Abstract:Among those overseas scholars studying the history of the May 4^th thoughts, Yu Yingshih distinguished himself with his unique views. Although he acknowledged the "peripheral view", he developed a new research method of his own by adopting the analytical framework of "intrinsic logic" to reveal the traditional origin of the May 4^th Movement and realized the transition of research paradigm in studying the history of the May 4^th thoughts. Yu objected to comparing China' s May 4^th New Cultural Movement to the western renaissance or the Enlightenment because of their different historical background and cultural characteristics. He held that China did not need renaissance and the enlightenment was unfounded in China. On one hand, he affirmed the value of the May 4^th Movement; on the other, he unmercifully criticized the defects of the Movement. He argued that we should carry forward and surpass the spirit of the May 4th Movement and properly handle the relationship between tradition and modernity and that between traditional Chinese values and western knowledge on the basis of having a right knowledge of Chinese and western cultures. He also upheld that we should conduct more researches and reconstruct Chinese culture in a down-to-earth spirit.
史云波 . 探寻五四的传统渊源——余英时的五四观及文化重建论[J]. 江苏大学学报(社会科学版), 2009, 11(3): 29-33.
Shi Yunbo . An Exploration of the Traditional Origin of the May 4^th Movement --Yu Yingshih' s View of May 4^th Movement and Cultural Reconstruction. Journal of Jiangsu University(Social Science Editi, 2009, 11(3): 29-33.