History And Philosophy Division

  1. Current Research Areas

    1. Research interests in the area of history include:

      1. History of Chinese Maritime Development
      2. Social and Economic History of the Ming and Qing Dynasties
      3. The History of Taiwan's Development and Foreign Relations
      4. Overseas Chinese Immigration History and Communities

      The following represents a list of research projects that are currently in progress:

      Researcher Research Project
      Liu, Shih-Chi Historical Rise of China's Town and Township Enterprises: development of handicrafts in coastal cities in early modern China
      Leung, Ki-Che Regional Medicine from the Song to Qing Dynasties
      The Relationship between Medicine and Nationalism in Modern China
      Chang, Pin-Tsun History of Monetary Economics During the Ming and Qing Dynasties
      Chang, Yen-Hsien History of Taiwan's Recent Political and Economic Development: from the 1920's to 1960's
      Tang, Shi-Yeoung Reasons Taiwanese Citizens Moved to Japan During the Japanese Occupation and its Related Problems
      A Collection of Papers on Contemporary Maritime-Related Perils in the China Sea: a focus on China, Japan, Korea, and Ryukyu (in conjunction with Liu Shiuh-Feng)
      Chu, Te-Lan The Economic Activities of Taiwan Development Company in South China, 1938-1945
      Liu, Shiuh-Feng Taiwanese Governor-General's South China Management
      A Compilation of Historical Materials on Shipwrecks in the China Sea during the Modern Era: collected from China, Japan, Korea, and Okinawa

    2. Main research interests of the three research fellows in the Philosophy Division include issues concerning Western Philosophical Thought and Political Philosophy. The following research projects are currently in progress:

      3. Researcher Research Project
      Li, Chang-Ching Ethics of Care and the Ethics of Justice
      Chien, Sechin Contemporary Meaning of Leibniz's Political
      Yeong-Shyang Thinking
      Lin, Tien Ho A Comparative Study between Theodicy and the Innate Goodness of Human Beings (Part II)

  2. Future Research Projects

    3. In the effort to avoid redundancies among other divisions or institutes who also conduct historical studies, research fellows within the history division of the Sun Yat-Sen Institute decided in the late 1980s to direct their research towards the History of Chinese Maritime Development. The study of the history of Chinese maritime development is significant not only in terms of its importance in Chinese history overall, but moreover in relation to Taiwan's past and current socioeconomic status, which is due in large part to the maritime movement. Consequently, "Chinese maritime development encompasses a broad range of subjects, including the following research topics:

    1. The Recent Development of China's Coastal Provinces, International Trade Relations and Cultural Exchanges
    2. Post-Ming and Qing Socioeconomic and Cultural Change Among China's Coastal Provinces
    3. The History of Overseas Chinese Communities and their Development
    4. Taiwan's Land Reform Program, Socioeconomic Development, and Foreign Relations

    In the effort to utilize research fellows' specialized areas of study as well as forward research in the aforementioned areas, the history division is divided into four research areas:

    1. History of Chinese Maritime Development
    2. Socioeconomic History of the Ming and Qing Dynasties
    3. The Study of the History of Overseas Chinese and their Communities
    4. Taiwan's Socioeconomic History and Foreign Relations

    Over more than ten years of research on Chinese Maritime Development has resulted in a rich and abundant array of research projects. Within the last few years, the history division has organized seven national and international conferences which not only has been highly acclaimed by international academic circles, but also has become the institute's most recognized area of development. Given the wide scope of research issues addressed by the study of Chinese Maritime Development, numerous topics remain open for further study. Thus, the aforementioned areas will remain the division's primary focus and long-term research direction.

    The philosophy division is currently comprised of four research fellows. Despite researchers' different theoretical training and interests, collaborations between researchers are commonly found. Moreover, the division's research focus has gradually consolidated and developed towards making Ethics (the problem of the right and the good, utilitarianism), Applied Ethics (environmental philosophy, animal rights, etc.), and Political Philosophy (contemporary liberalism versus communitarianism) as its theoretical foundation. Other related topics the philosophy division is currently pursing include issues in the areas of theory of knowledge, philosophy of the mind, philosophy of action, as well as topics on the history of Western philosophy (i.e., Plato, Aquinas, Hobbes, Locke, Kant, Hegel, Dewey). Several research projects are also jointly conducted with the Institute's political science and sociology divisions, such as Western political philosophy and the history of political thought. Other Institutes within the Academia Sinica also share a strong interest in philosophical topics. These include the development of philosophy of language and the philosophy of the mind within the Institute for European and American Studies, as well as Confucian and Taoist philosophy and comparative philosophy (between Western and Eastern philosophy) within the Institute for Chinese Literature and Philosophy. These overlapping research interests consequently create a natural as well as complementary division of labor among the Sinica's various Institutes. In the light of increasing interest in national sociopolitical issues--such as democratization, equal rights, gender, ethnicity, class equality, as well as environmental protection--these topics have gradually become the focus of the academic world. Research fellows within the philosophy division have therefore actively pursued analyzing the moral and philosophical foundation of these issues. Overall, the History and Philosophy division intends to provide important research contributions in areas of joint interest with other social studies-oriented researchers within the Institute.

    The following constitutes a brief outline of the History and Philosophy divisions' short-term and long-term research projects, direction, and areas of study.

    1. Short-term Research Projects, Direction, and Areas of Study

      1. History of Chinese Maritime Development
        1. The recent formation and development of Chinese harbors and metropolitan areas
        2. The recent formation and development of Chinese coastline trade
        3. The recent development of shipping exchanges between Mainland China, Taiwan, and Japan

      2. Socioeconomic History of the Ming and Qing Dynasties
        1. The distinctive features, characteristics, and social structures of developing contemporary Chinese cities; the interdependent socioeconomic and cultural relationship between urban and rural areas, as well as the formation and distinctive characteristics of regional societies
        2. The development of a marketplace economy and the monetary history of the Ming and Qing Dynasties
        3. The development of coastal societies and cultures following the Ming and Qing dynasties, as well as an analysis on the relationship between economic growth as a result of increased maritime trade and the influence of foreign cultures on the sociocultural development of Chinese coastal areas

      3. Studies on the History of Overseas Chinese and their Communities
        1. Political participation of Overseas Chinese
        2. Chinese American communities

      4. Studies on Taiwan's Society, Economy, and Foreign Relations
        1. Taiwan's movement from a copper to silver-based monetary system following the 19th century
        2. Interdependent trade relations among Taiwan's industries and four neighboring regions during the Japanese colonial period (including Southeast Asian, Japan, southern China, and Taiwan)
        3. Taiwan's socioeconomic status during the Japanese colonial period and its post-war political development

      5. Western Philosophy
        1. The foundation of political philosophy and social philosophy
        2. A reexamination of environmental and medical ethics

    2. Long-term research projects, direction, and areas of study

      3. Following the completion of a research project, research fellows rigorously assess and evaluate their findings as part of the process of conducting future research projects. Long-term research projects are concentrated on five main areas, namely, Chinese Maritime Development, Socioeconomic History of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the History of Overseas Chinese and their communities, Taiwan's socioeconomic status and foreign relations, as well as Western Philosophy. The planning and designing of new project proposals is a continuous process that researchers undertake. Studies currently in progress include:

      1. Recent development of Chinese maritime trade
      2. East Asian and Southeast Asian trade, economic and cultural development
      3. Recent formation of Overseas Japanese communities
      4. Overseas Chinese communities in the United States and the Pacific Region
      5. Research on Taiwan's land-based economy (an ongoing interdisciplinary project is presently entitled "A study on the development of Taiwan's economy from a long-term perspective")
      6. Research on Taiwan's shipping trade and economic development (an ongoing interdisciplinary proposal is presently entitled "A study on the development of Taiwan's economy from a long-term perspective")
      7. Monographic study of political and social philosophy
      8. Monographic study of ethics and applied ethics

  3. Past Research Accomplishments

    1. Preparatory Office Period (August, 1975 to July, 1981)

      2. The Institute's Preparatory Office currently has only three researchers in the history division and one researcher in the philosophy division. On the one hand, projects are oriented to address new research directions and proposals, while on the other, studies likewise wish to accommodate and promote each researcher's area of specialization. During this period, the division has published nine joint research projects and two specialized research studies. In its early years, the preparatory office suffered from a dearth of documents and materials, which in turn led to the crucial task of actively searching for as well as the ordering and accumulating of foreign books and periodicals.

    2. First Five-year Development and Planning Period (August, 1981 to July, 1986)

      3. Under the guidance of the Institute's first five-year development plan, the number of researchers within the history division increased to eight individuals (seven specialized, one generalized). In order to avoid reduplicating work conducted within the Historical Linguistics and Contemporary History divisions, this institute's history division decided to concentrate on the History of Chinese Maritime Development in its research plan. This decision resulted in the temporary postponement of projects within three areas including: 1) the Socioeconomic History of the Ming and Qing dynasties; 2) the History of Taiwan's Development; and 3) the Immigration History of Overseas Chinese. Eventually, these three research areas established a research direction that was distinct from the Historical Linguistics and Contemporary History divisions. In the philosophy division, the number of researchers also grew, giving the division a total of two research fellows.

      During the first five-year plan, researchers within the History and Philosophy divisions published a total of 50 papers and three books. In December 1981, the division held its First Annual Conference on Historical and Social Transformations in China (Chinese social history). In May 1983 and May 1986, two symposiums on the History of Chinese Maritime Development were also organized.

    3. Second Five-year Development and Planning Period (August, 1986 to July 1991)

      4. During this five-year period, the History and Philosophy divisions each gained an additional researcher with the history division growing to eight specialized researchers and one generalized researcher, and the philosophy division increasing to a total of four specialized researchers. In the History division, studies at this time were focused on advancing research in Chinese Maritime Developmental History namely, in the areas of: (1) the socioeconomic history of the Ming and Qing dynasties, including the evolution of Chinese port trade and currency system from the 16th to 18th centuries, as well as studies on the medical system and charitable institutions; (2) the immigration history of overseas Chinese, with a focus on communities in the United States; and (3) recent Taiwanese history with an emphasis on the Japanese colonial period.

      In August 1986, academician Chang Kwang-Chih proposed that the Institute of Social Sciences and Philosophy--along with the Institutes of History and Philology, Modern History, and Ethnology--jointly organize a Taiwanese History Fieldwork and Research Center. Researchers in this institute's history division were involved not only in planning the new center's projects, but were also active in the actual fieldwork process. The research center's collection of materials on the Qing Dynasty's chartered land policy on Taiwan alone comprised of over 4000 books and articles. Overall, copying and binding the materials amounted to over 30 volumes.

      In the Philosophy division, analysis was placed on contemporary European and American political philosophy such as social justice and rights and the basis of political procedures. Research focus also concentrated on the metaphysical and evaluative ideas of Dewey. In the fall of 1989, researchers within the Institute's political science division who were studying political philosophy joined with researchers interested in philosophical topics in the sociology and law divisions to establish a Political, Sociological and Juristic philosophy subdivision. At the time, the groundwork for a small workshop was being laid.

      Within this period, researchers in the division published a total of 68 articles (with the History and Philosophy divisions producing 58 and ten articles respectively) and seven books. A number of academic conferences were also organized during this period including: the Conference on Taiwanese History and Historical Excavations in November 1986; the Third and Fourth Conferences on Chinese Maritime Development in May 1986 and April 1990; the Conference on the Post-Retrocession Economic Development of the Taiwan Region in June 1990; as well as a jointly organized conference with the political science division on Justice and Related Issues.

    4. Third Five-year Development and Planning Period (August 1991 to July 1996)

      5. In October 1992, Wu Chien-shiung, a specialist on Overseas Chinese history in the History division, unexpectedly passed away. In September 1993, Wang Shi-ching, a specialist in Taiwan History, was appointed to the institute as its newest researcher. Given that the philosophy division increased by on researcher, the total number of division researchers subsequently remained unchanged. As a result, the history division had a total of seven specialists and two general researchers, while the philosophy division now had four specialist researchers.

      In terms of research studies, projects in the following areas continued unabated:

      1. Ming and Qing socioeconomic history. Studies on maritime trade policies, customs politics, and currency systems, as well as the transformation of sociocultural and moral attitudes.
      2. History of Taiwan. Studies on the development of the northern and central areas of Taiwan during the Qing dynasty; political, social, and cultural movements in Taiwan during the Japanese occupation.

        3. A special joint study was conducted with Dr. Nobuchika Ichikawafrom Kyushu International University on the development of trade relations among port and trading companies from Mainland China and Taiwan with Japan. The study was based on recently discovered books, letters, and ledgers from the late 19th and early 20th centuries written by Chinese businessmen from the Tai-I Firm.

      3. Overseas Chinese history. Although the sudden death of Wu Chien-shiung dealt the history division a serious blow, research opportunities developed at conferences enabled research projects to progress unabatedly, as well as broadened this research topic's scope to include the study of Chinese American, Latin American, and Southeast Asian overseas Chinese communities.
      4. Philosophy division. Debates surrounding individualism versus collectivism in modern Western political philosophy¡Xincluding the theories of Kant, Dewey, spiritual philosophy and theory of knowledge¡Xcontinued to occupy the division's attention. However, it has also started to expand its focus into the area of ethics, namely environmental and medical ethics, as critical topics for discussion and study.

      During this period, Institute researchers published a total of seven books and 66 articles (47 from History and 19 from Philosophy). Moreover, the Institute organized conferences on the History of Taiwan's Early Retrocession Period in June 1992; the First Conference on Philosophy and Public Standards in May 1993; and the Fifth and Sixth conferences on the History of Chinese Maritime Development in February 1992 and March 1995 respectively.

    5. Period from August 1986 to July 31, 1988

      6. In this period, the History division continued to focus research within the following three areas: (1) the History of Chinese Maritime Development; (2) Socioeconomic History of the Ming and Qing Dynasties; and (3) Taiwan's Socioeconomic History and Foreign Relations. In the philosophy divison, research topics mainly concentrated on: (1) Modern Western Political Thought and (2) Applied Ethics. Over the course of this period, the Institute researchers published a total of three books and 70 articles (59 from History and 11 from Philosophy).

      Aside from individual research interests, the History and Philosophy division as a whole continued to strongly advocate research in the History of Chinese Maritime Development. The proceedings from the Sixth Conference on the History of Chinese Maritime Development that was held from March 30 to April 1, 1991, was published in March 1997. The Seventh International Conference on the History of Chinese Maritime Development, held from May 1 to 3, 1997, generated both numerous attendees and enthusiastic participation. The Chinese version of the conference proceedings was published in 1998. The English version of the proceedings is being printed by the Dutch publisher, BRILL.

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