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孫逸仙
有關孫逸仙的研究，長期以來被兩種歷史生產模式所主宰：一是中國史學的製造迷思，一是西方史學的破除迷思，兩者都扭曲了孫逸仙。本書顛覆又客觀地企圖呈現中國百餘年前第一次現代化時期，孫逸仙真正的歷史角色。
在法國漢學家白吉爾筆下，孫逸仙其實是昏庸的政客、慷慨又糊塗的機會主義者，更不是個偉大的理論家。但作者同時認為他的確懷抱救國理想，最倚仗的才能就是「跨界」溝通。綜其一生，他為革命全球奔波，訴諸三合會、教會、學生、商人、西方列強、共產國際等的支持，能悠遊與動員這些利益與思想大相逕庭的群體。如此複雜而矛盾的形象，放大到近代中國的經濟、社會脈絡來看，白吉爾認為，孫逸仙正是海洋中國的產物，他的發跡，代表的是沿海中國勢力的崛起。在如是的風雲湧動中，孫逸仙的一生讓我們有機會探究近代中國發生革命的背景與條件。
究竟該如何看待孫逸仙留下的龐大政治和智識遺產？本書試圖重建孫逸仙的生涯，看他如何從一位南海冒險家（第一部）蛻變為創建共和之父（第二部），最終成了偉大民族主義運動的領導人（第三部），或許正可以幫助我們反思認識孫逸仙的方式。
在法國漢學家白吉爾筆下，孫逸仙其實是昏庸的政客、慷慨又糊塗的機會主義者，更不是個偉大的理論家。但作者同時認為他的確懷抱救國理想，最倚仗的才能就是「跨界」溝通。綜其一生，他為革命全球奔波，訴諸三合會、教會、學生、商人、西方列強、共產國際等的支持，能悠遊與動員這些利益與思想大相逕庭的群體。如此複雜而矛盾的形象，放大到近代中國的經濟、社會脈絡來看，白吉爾認為，孫逸仙正是海洋中國的產物，他的發跡，代表的是沿海中國勢力的崛起。在如是的風雲湧動中，孫逸仙的一生讓我們有機會探究近代中國發生革命的背景與條件。
究竟該如何看待孫逸仙留下的龐大政治和智識遺產？本書試圖重建孫逸仙的生涯，看他如何從一位南海冒險家（第一部）蛻變為創建共和之父（第二部），最終成了偉大民族主義運動的領導人（第三部），或許正可以幫助我們反思認識孫逸仙的方式。
482 pages, Paperback
First published April 27, 1994
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
September 13, 2013
Sun Yat-sen was first President of China, raised in Hawaii (like Obama), important political thinker and a window on Chinese national heritage coming to grips with 20th Century international reality. Acknowledged as predecessor by both Chiang kai-Chek and Mao Zedong, Sun worked intimately with the concepts of imperialism v. development, centralism/nationalism v. provincialism, and expounded the three principles for China's modernization: nationalism, government by the people, and livelihood.
Nationalism was initially based on anti-Manchu feeling directed against the traditional administration of the Manchu dowager empress Cixi, morphed into anti-imperialism and yet appreciated the universalist nature of (argumentatively) Confucian ideals. Government by the people included not only the Western divisions of executive, legislative and judicial branches but recognized examination and censure as similarly important. His focus on livelihood represented an effort to overcome the problems of both communism and capitalism in using China's backwardness to boost its arrival into the modern age, focusing on food, clothing, housing and transport. The ideas are a synthesis between traditional Chinese thought based in Confucianism and a wide collection of 'Western' ideas from Smith and Rousseau to Lenin and some less known thinkers (Henry George).
Sun's impact is hard to quantify as he was neither a successful organizer or an intellectual. He represented a national character and drive when many of his contemporaries found more provincial application in their more direct and pragmatic approach to development. Sun was a big picture thinker that sought to balance the varying powers both internally and externally to achieve his goals. As a result, his influence is less in the directness of his actions or the clarity of his thought, but more as an abiding yearning and coming-to-consciousness of the 'modern' world. This is a messy, real and approachable history of China at the crux of its transition from traditional to communist organization.
Nationalism was initially based on anti-Manchu feeling directed against the traditional administration of the Manchu dowager empress Cixi, morphed into anti-imperialism and yet appreciated the universalist nature of (argumentatively) Confucian ideals. Government by the people included not only the Western divisions of executive, legislative and judicial branches but recognized examination and censure as similarly important. His focus on livelihood represented an effort to overcome the problems of both communism and capitalism in using China's backwardness to boost its arrival into the modern age, focusing on food, clothing, housing and transport. The ideas are a synthesis between traditional Chinese thought based in Confucianism and a wide collection of 'Western' ideas from Smith and Rousseau to Lenin and some less known thinkers (Henry George).
Sun's impact is hard to quantify as he was neither a successful organizer or an intellectual. He represented a national character and drive when many of his contemporaries found more provincial application in their more direct and pragmatic approach to development. Sun was a big picture thinker that sought to balance the varying powers both internally and externally to achieve his goals. As a result, his influence is less in the directness of his actions or the clarity of his thought, but more as an abiding yearning and coming-to-consciousness of the 'modern' world. This is a messy, real and approachable history of China at the crux of its transition from traditional to communist organization.
February 26, 2012
Sun Yat-sen was the first president of the Chinese republic in 1911, yet he is little know around the world and perhaps rightly so. He influenced little the chain of events that led to the Chinese revolution and the downfall of the imperial monarchy. He was instead simply an adventurer and dreamer, incapable of keeping up with rapid changes. He was an opportunist, allying at different points of his life with the Japanese, French and finally the Soviets, constantly making contradictory promises to attract additional financial aid. His ideology regularly shifted and reflected no clear vision, conviction or sincerity. His core three principles lacked originality and substance. He was an ineffective leader, constantly pursing different strategies simultaneously that did not allow the people to effectively unify behind him.
June 7, 2018
The writing (or translation?) of this book was not the best, and rather frustrating at times. I think that it gives a good view of Sun Yat-sen's career, but it assumes you already are educated on the topic to an extent (have knowledge of manifestos, incidents in history, etc). It's also bazaar that the book portrays itself as an 'unbiased account' but it is, in fact, very partial.
Overall, I wasn't a fan and don't really have more to say because I found myself slamming my head on the coffee table as I slowly trudged through this analysis of Sun Yat-sen's life. I have no idea how people have recommended me this book, but I guess there are not many written on Sun Yat-sen. I'm glad that I read it, but pray to god I will never have to revisit it.
Overall, I wasn't a fan and don't really have more to say because I found myself slamming my head on the coffee table as I slowly trudged through this analysis of Sun Yat-sen's life. I have no idea how people have recommended me this book, but I guess there are not many written on Sun Yat-sen. I'm glad that I read it, but pray to god I will never have to revisit it.
February 17, 2013
interesting subject. But I find it either poorly written or it may translate poorly from the original french to the english. I am struggling to finish this. There are too few books on SYT so I WANT to finish it, but it's not keeping my interest.
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October 4, 2015an authoritative portrait of the only man revered by both the Nationalists and Communists as a Founding Father of modern China.
November 23, 2021
Ugh. I read this to try and learn about the Xinhai Revolution and National Protection War, which turned out to be a waste of time. Unfortunately the book is more focused on other aspects of his life, and even if it wasn't, it turns out he was barely involved in the actual revolution that finally overthrew the Qing dynasty. The revolution begins off-page in between chapters, though the book jumps around so much I figured I'd just missed the pivotal moment Yat-sen had been working towards his entire life.
October 7, 2013
Poor translation. Hard to evaluate the arguments with so much bad prose.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews