English Writings of Hu Shih

Hu Shih (1891-1962),. In the 1910s, Hu studied at Cornell University and later Columbia University, both in the United States. At Columbia, he was greatly influenced by his professor, John Dewey, and became a lifelong advocate of pragmatic evolutionary change. He received his Ph.D. in Philosophy in 1917 and returned to lecture at Peking University. Hu soon became one of the leading and most influential intellectuals during the May Fourth Movement and later the New Culture Movement. His most widely recognized achievement during this period was as a key contributor to Chinese liberalism and language reform in his advocacy for the use of written vernacular Chinese. Hu Shih was the Republic of Chinäs Ambassador to the United States of America (1938-1942) and later Chancellor of Peking University (1946-1948). In 1939 Hu Shih was nominated for a Nobel Prize in literature and in 1958 became president of the -Academia Sinicä in Taiwan, where he remained until his death in Nangang at the age of 71. This diverse collection brings together his English essays, speeches and academic papers, as well as book reviews, all written between 1919 and 1962. English Writings of Hu Shih represents his thinking and insights on such topics as scientific methodology, liberalism and democracy, and social problems. It can also serve as a helpful resource for those who study Hu Shih and his views on ancient and modern China. The first volume -Chinese Philosophy and Intellectual History- allows readers to trace the development of Chinese thought and see the historical methodology applied therein. The second volume -Literature and Society- mainly includes Hu Shih-s works on language reform, which owing to his advocacy for the use of written vernacular Chinese were a success in both the educational and literary fields. The third volume -National Crisis and Public Diplomacy- mainly collects Hüs articles and speeches from his term as Ambassador of China to the U.S.A. between1938 and 1942

Hu Shih (1891-1962), Chinese philosopher, historian and diplomat, is widely recognized as a key contributor to Chinese language reform, intellectual researches and public diplomacy. This collection of diverse content brings together his English essays, speeches, academic papers as well as book reviews from 1919 to 1962.English Writings of Hu Shih represents Hu Shih's thinking and insights on such topics of scientific methodology, liberalism and democracy, and social problems. It could also serve as a helpful resource for those who study Hu Shih and the ancient and modern China in his view.

Part 1.- Literature.- A Literary Revolution in China.- The Literary Revolution in China.- The Social Message in Chinese Poetry.- A Chinese Declaration of the Rights of Women.- The Greatest Event in Life, A Farce in One Act.-  The Literary Renaissance.- Introduction to Monkey.- The Chinese Novel.- Part 2 Society.- Marriage Customs in China.- Introduction to The Story of the Chinese Eastern Railway.- Which Road Are We Going?.- Essay in Living Philosophies.- Woman's Place in Chinese History.- The Tz'u-T'ung: A New Dictionary of Classical Polysyllabic Words and Phrases.- An Optimist in the Sea of Pessimism.- An Optimist Looks at China.- Essay in I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of Certain Eminent Men and Women of Our Time.- Intellectual Preparedness.- The Place of the Alumni Organization in the History of Universities.- A Historian Looks at Chinese Painting.- The Chinese Art Society.- "Foreword" to How to Cook and Eat in Chinese.- Chang Poling: A Biographical Tribute.- Ten-Year Plan for China's Academic Independence.- My Early Association with the Gest Oriental Library.- The Gest Oriental Library at Princeton University.- Rabindranath Tagore in China.