湖南人與現代中國

by Stephen R. Platt, 史蒂芬·普拉特, 黃中憲 (Translator)

湖南人應該讓中國步羅馬帝國之後塵消失於歷史舞臺，湖南本身則要成為法國或英國之類的國家，把舊帝國的文明帶進未來。──一九○三年，某湖南學生

中國近代史上，反清革命領袖中有一半是湖南人，同盟會中湖南籍成員最多，而中國共產黨第一屆政治局的成員則有整整四分之一是湖南人。湖南所產生的改革者、軍官、革命家之多，居中國諸省之冠，但史學研究卻鮮少對湖南進行連貫性的探討。本書不同於中國現代化是首都與通商口岸啟迪內陸的普遍看法，而以湖南為中心，認為湖南在內部進行的思想改革與論述生產，牽動了中國近代史的走向。

本書追溯十七世紀的湖南隱士王夫之為現代湖南人性格的原型，分析其打破傳統窠臼的思想如何影響後代湖南復興運動，並以一手資料為基礎，梳理出上下八十年、縱橫三代的湖南學者暨行動主義者的傳統文化脈絡。從平定太平天國立功的曾國藩使湖南人地位上升開始，一波波的改革運動到一九二○年代毛澤東領導湖南獨立運動時達到最高潮。作者力圖證明，湖南種種改革均走在全國之前。

「愛湘者」追求他們所要的未來與重振湖南的理想，同時主導了中國近代史的進程。作者普拉特的觀點不僅挑戰了欲保存古老帝國版圖的歷史學者構造的中國大一統民族主義論述，也有助於理解地區主義在當前中國的重新湧現，要瞭解中國，可能要從地方認同重新開始。


作者簡介：

史蒂芬．普拉特(Stephen R. Platt)，耶魯大學中國史博士，其博士論文獲頒瑟隆．費爾德獎（Theron Rockwell Field Prize）。目前是美國阿姆赫斯特麻塞諸塞大學歷史系教授，亦著有《太平天國之秋》（Autum in the Heavenly Kindom）一書。他大學時主修英語，因此大學畢業後以雅禮協會老師的身分在湖南待了兩年。他的研究得到傅爾布萊特計畫、國家人文基金會、蔣經國基金會支持。目前與妻女住在麻塞諸塞州的格林費爾德。


譯者簡介：

黃中憲，政治大學外交系畢，專職翻譯，譯有《太平天國之秋》、《非典型法國》、《戰後歐洲六十年》、《維梅爾的帽子》、《大探險家》、《帖木兒之後》、《成吉思汗》、《劍橋伊斯蘭史》等。

Genres: China, History, Asia

304 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2007

About the author

Stephen R. Platt is an award-winning historian of China and the West whose newest book is The Raider (Knopf, 2025). His previous books include Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom (Knopf, 2012), which won the Cundill History Prize, and Imperial Twilight (Knopf, 2018), which was shortlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize. He teaches at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and holds a PhD in History from Yale. He lives with his family in Northampton, MA.

Reviews

[Eric Tsui · Rating 4 out of 5]

雖然立論頗具爭議，卻能挑戰我們對中國國族主義的固有觀念。東亞大陸的民眾，並非一開始就想要建立大一統的國族國家，大陸帝國鄂圖曼化到二十世紀初仍非不可想像。現代中國的建立，或多或少是一場意外，也因而沒有不證自明的正當性。

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I was approaching research that addressed the role of early Chinese students studying in America, a colleague with more familiarity in Chinese history said I might find this work of interest. As someone with, admittedly, limited knowledge of China and its history, especially through the consideration of provinces, I found this an engaging read. Interestingly enough, the intersection with America and education is present, if not overly expounded upon (which is a good fit for this text - the topic would detract from the mission of this work). Platt's consideration of the back and forth between Hunan and the broader powers, the intersection of actors and shifting concerns, and the global backdrop of industrialization and growth is compelling, engaging, and intriguing to consider when one parallels it to one's knowledge of other world events.

Platt's work, then, is approachable without sacrificing detail and provides an informative consideration of elements that not only did inform China, but also the provinces and movements that could have influenced it further, creating what he calls in the introduction, "visions of another Chinese future."

Well worth one's time and reading if one wants a more complete look at China's history.

[D · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you think Taiwan/Tibet/Hong Kong/Xinjiang are the forerunners of separatists, this book tells you that way before these regions wanted to not be part of China, the elites of an inland province called Hunan decided that Hunanese should build a Switzerland of the East for themselves and Chinese were the aggressors instead of the West. Ironically, the very person whose portrait is sitting in the middle of Tiananmen Square today was the person who proposed a "Republic of Hunan" in the newspaper. China as an indivisible centralised state has not always been a concept held true as most suggest. Hunanese played with various ideas of Hunanese self-governance including an autonomous province, a Chinese federation and even total independence. The idea of Hunanese as a race died in the end, but throughout the process Hunanese elites had huge influence on China. In modern days, it's difficult to find books that promote regional identities as it is a taboo subject, hence Provincial Patriots is an important read for anyone who really wants to look beyond political propagandas.

[Gina Rheault · Rating 5 out of 5]

A predecessor to Stephen Platt's more popular books, this is a very focused academic book from an academic press, and thus very advanced for a casual reader. The thesis is that Hunan Province had a strong regional identity and intellectual tradition which produced an outsized number of leaders with an outsized influence on the direction and fate of China from the Qing dynasty through today. Mao and Zeng Guofan are the characters who stand out for me, but there are so many others. Well-written and footnoted, worth a scan by casual students of China and its history, and an in-depth must-read for folks who are interested in another view of the complex mosaic that is China today.

[Oscar · Rating 5 out of 5]

诸多材料已经淹没在中国主义者一层又一层的发明学之中，只留蛛丝马迹。能够点出与中国主义者不同的视角，就已经很难得了。不过对于渚徙从“湖南主义”到communism的转变，有点儿突兀。我觉得这种湖南民族主义可能也只是interest groups之间选择的不同，并不是具有现在意义上的种族含义。比如江浙做题家没有武力自保的能力，只能寄希望于做大一统帝国的收税官；而英勇果毅的湖南新贵从Taiping rebellion发家，并不是帝国的依附者；自然是可以自谋出路的。

[Sergio Bravo · Rating 4 out of 5]

这本书可以叫《追寻王夫之》

[王维蔚WeiweiWang · Rating 5 out of 5]

跋写得好，让书的正文点到却未写明的部分得以总结。一本书成功地补全了后来被国家民族主义吞并的曾有过的思潮，王夫之如线将前后串联。黄兴一段提到了我的学校，倍感亲切，而校歌当今都有“船山思问”一句；而本书探访的每一段故事后，仿佛都有着船山的影子。Happy being a Hunanese。

[Charlie Ye · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Modern History of Huxiania: From Wang Fuzhi to Peng Huang