There were a lot of texts dealing with reform in the late Qing (1895-1911), but few of them were more radical, or more bizarre, than Kang Youwei’s Book of Great Unity (《大同书》). The venerable linguist and Confucian scholar advocated a future utopia in which not only would governments and international commerce no longer exist, but even species distinctions would no longer matter. It would read like science fiction if it wasn’t argued with such passion. Join Lee and Rob as they discuss this thoroughly peculiar work.
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- Jin Yong - Part 1 April 13, 2024
4 Comments
Thanks, that was interesting. I heard of Kang Youwei in the late 80’s as he was discussed in a Jonathan Spence work, and I’ve always been somewhat intrigued by Kang’s way of thinking. It sounds a bit Brave New World ish, but women are not true participants in this utopian vision if they are forced into only one role as the big gamete producer.
Every time I hear the term Great Replacement Theory, I think of Kang Youwei’s idea that race would become one over time through miscegenation, so I thought I would see what I could find out about his theories.
I have an assignment where I need to learn a little about Kang Youwei and his importance, and this podcast was just what I needed. Thank you for making it.
I needed to learn a little about Kang Youwei and his importance, and this podcast gave me what I needed in a pleasant 23 minutes. Thanks for making.
Glad it helped.