In Search of Wealth and Power: Yen Fu and the West

by Benjamin I. Schwartz

Book by Schwartz, Benjamin I.

Genres: China, History, Philosophy, Biography

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1964

Reviews

[John]

Surprised how good this was for its age. Modern reader should keep in mind the problems with the impact-response thesis, but otherwise an excellent introduction to how some Chinese intellectuals attempted to deal with Late Qing problems by incorporating foreign intellectual resources.

Basically an intellectual biography of Yan Fu 嚴復, the author argues that Yan's primary goal was always how to make the Qing a rich and powerful state like Britain. Towards this goal, Yan would seek to use any Chinese or foreign intellectual resources that seemed useful and reject any that did not.

Great introduction to many important ways of thinking about intellectual history and for its time very sophisticated in its breakdown of China/West binaries. Author does a superb job of introducing complex ideas in simple and straightforward ways, a rarity in intellectual history.

[Albert]

Classic work in intellectual history. Beautifully written and explored.

[Coolguy]

Intellectual history at its most irrelevant.

[Mark Henry Sandomeno]

Cool perspective on China intellectuals urging them to learn from, in order to, compete with the West early on.