Pride and Loathing in History

Abstract

This research examines three

intellectual approaches in contemporary China to the question of

cultural identity by focusing on the discourse of national character,

which has been employed by cultural critics to attribute China's “lack of modernity” to the perseverance of Confucian tradition and the psychological makeup of Chinese people. Whereas critics attempt to modernize people's thoughts, even at the risk of being seen as betrayals of their own past; philosopher Chen Lai and historian Qin Hui have made different efforts to prevent Confucianism and cultural tradition from being targeted as the scapegoat of China's problems. Chen stresses historical and cultural continuity; Qin rejects what he sees as cultural determinism in the national character discourse. The national character discourse is intertwined with sentiments of pride and loathing towards history, and the intellectual tendency to correct such an attitude is characterized by emotions no less profound. All three schools of thought share a crisis mentality and a sense of historical responsibility. This research argues that Chinese intellectual assertions of the intrinsic value of cultural tradition should not simply be viewed as a manifestation of cultural nationalism, but as voices to reject a cultural metamorphosis and a rectification of self-negation and self-orientalization.