Abstract:

Perry Anderson points out that the so-called “international law” is a product of Eurocentrism and is often utilized by imperial powers. Having recognized this fact, it becomes particularly important to delve further into thinking about how to respond to various ideologies and issues in today’s China and world as a whole. Looking back at the pioneering modern Chinese thinkers like Wang Tao, Yang Du, and Yan Fu, we see that their advocacy for learning from the West did not stem from a belief that the West was the pinnacle of civilization. Rather, they were characterized by a sense of confusion and internal contradictions. Zhang Junmai and Liang Qichao began to reassess the cultural relationship between China and the West, shifting their intellectual focus toward questioning “whether it’s possible to alter the world’s barbaric norms”. Meanwhile, Lu Xun and Sun Yat-sen explored strategies to prevent China from embracing a form of “barbaric patriotism” during its modernization journey. It seems that the aspirations of early modern Chinese thought have yet to be fully realized, and currently, the world exhibits a troubling trend towards “barbarization”. However, this very trend underscores the necessity for us not to abandon our pursuit of “civilization” and global justice, despite the existence of “barbarism” elsewhere.

Key words: international law, Eurocentrism, modern Chinese thought, law of the jungle, global justice