Special Article Shifting Discourses on “Ru” in Modern China: A Paradigm Shift
Beginning from discussing the separation of lixue (理學) and daoxue (道學) from rulin zhuan (儒林傳) in Chinese dynastic histories, this paper discusses the shifting discourses on “Ru” in late imperial China and attempts to reexamine existing scholarship by revealing the key factors leading to the paradigm shift of Ruism in late imperial China. Base on the term rulin (儒林), the author considers “ru” to be a social class composed of literati who influenced history through their collective self-awareness as well as their way to define zhi (知,knowledge). The crisis of Ruism of the late Ming period was due to the fact that intellectual pursuance turned to be superficial and fragmented discussions of li (理, reason) instead of substantial integration of cross-disciplinary knowledge. The new paradigm of Qing Ruism essentially benefited from the flaws of the late Ming Ruism, moving away from empty discussions of li and revitalizing the integration of knowledge across multiple disciplines and levels.
