Abstract:

The traditional Chinese intellectual culture created and unde rtaken by literati or scholar-officials had a change in the end of modern times. Due to an impetus from urban intellectuals, there emerged a modernization of knowledge. On the one side, objects of knowledge changed and a pursuit of particular knowledge itself as a science received a social common recognition. On the other, it follo wed a transformation from gentleman to scholar and professionalization of learning. The cases of Yan Ruoqu and Zhang Xuecheng were two excellent proofs of the development of Chinese academic knowledge from pre-modern to modern.

Key words: scholar—official, urban intellectual, knowledge, Yan Ruoqu, Zhang Xuecheng