The Intellectual in Modern Chinese History [Paperback]

A vivid account of Chinese intellectuals across the twentieth century that provides a guide to making sense of China today.A vivid narrative history of intellectuals and public life in China across the twentieth century. Based on extensive research, Timothy Cheek's work helps readers make sense of China today, and encourages comparison and contrast with the experiences of intellectuals in Europe, North America and the countries of the Global South.A vivid narrative history of intellectuals and public life in China across the twentieth century. Based on extensive research, Timothy Cheek's work helps readers make sense of China today, and encourages comparison and contrast with the experiences of intellectuals in Europe, North America and the countries of the Global South.This vivid narrative history of Chinese intellectuals and public life provides a guide to making sense of China today. Timothy Cheek presents a map and a method for understanding the intellectual in the long twentieth century, from China's defeat in the Sino-Japanese war in 1895 to the 'Prosperous China' since the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Cheek surveys the changing terrain of intellectual life over this transformative century in Chinese history to enable readers to understand a particular figure, idea or debate. The map provides coordinates to track different times, different social worlds and key concepts. The historical method focuses on context and communities during six periods to make sense of ideas, institutions and individual thinkers across the century. Together they provide a memorable account of the scenes and protagonists, and arguments and ideas, of intellectuals and public life in modern China.Introduction: for the public good; 1. Reform: making China fit the world (18951915); 2. Revolution: awakening new China (191535); 3. Rejuvenation: organizing China (193656); 4. Revolutionary revival: overthrowing the lords of nation-building (195776); 5. Reviving reform: correcting revolutionary lÓ)