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A Study On Wang Honghan’s Converging Of Chinese And Western Culture

Posted on:2014-11-16Degree:DoctorType:Dissertation
Country:ChinaCandidate:Z H MaFull Text:PDF
GTID:1265330425959151Subject:History of Ancient China
Abstract/Summary:PDF Full Text Request
Wang Honghan lived in a period of early Qing Dynasty when Chinese and western culture collided and mingled with each other. He made a combination between Chinese and western culture in various areas such as medical science, astronomy, geography and ideology. With as many as eighteen works, he could be regarded as a fruitful expert, especially in the blending between Chinese and western medical science, with the reputation of the first Chinese doctor accepting western medical science. His works were seldom printed, and manuscript and transcript of some works did not spread widely, which resulted in the fact that studies on him were confined to the perspective of medical history; therefore, it is difficult to make a thorough research on him. On the basis of historical data, including his handed-down works Yi Xue Yuan Shi, Gu Jin Yi Shi, Xing Yuan Guang Si, Si Zhen Mai Jian Da Quan, especially the unique copy of manuscipt Qian Kun Ge Jing, this paper makes an exploration in the following three areas:First, from the perspective of narrative history, the author intends to uncover a real historical Wang Honghan, focusing on research on his lifetime, belief, social intercourse, relatives, works, knowledge, and medical skills. It is believed by the author that he was born in1648, the fifth year during Shunzhi’s reign, but when he died is till unknown yet. Wang Honghan was not a catholic. His belief was a blending of traditional Confucian thoughts and the worship of Tian originated in remote ages. In addition, by means of the philosophy "studying natural phenomena in order to acquire knowledge", Wang connected the Chinese concept of Tian with Deus in Catholicism. He made friends mainly with Confucian scholars, and also with Catholics, getting knowledge from both types. His family kept a close relationship with Xu Guangqi’s. His grandfather hold the study of Tian in esteem. Wang Honghan was also a friend of Xu Zuanzeng, a grandson of Xu Guangqi. The four sons of Wang’s all believed in Christianity. Originally, Wang studied Confucian thoughts, and had expertise in medical science, both subjects were heritage of his family, and that was why he called himself a Confucian physician. His western learning was largely from his study of the works of missionaries. All these textual researches serve as a foundation for the analysis of his mingling Chinese and western thoughts. Second, from the perspective of analytical history, the author singles out Wang’s awareness and cognition that were different from mainstream of his times. The first field is medical science. After analyzing the main content of the blending of Chinese&western medical science and thoughts demonstrated in the four books Yi Xue Yuan Shi, Gu Jin Yi Shi, Xing Yuan Guang Si, Si Zhen Mai Jian Da Quan, it can be seen that they were focused on the theory of primodial spirit and nature, quaternary, four liquids, the idea that a human body was a miniature of the world, the science of embryo, new knowledge of heart and brain in anatomy. The width and depth of such blending is estimated; creation and achievements in it are pointed out, especially those in embryo, instinct and reproduction. Besides, problems and causes in the blending are also analyzed, so that people can have a more specific knowledge and evaluation of Wang’s title as the first Chinese doctor accepting western medical science and that the obstacles faced by cross-cultural scholars because of times can be interpreted. The second field includes astrology, geography and so on. On the basis of the historical data in Qian Kun Ge Jing, the author firstly analyzed Wang Honghan’s absorption of western astonomy and the impact of this new knowledge on his cosmology, which was reflected in his knowledge of theory of sphere-heavens and twelve-fold heaven, and also in his understanding of the origin and future of cosmos, and the mechanism of nature created and manipulated by Tian. It is safe to say it was the blending in astrology field that aroused Wang’s suspicion of the Chinese philosophy of studying natural phenomena in order to acquire knowledge. He thought that western approach could better clarify the reasons of the changes of earth and cosmos. Thus, a conversation was made between Chinese and western culture, with the cross-cultural concept of Tian as a medium. Moreover, this paper makes an analysis on Wang’s absorption and blending of geographical knowledge that was spread to China in Ming and Qing Dynasty, the origin of the literature he collected and recorded, such as Zhi Fang Wai Ji and Kun Yu Tu Shuo, and his methods of collecting and recording literature. A textual research is made on the source of the three world maps included in the books, especially their sources and characteristics that were different from other world maps. New knowledge of world geography brought in by missionaries made Wang realize the backwardness and disadvantages of Chinese philosophy of studying natural phenomena in order to acquire knowledge, and also drove him to blend Chinese and western culture and to carry forward Confucian thoughts by means of external force. What’s more, the paper also analyses his understanding of various natural phenomena, which was based on natural philosophy of ancient Greek brought in by missionaries, and this to some extent uncovered the mysterious veil covering natural anomalies, and generated inside Wang the respect of the holiness of Tian.Third, from the perspective of idea history, the paper probes Wang’s belief, interests and tenet of mingling Chinese and western culture, unveils the ideas of an intellectual who aims to carry forward Confucian thoughts and medical science via the approach of studying natural phenomena in order to acquire knowledge and who carried out conversation with western knowledge, and makes an appropriate comment on his thoughts and actions. Wang Honghan blended Chinese and western culture on the basis of Confucianism; he had the ambition of correcting wrong ideas of his time, enlightening knowledge, saving Confucianism from its declination. With the idea of same fundamental Law between christianity and confucianism, he was excited by western learning and new knowledge, and explored ways of blending. Although no paradigm breakthrough was made, his rich works and positive attitude should be praised.In conclusion, this paper, by means of case study, provides a fresh case for the research on commoners’coping of heterogeneous culture in the cross-cultrual conversation during Ming and Qing Dynasty, so as to improve the reliability of macro research results that try to generalize some regularities in this area. Wang Honghan’s blending of Chinese and western culture was made from the standing point of a Confucian physician. Apart from religious belief, he made cross cultural conversation of multi-domains. On the basis of the common concept of Tian in Chinese and western culture, he grasped large amounts of western knowledge, and in accordance with the methodology of studying natural phenomena in order to acquire knowledge, he pursued his ideals, that is, carry forward Confucianism and medical science.
Keywords/Search Tags:Wang Honghan, Confucianism, western learning, blending, studying naturalphenomena in order to acquire knowledge
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