The Re-Discovery of the <i>Bulletin of Chinese Studies</i> and the Development of Traditional Chinese Studies at Christian Universities in Huaxiba

Abstract

During the Second World War, the integration of science and humanities, as well as the integration of Guoxue (Traditional Chinese Studies) and Western learning, became a central issue in academia in China. With the support of the Harvard–Yenching Institute, Christian universities such as Cheeloo University, Ginling College, Nanking University, West China Union University, and Yenching University, which had gathered in Huaxiba in Chengdu during the war, were committed to bridging the gap between science and Guoxue. They founded the “East-West Cultural Studies Society” with the aim of attracting scholars from both domestic and international backgrounds, facilitating dialogue and the convergence of Chinese and Western academic traditions. Pioneering a novel approach that infused traditional Guoxue with scientific inquiry, they established the Bulletin of Chinese Studies, which swiftly rose to a distinguished position within Guoxue research amid the tumultuous wartime milieu. This article endeavors to, within the diverse context of the modern evolution of the origins of and changes in Guoxue research, undertake a comprehensive examination of the objectives and scope of the Bulletin of Chinese Studies through a nuanced perspective that fuses globalization and localization. The overarching goal is to delve into the profound significance of Guoxue research within Christian universities, with a central focus on propelling substantial progress in the potential fusion of Chinese and Western academic disciplines.

Keywords

• Christian universities
• <i>Bulletin of Chinese Studies</i>
• Huaxiba
• Guoxue