The Chinese Tradition in Retrospect (Video Notes)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, figures, and concepts from Chapters 58–59 of The Chinese Tradition in Retrospect. Each card pairs a term with a concise definition drawn from the notes.

Civil service examination system

The exam-based path revived by the Qing, using Zhu Xi’s Four Books and Five Classics to educate and select scholar-officials.

Four Books

The central Confucian texts used as the core curriculum for education and civil service examinations.

Five Classics

The classic Confucian texts that, with the Four Books, formed the basis of classical scholarship and examination content.

Neo-Confucianism

Philosophical synthesis building on Confucian ideas, emphasizing li (principle) and qi (material force); influential in Ming and Qing governance.

Zhu Xi orthodoxy

Official Neo-Confucian canon established by Zhu Xi, shaping state ideology and examination content.

Han Learning (Investigation of Han Learning)

A Qing-era movement returning to Han dynasty texts and commentaries, emphasizing philology, history, and historical context.

Evidential Learning (kaozheng)

A methodological shift focusing on empirical evidence, philology, and textual criticism to verify classical texts.

Hu Wei

Han Learning scholar (1633–1714) who showed Daoist elements were late accretions in diagrams of the Classic of Changes.

Yan Roju

Han Learning scholar who demonstrated forgery in portions of the Shang dynasty texts in the Classic of Documents.

Gu Yanwu

Pragmatic Qing scholar who promoted kaozheng, practical learning, and decentralization; author of Rizhi lu.

Rizhi lu (Record of Daily Knowledge)

Gu Yanwu’s major work collecting essays on classics, government, economy, history, and philology; a hallmark of evidential scholarship.

Dai Zhen

Leading kaozheng figure who argued that truth lies in things, pursued meticulous philology, and critiqued Song-Ming metaphysics.

Zhang Xuecheng

Historian (1738–1801) who championed a philosophy of history (Wenshi tongyi) and the interpretive role of the inquirer.

Wen shi tongyi (The Meaning of History)

Zhang Xuecheng’s influential essay arguing for meaning and interpretation in historical writing.

Lü Liuliang

Neo-Confucian orthodox revivalist who criticized dynastic rule and promoted ruler-minister ethics and Heaven-based accountability.

Huang Zongxi

1610–1695 philosopher who urged constitutional reform, a prime minister, schools, and law-based governance in Waiting for the Dawn.

Waiting for the Dawn (Mingyi daifanglu)

Huang Zongxi’s systematic critique of imperial institutions, proposing constitutional structures and public discussion.

On Ministership

Huang Zongxi’s discussion of ministerial duty as serving all-under-Heaven, not merely the prince.

On Law

Huang’s argument that true law must safeguard all-under-Heaven; “un-Lawful laws” arise when rulers protect personal estates over the common good.

Prime Minister (caixiang)

The executive head in ancient and early modern China; Huang argues for its reestablishment to share governance with the emperor.

Lü Liuliang

1629–1683; rebel-turned-orthodox scholar who asserted Heaven’s mandate and the equality of ruler and minister in principle.

Gu Yanwu

1613–1682; advocate of practical learning, kaozheng, and decentralization; influential for Qing scholarship.

Sacred Edict

Maxims (Sixteen Maxims) issued by Kangxi and Yongzheng for local moral instruction and ritual governance.

Village Lectures

Ritualized moral instruction transmitted locally via the Sacred Edict and Sixteen Maxims, shaping public virtue.

Siku quanshu

Imperial Library of the Four Treasuries; a monumental Qing project to collect and preserve Chinese literature.