Liu Siwen： An Important Sample for Regional School to Grasp the Academic Changes of Different Cultural Units
The author is the head of the national social science fund youth project "Textual Research on Cheng Jue from the Perspective of Regional School" and an associate professor at the College of Literature of Guizhou Normal University.
Regional academic culture is a concrete manifestation of national culture in time and space, and it is also a catalyst for regional social development and an important focus for improving the level of regional humanities construction. Attaching importance to and clarifying the regional academic and cultural heritage will enrich our overall understanding of Chinese excellent traditional culture and promote the inheritance and protection of cultural diversity.
The Geographical Characteristics of China Culture
The emergence of regional scholarship is closely related to the natural and humanistic environment in its region. "There is no national common culture at any time", "China culture is regional, so we can’t help but talk about China culture in general". Historically, most schools with regional academic and cultural significance have an important relationship with the social and cultural environment in their region. From Jixia School in Warring States to Jingzhou School in Three Kingdoms and Shandong School in Southern and Northern Dynasties; From Lian, Luo, Guan, Min and Huxiang in Song Dynasty, Zhejiang East School to Tongcheng, Changzhou and Yangzhou School in Ming and Qing Dynasties, each regional academic reflects its unique geopolitical culture. For example, after the Song Dynasty moved south, the cultural center of China shifted with the social and economic development. In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, although the imperial court lived in Neo-Confucianism, scholars emphasized simplicity. Located in the southeast of Zhejiang, as an important shipbuilding center and trade export, frequent commercial activities and cultural exchanges created a cultural center in China in Ming and Qing Dynasties. Since the Ming Dynasty, a regional culture with the characteristics of seeking truth from facts and putting practical things into practice has gradually formed, and a number of regional schools, such as Jinhua School, Yongjia School and Rui ‘an School, have been bred and emerged.
Influenced by the regional academic culture, the regional school in Zhejiang in Ming and Qing Dynasties showed the simplicity of being rigorous and prudent, seeking truth from facts, and at the same time, it had the characteristics of applying the classics and combining Chinese and Western, maintaining the harmonious unity of morality and achievements. Among them, seeking truth from facts is the core of their research, which is mainly manifested in that scholars represented by Huang Zongxi, Qiu Zhaoao, Quan Zuwang, Fang Chengjue, Sun Yiyan, Sun Yirang, etc., based on the origin of facts, started with textual exegesis to test the classics, breaking the limitations and obeying them; Advocate abandoning empty talk and speaking with evidence; Advocating valuable academic criticism and opposing unrealistic judgments, etc., are more or less conscious of reconciling the style of study of the times. In the face of the theme of the times, scholars such as Chen Fuchen, Chen Qiu and Song Shu, representatives of the later school, broke through the barrier of textual research in Ganjia and actively accepted and learned western theories and culture, which is a valuable aspect of the school’s scholarship. At that time, when there were many schools of thought, Zhejiang regional school could develop steadily, and was not too paranoid and could be accepted by other schools, which was also the reason.
Regional scholarship is a cultural heritage.
When investigating the phenomenon of regional school, academic historians often emphasize the influence of regional natural and humanistic environment and associate the style of study with regional culture. For example, in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, historian Huang Zongxi’s Ming Confucianism Case divided Ming Confucianism into Hedong School, Sanyuan School and Taizhou School. Modern scholars such as Zhang Taiyan, Liang Qichao and Liu Shipei directly introduced regional factors into academic history, and thought that "the dominance of the environment at that time and place was incredible". It is true that the regional school is not completely limited to geographical space, but also needs to consider the common characteristics such as the theme of the theory, the method of studying, and the influence of achievements. For example, the representatives of the East Zhejiang School in the Song and Ming Dynasties and the Ruian School in the Qing Dynasty are not all scholars born in East Zhejiang or Ruian, but scholars active in the region. For example, the Ruian School learned from Fang Chengjue’s pioneering textual research in Ruian to Sun Yirang, and Huang Shaoji’s carrying forward textual research. From Chen Xuechen’s application of classics to Chen Qiu’s and Song Shu’s integration of Chinese and Western learning, they all took Ruian as the center of academic activities, forming a regional academic and cultural community with similar academic aims, academic ideas and methods.
In the tangible geographical scope, regional scholars are interwoven with contemporary scholars to form an invisible regional academic network because of their family origins, in-laws and exchanges between teachers and friends. Tracing back to many regional schools in history, we can find the invisible academic relationship between scholars. "After Confucius and Mohism, Confucianism is divided into eight, and Mohism is divided into three. On the contrary, the choices are different, and they all call themselves true Confucius and Mohism." ("Han Feizi Xianxue") For example, the Zhejiang regional school since the end of the Ming Dynasty is good at textual research, but it is not ignorant of the past. They inherited the traditions of Xue Jixuan, Chen Fuliang, Ye Shi, Huang Zongxi, Huang Baijia and Quan Zuwang of Yongjia School in the Southern Song Dynasty, and advocated the application of classics. Sun Xidan, a representative of the school, spent his whole life researching the theory of "Three Rites" and completed a million-word Collection of Rites. Sun Xidan’s emphasis on The Book of Rites is not a pure interest in studying ancient times, but a practical need to apply the classics. Sun Yiyan also praised Yongjia’s learning of meritorious deeds. Sun Yirang inherited his father’s ambition and carried forward Yongjia’s tradition of being practical. His representative works "Justice of Rites of Zhou Dynasty" and "Mourning between Mozi" all have a strong meaning of managing the world and helping the people. These achievements are important regional cultural heritage.
Regional studies should attach importance to regional schools.
Regional school is a higher level of regional culture, which indicates the height of cultural and spiritual life accumulation in this area. The formation, development, peak and disappearance of the regional school, which is a living fossil of regional academic and cultural development, shows the general situation of regional cultural development in a certain period in the social identity of family education, marriage clan and mentoring inheritance. By analyzing the derivation, inheritance and development of Jixia, Jingzhou, Shandong and Lian, Luo, Guan, Fujian and Huxiang, East Zhejiang, Tongcheng, Yangzhou and Changzhou, we can clearly understand the track of regional cultural development.
Viewing China’s academic and cultural history from the perspective of regional school may help us more accurately grasp the uniqueness of academic changes in different cultural units and the diversity of cultural creation, and then deeply understand "the unique characteristics of each academic school and scholarship in China". For example, Rui ‘an County, which is located in the east of Zhejiang Province, has become a great scholar since the Song Dynasty. During the reign of Emperor You in the Northern Song Dynasty, Ryan Lin Jiefu founded Tang ‘ao Bookstore, specializing in the Spring and Autumn Annals, taught students and created Yongjia School in the Southern Song Dynasty, and was honored as the "Master of the World". Together with Wang Kaizu and Ding Changqi, he was called "Mr. Wenzhou Emperor You San". After the Southern Song Dynasty, more than ten scholars, including Zheng Boxiong, Zheng Boqian, Xue Jixuan, Xue Shuxiang, Wang Nan, Dai Xi, Pingyang Wangzizhong, Yueqing Qian Wen Zi, Ryan Chen Fuliang, Ye Shi, Cai Youxue, Cao Shuyuan and Cao Qian, continued to carry forward Yongjia’s learning of accomplishments. Since the Qing Dynasty, Ruian’s academic development has flourished, with the emergence of Ruian School represented by Sun Xidan, Fang Chengxuan, Sun Yiyan, Sun Qiangming, Sun Yirang, Chen Fuchen, Huang Shaoji, Chen Huai, Song Shu, etc. They inherited and promoted the study of Yongjia represented by Ye Shi and the study of East Zhejiang represented by Chen Liang, Lv Zuqian and Zhang Xuecheng. The appearance of these regional scholars and the emergence of regional specialized academics clearly show the context of academic and cultural development in eastern Zhejiang since the Song Dynasty.
Regional development must give full play to the advantages of scholars
The development of regional economy and society affects the development and growth of regional schools. Mr. Zhang Shunhui’s "The History of Yangzhou in Qing Dynasty" holds that Yangzhou in Qing Dynasty has a superior geographical position, developed transportation and prosperous business, which are reflected in the ideological circle. Wang Zhong, Jiao Xun, Ruan Yuan and other regional scholars discussed and learned from each other, and the academic research atmosphere began. "It is no accident that Yangzhou School was able to flourish for a time.". For example, the school of Confucian classics formed in Jingzhou area of the Three Kingdoms, and the school of Confucian classics formed in Ningshao, Taiwen and Jinliqu areas in Song and Ming Dynasties, their development and growth also benefited from the development of regional economy and society. At the same time, the culture of regional school reacts on regional development. For example, the formation and development of "Wenzhou model" is closely related to its regional school culture. Also because of the geographical relationship, most scholars who grew up here attach importance to the construction of regional politics, economy and culture. For example, Qiu Zhaoao, Sun Xidan, Sun Qiangming, Sun Yiyan, Huang Fangfang, Huang Shaoji, Huang Shaodi, Chen Fuchen and other regional scholars since the Ming and Qing Dynasties have successively entered the imperial examinations, actively participated in political affairs, and made suggestions for rejuvenating the country and securing the country.
Regional academic culture is an organic part of China culture, which has the general characteristics of Chinese culture and unique geographical connotation. When the academic development of a generation is mature, it is necessary to sort out and summarize the academic development trend, the relationship between scholars, the family portal of in-laws and the thoughts, methods and achievements of academic research. It is feasible and effective to investigate regional academic culture from a geographical perspective. Academic cultures in different regions jointly construct the highland of academic discourse in China, and then influence the trend of academic culture in an era.
Influenced by the natural and humanistic environment of the region, the same region in different times or different regions in the same era has produced a regional school with a common theoretical theme and distinct academic viewpoints and methods. Sorting out, researching, analyzing and summarizing the development of regional schools will help to tap the value and connotation of regional culture, deepen the understanding of the genetic importance of Chinese excellent traditional culture, enhance cultural consciousness and self-confidence, and stimulate the vitality and vitality of Chinese traditional culture.
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