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Hu Shih
Chinese scholar, writer and philosopher (1891–1962) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Hu Shih[1][2][3] (Chinese: 胡適; 17 December 1891 – 24 February 1962)[lower-alpha 1] was a Chinese diplomat, essayist and fiction writer, literary scholar, philosopher, and politician. Hu contributed to Chinese liberalism and language reform and advocated for the use of written vernacular Chinese.[6] He participated in the May Fourth Movement and China's New Culture Movement. He was a president of Peking University.[7] He had a wide range of interests such as literature, philosophy, history, textual criticism, and pedagogy. He was also a redology scholar.
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Hu Shih | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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胡適 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Chinese Ambassador to the United States | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 29 October 1938 – 1 September 1942 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Wang Zhengting | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Wei Tao-ming | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chancellor of Peking University | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 1946–1948 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
President of the Academia Sinica | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 1957–1962 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Zhu Jiahua | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Wang Shijie | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | (1891-12-17)17 December 1891 Shanghai, Qing China | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Died | 24 February 1962(1962-02-24) (aged 70) Taipei County, Taiwan, Republic of China | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Occupation |
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Known for | Chinese liberalism and language reform | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Philosophical schools | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Region | Chinese philosophy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Philosophical interests | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Influences | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Academic background | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alma mater | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Academic work | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Institutions | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Main interests | Chinese language and literature, redology | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Writing career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Language |
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Period | Modern (20th century) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Genres | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Subject | Liberation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Literary movement | New Culture and May Fourth | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Years active | from 1912 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notable works | Preliminary Discussion of Literature Reform (1917) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Signature | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Chinese name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Traditional Chinese | 胡適 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Simplified Chinese | 胡适 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Hu was editor of the Free China Journal, which was shut down for criticizing Chiang Kai-shek. In 1919, he also criticized Li Dazhao. Hu advocated that the world adopt Western-style democracy. Moreover, Hu criticized Sun Yat-sen's claim that people are incapable of self-rule. Hu criticized the Nationalist government for betraying the ideal of Constitutionalism in The Outline of National Reconstruction.[8]
Hu wrote many essays attacking communism as a whole, including the political legitimacy of Mao Zedong and the Chinese Communist Party. Specifically, Hu said that the autocratic dictatorship system of the CCP was "un-Chinese" and against history. In the 1950s, Mao and the Chinese Communist Party launched a campaign criticizing Hu Shih's thoughts.[9] After Mao's passing, the reputation of Hu recovered. He is now widely known for his high moral values and influential contribution to Chinese politics and academia.