User:Yc19990311/Hu Shih

Hu Shih(Pin Yin: Hu shi, Simplified Chinese: 胡适), also can call Hu Suh, a famous thinker, writer, philosopher in Chinese history. Hu Shih is considered as one of the key leader of Chinese language reform the vernacular style of writing article. And also the 1911 Revolution and the movement of the modern culture in China early years. He was deeply influence by the May Fouth Movement which is famous in China history. The most famous of him is he the leads the New Cutural Movement in 1915. Most of his literature activity is among literature, philosophy, history, textual research, pedagogy, radiology.

Hu Shih with Zhang Shizhao
Hu shi and Zhang Shizhao has only a ten years age differences but they are seems like two different generations. They are enemies but at the same time they are friends. Hu She was the leader of the vernacular style of writing and Zhang Shezhao was one of the capital of the classical style of writing.

In October 1919, after visiting the tomb of Wu Luzhen, Hu Shi said with emotion: “In the last ten years, only deceased personalities like Song Jiaoren, Cai E, and Wu Luzhen have been able to maintain their great reputation. The true features of living personalities are soon detected. This is because the times change too quickly. If a living personality does not try his utmost, he falls behind and soon becomes ‘against the times’”

Zhang as the biggest 'enemy' to the vernacular style, when Hu Shih was saying that, he must keep Zhang in mind. According to Liang Souming, Lin Shu and Zhang Shizhao were two most significant people against vernacular style of writing in the history. But with Hu Shih and Zhang Shizhao, the age difference made when Zhang was making action in Shang Hai, Hu was only a middle school student at the same time.

Hu shih with John Dewey
John Dewey October 20, 1859 – June 1, 1952) was an American philosopher, psychologist, and educational reformer whose ideas have been influential in education and social reform. He was one of the most prominent American scholars in the first half of the twentieth century.

In the post-structuralist climate of 'Against Theory' and' Against Method', it seems more trendy and secure to deal with' theoretical anarchism' than those dated' law-and-order alternatives '.1 This is what the late Paul de Man has to say about the incompatibility between truth and method:

A question arises only if a tension develops between methods of understanding and the knowledge which those methods allow one to reach. If there is indeed something about literature, as such, which allows for a discrepancy between truth and method, between Wahrheit and Methode, then scholarship and theory are no longer compatible... For a method that cannot be made to suit the' truth' of its object can only teach delusion.2

(Paul de Man, The Resistance to Theory, p. 4)

Hu Shih consist on using an ill-defined scientific method. He described him own as experiential, inductive, verificatory, and evolutionary. Hu Shih was deeply influenced by John Dewey's ideals

Hu Shih quotes Dewey's division of thought into five distinct steps: (1) [identification of] a felt difficulty; (2) [explanation of] its location and definition; (3) suggestion of possible solution; (4) development by reasoning of the bearings of the suggestion; (5) further observation and experiment leading to its acceptance or rejection; that is, the conclusion of belief or disbelief.15 He applies Dewey's strategies to two situations that call for creative problem-solving: someone lost in the woods trying to find a way out; and more interestingly for our purpose, a passage in Mozi's xiaoqu 小取 ('The smaller pick ').

Hu Shih with May Fourth Movement
Some people defined May Fourth Movement as the one of the most important event happened in China, which divided China history as modern China and past China. Hu Shih is one of the most important leaders of the May Fourth Movement, as the leader, Hu is the one who was most aware of the movement's historical significance. Hu has different vision than other people, he thinks, May Fourth Movement was not only just on China, but the modern world led by the West. China is a young and junior member of the big world who among the May Fourth Movement. During the process of May Fourth Movement, Hu's political position was changed. AS he close swing to the right, he says on the May Fourth Movement's turn to the political and party which under the Soviet Union and the Third International. But after early 1930s, he changed back to his earlier position which put more weight on the individualism.

At end of Hu's life, he was disappointed that the real meaning of May Fourth Movement was changed and ruined by the political parties. No matter what Hu's position shifted during the process, he was always put the May Fourth Movement in a global, albeit Eurocentric, contexts position.

Hu shih with Lu Xun
In writing field, Lu Xun and Hu were two most different example representing two different political party. The political difference between the Nationalist Party and the Chinese Communist Party had led to a significant different evaluation on the two writers.Lu Xun as the supporter of the Communist Party, the famous Chinese leader Dongze Mao has hailed Lu Xun as the greatest and most courageous fighter of the new cultural army.