IHSS Clusters

Stylish of Civilization Studies: China and the World

Early China and the Origin of Chinese Civilization

The question, what is China, matters to the problem of identity crisis in the globalized era. Finding Chinese civilization’s foundation and formation are the fundamental and central questions to humanities and social science studies that focus on core theoretical questions of Chinese history and thoughts. Understanding the origin of Chinese civilization is one important approach to these questions. To understand and verify the early China model from Prehistoric Era to Pre-Qin period, a mixed research approach from History, Archeology, Paleography, Philology, Geography, Anthropology, and Ethnology is necessary. In addition, aids from Chinese Classical Studies, Philosophy, Mythology, Intellectual History and Art History would be crucial for comprehensive explanations and theoretical exploration. 

Ethnicity, Nation and State-building in Medieval and Early Modern China

From Medieval period to Early Modern Age, Chinese history has transformed into a multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-culture structure along with its unique policy and social order. To understand the complex transformation of the diverse but integral civilization over time, it is necessary to take Political History as core while incorporate knowledge from Ethnology, Anthropology, Religious Studies, Philology, Sociology as well as Literature, Art History and History of Transport. With a comprehensive view gained from mixed subjects, scholars are able to inspire thorough academic understandings and generate innovative findings.

Modern China in Social Transformation and Cultural Reconstruction

Chinese society is in constant transformation. Beginning in late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China period, social transformation in China often came with policy impediments, social disorder and culture crisis in the process of integrating into world history. At the same time, efforts to restore, innovate and reconstruct have never stopped. To understand the Chinese civilization’s modern structural transformation and mechanism, and the efforts towards ritual reformation and ideologies reconstruction, scholars need to take interdisciplinary and multi-faceted approaches. The aim is to promote interactions between humanities and social science, as well as provide a comprehensive understanding of the revival of Chinese civilization from academic viewpoints.   

Chinese and Western Academia: Philosophy, History and Social Sciences

The spread of western thought in China and today’s globalization have created a new ground for the development Chinese civilization. It can be proved by the communication between China and the West in Ming and Qing Dynasty, the introduction and translation of essential ideas about a new society from Late Qing period, and the spread of Marxism as well as its foundation in China. A broad vision of research and the awareness of essential problems can be formed with full support from multidisciplinary approach when tracing back the encounter between China and the West in history in multiple dimensions across thoughts and history, ideas and experience, as well as when deeply reviewing how western civilizations grew in Ancient and Middle Age, how western political transformations took place in Modern Age, and how western society develops nowadays.

Comparative Studies of Multiple Civilizations and their Interaction

Chinese civilization emerged and took root in the interaction between diverse civilizations. Scholars need to make a breakthrough in research method and highlight the underlying topic “Between Civilizations” in the history of civilization and the real world. It is crucial in the research areas taking across from prehistoric era to Axial Age when major ancient civilizations parallel was happening, and to the prosperous Medieval period when communication between different civilizations was prevailing. It is still necessary even in today’s world where globalization has facilitated the increasing interconnection between civilizations. Multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research approach can help scholars to grasp the complex process of how different civilizations interact over time and explore the potential ways for multi-civilization prosperity.

Science and Technology, Arts and Humanities

Science, technology and arts give important perspectives on combination of material and spiritual world, as well as convergence of humanities and society in human civilization. Through the exploration of Science History and Art History, scholars can push back the frontiers of natural sciences and humanities and social sciences, present the history and the civilized foundation of technology and art, and reveal the potential effects of the development of science and arts to human history in the future.