Is Ji Xianlin a Master of Chinese Studies?

Mr Ji Xianlin is certainly a master of Chinese studies. The late famous scholar Mr. Tang once commented on Ji Xianlin:

"Except for Mr. Ji Xianlin, there has not been a real master of Chinese studies in China since the middle of the 20th century".

What exactly is Chinese studies? Since the May 4th New Culture Movement, the thought of Chinese studies has generally gone through the process of official study, Chinese studies, criticism and return, and many Chinese studies masters have emerged in different periods, such as Liang Qichao, Huang Zunxian, Deng Shi and Zhang Taiyan. There are also Mr. Hu Shi, Mr. Gu Jiegang and Mr. Qian Mu, the famous masters of Chinese studies during the cultural craze in the 1980s. There are also academic masters, such as Tsung i Jao, Tang and Qian Mu.

So what exactly is Chinese studies? I think we should give three explanations: narrow sense, middle sense and broad sense. Chinese studies in a narrow sense are traditional China studies; Zhong Yi's sinology is a China scholarship developed on the basis of traditional China scholarship; China studies in a broad sense should include all the studies created by China, whether based on China tradition or other countries. Three kinds of Chinese studies can be interpreted in the broadest sense: Chinese studies are China's academic creation.

In a narrow sense, Sinology is the traditional China scholarship, including China scholarship from ancient times to modern times, including all categories that can be called academic or more popular, including humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism and traditional literature and art in humanities and social sciences are often considered as the representative contents of traditional Chinese studies.

Sinology in Zhong Yi is a China scholarship developed on the basis of traditional China scholarship. For example, China's General History, China's Philosophy History, China's Thought History, Chinese Aesthetics History, China's Painting History, China's Calligraphy History and China's Music History are all systematic new China academics compiled on the basis of China's academics and inspired by modern western academics.

From individual cases, such as Liang Shuming's Neo-Confucianism and Lin's "Post-Neo-Confucianism", Lin's "Post-Neo-Confucianism" absorbed modernism and even post-modernism factors such as phenomenology and existentialism. Another example is new poetics, which includes the new metrical style of vernacular poetry and the echoing unit style of Guo Xiaochuan's quasi-fu.

Theoretically, the "synaesthesia" proposed by Qian Zhongshu is a new refinement of traditional poetics inspired by modern psychology. Another example is the ink painting from Qi Baishi to Wu Guanzhong, Peking Opera with modern symphony music, Jin Yongxin martial arts novels, modern Chinese architecture, garden art and so on. Oracle Bone Inscriptions, for example, has existed in Oracle Bone Inscriptions since ancient times, but it took thousands of years for Oracle Bone Inscriptions to rise in modern times. The similarities and differences of these studies are based on China's traditional knowledge, and they are forming a mighty torrent.

Chinese studies in a broad sense should be all China's academic creations, not necessarily based on China's traditional academic achievements. China academic should have a more magnificent atmosphere. All human knowledge, as long as China people can walk in the forefront and make new creations, should be regarded as Chinese studies in a broad sense.

On the basis of other masters' understanding of Chinese studies, Ji Xianlin expanded his vision of Chinese studies and further pointed out:

"The cultures of various regions in China and the cultures of 56 ethnic groups should be included in the scope of China studies ... Dunhuang studies have also been included in Chinese studies ... and foreign cultures that were later integrated into China culture also belong to the scope of Chinese studies."

Ji Xianlin's definition of "Great Chinese Studies" is also called "Great Chinese Studies". The so-called "big" refers to the scope covered by Chinese studies, which means big and comprehensive. It is not limited to the culture of a certain region or nation of the Chinese nation, but the culture jointly created by 56 ethnic groups. It is the same culture with nationality and integrity.

The Core Content of Ji Xianlin's Thought of Chinese Studies Ji Xianlin's Thought of Chinese Studies has three core contents. First of all, holism is embodied in his inductive and comprehensive thinking mode and decentralized multicultural view on the content research of Chinese studies.

Sinology research can't just see the trees but not the forest. To learn Chinese studies, we must fully understand all aspects of Chinese studies. Ji Xianlin believes that Sinology is different from that studied by westerners, and the minority cultures and regional cultures that have had an important influence in the history of China should also be included in the study of Sinology. In his attitude towards the cultural relations between the East and the West, Ji Xianlin opposed cultural monism and dogmatism, insisted on cultural pluralism and emphasized the mutual learning and absorption of different cultures.

Second, the concept of harmony. In Ji Xianlin's view, "harmony" is the core of China's traditional culture, which includes three levels: the unity of man and nature, the unity of all people and the unity of individuals. Each of these three levels contains very rich connotations and wisdom. However, whether it is the unity of heaven and man, the unity of all people or the unity of individuals, it is not static and appears out of thin air, but is constantly absorbing and learning from other excellent cultural changes. For example, Buddhism mainly emphasizes personal cultivation and advocates personal unity, how to make people physically and mentally harmonious; Tibetan culture attaches great importance to the unity of man and nature, how to make man and nature harmonious; Confucianism emphasizes education, and stresses "benevolence", "forbearance" and "don't do to others what you don't want others to do to you" according to the needs of being a man, and how to make people harmonious and so on. This is the core of China's philosophical ontology.

Third, the four essentials of life are "patriotism, filial piety and respect for teachers and friends". "Patriotism" is the core of Chinese national spirit and a unique portrayal of Ji Xianlin's vicissitudes in the past century. No matter in his youth, ten years in Germany, years in the bullpen, or years of teaching at Peking University, Ji Xianlin profoundly interpreted and practiced this idea with his own actions.

For example, when Mr. Wang was young, he wrote a poem "Taishan Fu" praising the great rivers and mountains of the motherland, which reflected deep patriotic feelings. In particular, I decided to study in Germany for ten years to save the world. I chose Tuholovan and Pali. During the period, I wrote a touching chapter of deeply remembering my mother. The article puts my deep thoughts on my mother and my biological mother in the same important position, which reflects my feelings of home and country as a wanderer in a foreign land.

Filial piety is the traditional virtue of the Chinese nation, and it is also one of the cores of Ji Xianlin's thoughts on Chinese studies, which is reflected in Ji Xianlin's filial piety to his mother, uncle and aunt. "Respect teachers and value friends", China culture emphasizes that "three people must have my teacher", "respect teachers and value morality" and "good teachers and friends", and Ji Xianlin believes that we should respect elders and be kind to younger generations.

Ji Xianlin's life motto of "patriotism, filial piety, respecting teachers and valuing friends" embodies the important content of socialist core values. Understanding Ji Xianlin's life wisdom can enhance the humanistic quality of the public, broaden the humanistic vision and cultivate humanistic care in a subtle way.

In addition, Ji Xianlin once emphasized that the formation and development of culture is a process of "input-output" two-way communication. The integration of other nationalities represented by Dunhuang studies into the foreign culture of the Chinese nation also belongs to the category of great Chinese studies, which embodies the openness and inclusiveness of Chinese studies.

Ji Xianlin's Contribution to Chinese Studies Ji Xianlin made three unique contributions to Chinese studies. First of all, he has a unique understanding of traditional Chinese studies. Although he didn't make a systematic study of Chinese studies in the Central Plains, he had a deep grasp of the importance of Chinese studies because of his influence from childhood and his obsessive attention. Only in this way can we lead to propositions such as "harmony between man and nature" and "comprehensive thinking".

Secondly, in the field of Chinese studies in Greater China, Ji Xianlin has made achievements that others can't reach. In the past, it was generally understood that Chinese studies were Confucian studies in the Central Plains, but Mr. Ji's achievements are in Xinjiang today. It is a long-forgotten tribe, located on the main road of east-west traffic, which is of great significance to greater China, the exchange between China and the West, and even the formation of the Chinese nation and the world.

Some people have verified that Tuholo people are the source of Indo-Europeans who later migrated to India and Europe, while others have verified that Huangdi people near Central Asia may also be Indo-Europeans who originated from Tuholo people. Dongyi and Yan Di are indigenous peoples in the Central Plains. Therefore, Dong Bang Luo's study of China is of great significance, because without the Huangdi clan, there would be no complete Yan Huang and China. This is obviously an indispensable great national study.

Thirdly, Mr. Ji's unique comparative vision of eastern and western cultures enables him to observe today's inheritance and development on the basis of traditional Chinese studies. This may be the secular goal of studying traditional Chinese studies, and it can also be classified into the category of new Chinese studies.

Interestingly, Mr. Ji Xianlin himself resigned from the three titles of master of Chinese studies, academic leader and national treasure. In my opinion, the duty of a scholar is to encode his thoughts word by word. Whether he has thoughts or not and how important his thoughts are have nothing to do with a temporary empty title. Masters, masters and national treasures are all burdens that cannot be considered. A scholar, even if he is free, will feel uncomfortable.

Being a master is uncomfortable, hollow and hard to measure. It is inevitable for a simple and modest man like Mr. Ji to resign. However, Mr. Ji's resignation does not affect his extremely fruitful achievements. It is rare that he has several "homes".

He is a very original linguist. He is not only familiar with several western languages, but also knows Sanskrit, which is understood by only a few people, and even knows the local fire that is understood by only a dozen people in the world today. He deciphered the historical unsolved cases of Tuhuoluowen, as well as translated masterpieces such as Ramayana. He is also an unusual historian, orientalist and culturist. Mr. Ji has made in-depth research on the history of Central Asia, the relationship between China and Central Asia, and the relationship between India and the West. His sugar history is meticulous. His academic background made it possible for him to "unify" the East into a kind of "learning". He not only founded the Oriental Department of Peking University, but also put forward a series of ideas about the cultural relationship between the East and the West. ...

For Mr. Ji, the title is really not very important. This is mainly a matter for future generations and can be left to history to elude. He has done so many things that others can't. He has deep China complex and oriental complex. He makes people feel endless. He has become a symbol. He makes people think that there is nothing wrong with being a good person. That's enough.