Research On Liang Ch’i-chao’s Thoughts Of Nationalism

Nation is a human community formed in certain geographic area. There’s a close relationship among geography, nation and nationalism. The formation of the Chinese Nation in ancient times and the rise of social ideology like China-centered or Tianxianism were all closely related to specific geographical environment of China. Besides, the rise and development of modern Chinese Nationalism is inextricably linking to the awareness of the world outside of Chinese people. In 19th century, the dissemination of western geography constructed a "geographic footstep" for the Chinese, changing knowledge structure and knowledge objects as well, making it possible for the Chinese to form the Chinese Nationalism on the basis of various kinds of theories and systems. Meanwhile, the increasing opportunities of traveling in and out of China not only strengthened the links of people living in the territory of China, but also enabled them to redefine their cultural and national identities from feelings of exotic scenery, and enabled them to consider the adaptability of exotic doctrines in China and draw a blueprint for the nation-state. Since the mid-19th century, the loss of territory and sovereignty directly stimulated the rise of nationalism in China. From then on, to a great extent, Chinese nationalism was the reflection of the territory strategy of regaining the lost territory and maintaining the existing boundaries. In this process, the definition of national boundaries became an important part of the construction of nation-state. In view of this, we can’t emphasize the importance of geographical factors in modern Chinese nationalism.Liang Ch’i-chao is a central figure of Chinese nationalism at that time. The evolution of his nationalism closely related to the change of his footprints and the growth of exotic knowledge. The national consciousness from the landscape of his hometown, learning experiences and political campaigns all-over China, new knowledge gained in Japan during his exile years, and his transformation after traveling in north America, and his reflection of culture in the traveling of Europe, all of which ran through a thread of the change of location. Every change of location promoted the growth of his world knowledge, and made it possible for him to correct his thoughts of nationalism on the basis of world-wild knowledge. Through his lifetime, he focused on the pattern of the world, absorbed all kinds of exotic theories and systems, compared these theories and systems, chose suitable programs for the development of China and constructed a "hope space" for the nation.Liang Ch’i-chao’s Nationalism was born on the background of the territorial crisis in the end of 19th century, which directly led the attention to territory an important part of his nationalism. Whether the failure in Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 and the cession of Taiwan, or the Jiaozhou Incident, or the Sino-British negotiations on Tibet issue, or Paris Peace Conference and Washington Conference, all these incidents relating to the territorial and sovereignty of China played an important role in his view of foreign relations and the ideal range of Chinese territory. To a great extent, the debate on nationalism between Liang and revolutionaries came from the different attitudes on the territorial scope and territorial strategies of the new political community. His attitudes on the frontiers of China, such as Taiwan, Tibet, Manchuria and Mongolia, and his opinions about how to regain the lost territory and maintain the existing boundaries became an important part of his nationalism. All of these ideas could be useful for the integration of Minorities frontiers and the solution of territorial disputes between nation-states.