| Though domestic Neo-KangYu-weiists have elucidated Kang’s nation thoughts based on their own research themes,so far no scholars have systematically studied and summarized Kang’s thoughts of nation from the perspective of political science,especially from the perspective of nation theory.Kang Yu-wei,who lived in a era of unprecedented change,stood at the intersection of the ancient China,the modern China,the East world and the west world,known as the "legislator of modern China",has thought a lot and written a lot on the issues about how ancient China transform to modern China and what kind of modern China should be built.From the perspective of the construction of modern China community,with the literature research method,combing with relevant theories and historical background,through the discussions and analyses of Kang’s late political works,this paper intends to build a theoretical paradigm of Kang Yu-wei’s nation theory.According to Kang’s Three-Phased-Theory,human history will evolve from the"Chaotic Era" to the "Orderly Era" and then into the "Peaceful Era".Different historical phases have corresponding political systems,and "the evolution of these three phases cannot overstep the order".In the transition from the ancient China in the Chaotic Era to the modern China in the Orderly Era,Kang’s core issues include how to integrate the domestic politics,how to enhance the national capacity,how to build a powerful modern country and fight a road to strong nation in the era of national competition surrounded by big powers.In this process,meanwhile,how to transform the traditional tributary system as the core of the "Tianxia" state into a modern nation-state?How to avoid the fate of disintegration which is common in the transformation of multi-ethnic dynastic states and bring a territorially intact China into the modern world?How to deal with the relationship between the Eastern civilization with Confucian culture as the core and the Western civilization with Christian culture as the core?In the transition from the"Orderly Era" to the "Peaceful Era",Kang Yu-wei’s concern shifted from the "nation" to the "people",and his problem consciousness changed from how to "save the country"and "make the country rich and strong" to how to "integrate the country" so that the people can "free from suffering and get happiness".Kang made a rich,systematic,mature and in-depth consideration of the above questions from the dimensions of polity,nation,civilization and cosmopolitanism.This paper tries to open Kang Yu-wei’s box of questions and find out the answers from the outside to the inside,and then tries to construct Kang Youwei’s paradigm of nation theory.This paper holds that the answer to the crisis faced by the republican polity in the early Republic of China lies not in the regime itself,but in the political entity and the historical background in which the regime is placed.The answers to the questions of how to build an independent,autonomous,and powerful modern nation with its own special cultural style should be explored not only in the depth of the nation itself at that time,but also in the depth of the diachronic history,tradition and civilization in which the nation immersed in.The transcendence of the modern country,which is composed of polity,nationality and civilization,puts its eyes on the future,constructs an ultimate goal from being to becoming for all mankind,gives new meaning to human history,and provides a new dimension of reflection on the world which is composed of nation-states and in the clashes of civilization today.Kang’s republican thought of seeking"community" and good governance,K’ang’s nation thought of preserving China and mix all ethnic groups in China together,Kang’s civilizaton thought of integrating tradition China and modern China as well as the East world and the West world with both subjectivity and cosmopolitan,Kang’s thought of transcending the limitations of nation-state and constructing a cosmopolitan government composed of individuals together constitute Kang Youwei’s nation theory paradigm.Kang Youwei’s political thinking,which characterized by gradualism and integrate tradition and modernity as well as the East and the West,will be a valuable asset to China as it explores its own development road and steps toward the center of the world stage. |
