On Xu Fuguan and Yin Haiguang: A study of intellectuals and ideologies in modern Taiwan, 1949-1969

Both Xu Fuguan and Yin Haiguang had made significant contributions to promoting the thoughts of democracy and liberty in the modern history of Taiwan, although they held conflicting ideas on numerous cultural issues. This study attempts to resolve how Xu and Yin made conscious responses to the popular ideologies of their day.; In addition to an introduction and a conclusion, there are five chapters in the main body of this dissertation. The second chapter is an analysis of personal factors. I dissect the complex relationship between Xu and Yin, which included friendship as well as hostility, by examining their fellow feeling, personalities, political attitudes and involvement in factious struggles.; The focus in the third chapter is the political and intellectual atmosphere of modern Taiwan. Since their arrival on the island, the KMT government had adopted the ruling strategy of Bolshevism. While preserving the leeway to express disapproval, it caused digression among opposition intellectuals. In the appendix of Chapter Three, I discuss in detail the analytical ideas suggested by Lin Yusheng in his book The Crisis of Chinese Consciousness and reconstruct the concept of "totalistic antitraditionalism".; In the next three chapters, I make a comparison of the intellectual characteristics of Xu and Yin. The stage of Chapter Four is set in the 1950's. I show how Xu and Yin were caught in a paradox: while trying to detach themselves from the conflicting ideologies, they engaged in ideological struggles when they participated in party activities. Yin at last walked onto the path of "totalistic antitraditionalism" while Xu was mixed up in ideological struggles after his unsuccessful attempt to stay away from ideologies.; Focusing on criticisms of Hu Shi, I begin Chapter Five with observations on his intellectual activities and status during his latter years. Unsatisfied with the intellectual stagnation and position of the old Hu, both Xu and Yin made criticisms of Hu hoping that they could thus transcend Hu and establish their intellectual status. This reveals the state of their mind in opposing authority while promoting their own authority. I then compare the academic achievements, thoughts and political conduct of Hu, Xu and Yin, and point out the qualities of Yin that secured him as the intellectual leader of Taiwan.; The sixth chapter concentrates on events in the 1960's. With the "Controversy of Chinese and Western Culture", I introduce how intellectuals in that period fought on the ideological battleground through "cultural discussion". I illustrate the associations of Xu with the Controversy, his views on tradition and modernization and his criticism of nihilism and colonalism. Lastly, I explain the responses of Yin to the Controversy through an analysis of Reappraisal of Cultural Change in Modern China, and bring out the limitations in the evolution of his thought during the latter part of his life: while he gave up his support to "totalistic antitraditionalism", most of his other ways of thinking remained intact. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)...