Abstract:

During the wave of revolution in the late Qing Dynasty, Zhang Taiyan, known as “a revolutionary with profound learning”, explicitly advocated that scholarship should be fundamentally oriented toward “truth seeking” rather than “practical application”. This stance directly targeted Kang Youwei’s theory of “applying classical studies to practical purposes”, which used New Text Confucianism to endorse the Qing court’s reform efforts. However, Zhang Taiyan held a broader and deeper understanding of “practical application”. He emphasized the significance of historical research in inspiring nationalism and patriotic sentiment, and he deeply concerned himself with social morality, the evolution of customs, and the rights and interests of the common people, viewing these as crucial to China’s future development. Thus, he vigorously praised the scholarship that contributed to enhancing public virtue and served the interests of the common people. In Zhang’s theory, “truth seeking” and “practical application” are not simply opposed to each other; on the contrary, they are intricately interwoven with each other in the context of his political practice of anti-Qing revolution and his profound reflections on the future of Chinese culture and society. This reflects his unique path as “a revolutionary with profound learning” in combining academic truth-seeking with social transformation.

Key words: Zhang Taiyan, truth seeking, practical application, Kang Youwei