TAIPEI, June 20,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2024 Tang Prize in Sinology
is awarded to University Professor Emeritus Hsu Cho-yun of the University of Pittsburgh, USA, and an academician of Academia Sinica,
for his exceptional contributions to the field of Sinology.
Professor Hsu's illustrious academic career has been
distinguished by his holistic approach to the study of ancient
Chinese history, seamlessly integrating an exploration of cultural
and intellectual exchanges between China and the world. His work masterfully
bridges the past and present, addressing contemporary questions
through the lens of antiquity. With his profound erudition and
unwavering public spirit, Professor Hsu embodies the quintessential
Sinologist, possessing both a deep historical sensibility and a
broad, worldly vision.
Professor Hsu integrated methodologies drawn from social
sciences into historical research early in his career. His work
reflects historical insights that take one to look into the bygone
ages and the present and future, embodying a blend of antiquity and
modernity. He has proven that Sinology is not limited to the
institutional dialogues of the past, but can transcend the ivory
tower of academia to engage in dialogues with various fields of
humanities and social sciences, making a fundamental impact on
Sinology.
Professor Hsu specializes in particular topics of the Zhou, Qin,
and Han periods, achieving unique insights that contribute to a
comprehensive interpretation of the history of early China. Notable examples include his
exploration of the Huaxia consciousness among kinship
groups in his monograph Western Chou Civilization, the
central/local and political/social bureaucratic system in Qiugu
Bian [Discovering Antiquity], and the intensive
rural/commercial market economy in Han Agriculture. These
discourses form what he calls "the three matrixes of Chinese
culture."
Focusing on the dynastic history of the Western Zhou, Professor
Hsu's Western Chou Civilization inaugurates a new
direction in the study of ancient Chinese history. The book's
unique insight lies in its inquisition of the formation of the
Huaxia state within "China"
at the time and the continued expansion of its cultural sphere. The
book has been continually updated along with new archaeological
discoveries; it is only one example of Professor Hsu's rigor
in scholarly contemporaneity.
Qiugu Bian [Discovering Antiquity], a collection of
Professor Hsu's early and mid-career essays, deals primarily with
political, social, economic, and cultural issues of the Zhou, Qin,
and Han periods. Han Agriculture offers an in-depth analysis
of farming operations and explores the shift from commercial trade
to an agricultural economy during the Han Dynasties. It also
answers the key question of why China "established its state through
agriculture" and provides insights into core themes of Chinese
history.
Professor Hsu has also made a breakthrough in historical theory.
The "network theory" is his unique view of the pulse of Chinese
history. He believes that the economic system, social contacts,
political rule, and ideological aspects are inseparable from the
transportation network, akin to the structure of a tree from the
trunk to the branches. These interconnected branches form a complex
of Chinese history that Professor Hsu calls his "network theory."
This theory avoids examining trivial issues and instead provides a
practical framework for interpreting larger historical
contexts.
In his later years, Professor Hsu published a series of
comprehensive historical works that integrate China into world civilizations and emphasize
the unique aspects of Chinese historical and cultural
development. China: A New
Cultural History points out that Chinese culture, in the
process of expansion, has also been influenced by foreign cultures.
Shihai Xunhang: Lishi Wenxue Zhouji [Voyage on the Sea of
History: Weekly Studies in Historical Inquiry] examines Chinese
history from the perspective of world history, emphasizing the
comparison between Chinese and Western history. His magnum opus,
Huaxia Lunshu [Discourse on the Huaxia], highlighted
the inclusiveness and uniqueness of Chinese historical development
and his concerns about the trajectory of modern China.
Beyond his academic research, Professor Hsu spearheaded the
transformation of the history education curriculum at National
Taiwan University's Department of History in the 1960s. This
pivotal shift nurtured a new generation of scholars and ushered in
the study of China's social
history, leaving a lasting mark on Taiwan's historiography. Since the 1990s,
Professor Hsu's historical perspectives have been widely
disseminated, solidifying his significant role in shaping
historical discourse.
Professor Hsu has transformed historical research into a
resource for humanistic education, publishing numerous works on
general themes ranging from epochal transitions to leadership,
organizational systems, the rise and fall of great powers,
knowledge and democracy, social trends and scholarship, and more.
His efforts have proven the usefulness of historical knowledge;
indeed, he is a model figure demonstrating both Western academic
rigor and traditional Chinese intellectual engagement.
Professor Hsu's remarkable academic achievements and
contributions have been deservedly recognized with the 2024 Tang
Prize in Sinology. His work has profoundly enriched the Sinology
field and created a lasting legacy of invaluable academic assets
for future generations. Professor Hsu's scholarship and exemplary
character will undoubtedly continue to inspire both scholars and
the general public for years to come.
About the Tang Prize
Since the advent of globalization, mankind has been able to
enjoy the convenience brought forth by the advancement of human
civilization and science. Yet a multitude of challenges, such as
climate change, the emergence of new infectious diseases, wealth
gap, and moral degradation, have surfaced along the way. Against
this backdrop, Dr. Samuel Yin
established the Tang Prize in December
2012. It consists of four award categories, namely
Sustainable Development, Biopharmaceutical Science, Sinology, and
Rule of Law. Every other year, four independent and professional
selection committees, comprising many internationally renowned
experts, scholars, and Nobel winners, choose as Tang Prize
laureates people who have influenced and made substantive
contributions to the world, regardless of ethnicity, nationality or
gender. A cash prize of NT$50 million
(approx. US$1.7 million) is allocated
to each category, with NT$10 million
(approx. US$ 0.35 million) of it
being a research grant intended to encourage professionals in every
field to examine mankind's most urgent needs in the 21st century,
and become leading forces in the development of human society
through their outstanding research outcomes and active civic
engagement.
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SOURCE Tang Prize Foundation