanation of Huizhou scholars’ interaction with and influence from connections with the outside world; those connections are established through doing business, attending the imperial civil service examination, becoming officials and study tours. Huizhou merchants were actively involved in the province’s cultural sphere, which stimulated regional economic and cultural development. Likewise, Huizhou scholars preserved their academic independence, travelling around like the merchants and helping to transmit knowledge and train apprentices or working as advisers rather than becoming officials in the government bureaucracy.
According to Prof. Xu, Knowledge and Inheritance of the School of Wan is a good resource both for learning about the academic style, and for understanding regional particularities in Qing Dynasty scholarship. Prof. Xu added that the volume is both comprehensive and innovative, and that its publication has broadened the horizon for successive works on related areas.
The Chinese version appeared in Chinese Social Sciences Today, No. 429, Mar. 20, 2013
Translated by Zhang Mengying