Recently, The Historical Status and Modern Value of Traditional Chinese Economic Thought, authored by Professor Cheng Lin and others of the School of Economics, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, was officially published by Science Press, totaling 935,000 Chinese characters. The work was selected for the 2024 National Library of Philosophy and Social Science Achievements.
01 Content Introduction
China's fine traditional culture is the crystallization of wisdom and the essence of more than five thousand years of Chinese civilization. It is an important foundation for building a modern civilization of the Chinese nation and for standing firm amid the clash of world cultures. With the in-depth advancement of Chinese-style modernization, in the face of the upsurge of discussion on constructing China's independent knowledge system in economics, and with the continuous emergence of a series of economic issues—such as how to improve corporate governance, expand consumption, achieve common prosperity, promote high-quality population development, deepen financial system reform, and improve monetary policy—re-examining the vast and diverse body of ancient Chinese economic thought and the economic policy practices of successive dynasties, and promoting their creative transformation and innovative development, has become an important mission for Chinese economists in the new era.
The Historical Status and Modern Value of Traditional Chinese Economic Thought, authored by Professor Cheng Lin and others, is grounded in the materialist conception of history. It deeply excavates and utilizes classical documents and historical materials, and combines methods such as literature statistics, theoretical analysis, comparative research, and case investigation to systematically sort out the formation and development trajectory of traditional Chinese economic thought. It comprehensively examines the brilliant achievements and shortcomings of traditional Chinese economic thought from the dimensions of richness, uniqueness, innovativeness, and analyticality.
From a global perspective of mutual learning among civilizations, it presents in a three-dimensional manner the overseas dissemination and worldwide influence of traditional Chinese economic thought, and deeply reveals the historical status of traditional Chinese economic thought in the history of world economic thought. At the same time, guided by the "Two Integrations," it fully explores the beneficial elements and modern value of traditional Chinese economic thought, providing assistance for solving major practical economic problems in China, promoting the construction of Chinese economics, and promoting exchanges and mutual learning between Chinese and foreign civilizations.
The academic value of this work is reflected in three aspects. First, in terms of research vision, it is grounded in a global perspective, placing the dynamic evolution of traditional Chinese economic thought within the interaction of Chinese and foreign history for examination, analyzing its deep core and basic spirit, and clarifying its historical status.
At the same time, it adheres to the "Two Integrations," carries out necessary modern transformation and interpretation, realizes the organic connection between tradition and modernity, and activates its vitality of the times. Second, in terms of theoretical construction, it uses diverse research methods to construct an analytical framework for systematically understanding traditional Chinese economic thought, covering the evolution mechanism of traditional Chinese economic thought, the four dimensions of its brilliant achievements (richness, uniqueness, innovativeness, and analyticality), the paths of overseas dissemination, and the methods of inheritance and innovation.
Third, in terms of research content, it adopts a method that unifies history and logic, and has formed many original and relatively persuasive views on the historical stages, brilliant achievements, historical limitations, basic characteristics, overseas dissemination, worldwide influence, historical status, and modern value of traditional Chinese economic thought. This work provides a reference frame for objectively evaluating the historical status and modern value of traditional Chinese economic thought, provides academic support for research on inheriting and innovating traditional Chinese economic thought, constructing China's independent knowledge system in economics, and promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, and will actively promote the continuous deepening of related research.
02 Author Biography
Cheng Lin is a Senior Professor at Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, Dean of the Institute for the Development of Chinese Economic Thought at Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, an expert receiving the Special Government Allowance of the State Council, a national-level high-level talent, a member of the Eighth Discipline Evaluation Group for Theoretical Economics of the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council, former President of the Chinese Society for the History of Economic Thought, chief expert of a Major Project of the National Social Science Fund, and Editor-in-Chief of the first batch of key textbooks of the Ministry of Education's Marxist Theoretical Research and Construction Project in the New Era, History of Chinese Economic Thought. He has long been engaged in research on the history of Chinese economic thought and comparative studies of Chinese and foreign economic thought. He has published more than 40 papers in Chinese and English journals such as Social Sciences in China and Economic Research Journal. He has published multiple Chinese and English works with renowned publishers at home and abroad, and has served as Editor-in-Chief of multiple book series funded by the National Publication Foundation and the National Key Publication Publishing Planning Project.
03 Table of Contents
The Historical Status and Modern Value of Traditional Chinese Economic Thought
Introduction
I. Research Background and Research Significance / 0002
II. Literature Review and New Attempts / 0005
III. Research Approach and Systematic Framework / 0011
IV. Research Methods and Academic Innovation / 0014
V. Plans for Further Research Expansion / 0021
Chapter 1 The Development and Evolution of Traditional Chinese Economic Thought
Section 1 The Logic of Historical Periodization and the Basic Analytical Framework / 0026
I. The Historical Logic and Theoretical Logic of the Periodization of Traditional Chinese Economic Thought / 0028
II. The Evolution Mechanism and Three Main Lines of Traditional Chinese Economic Thought / 0035
III. The Three Important Changes and Four Major Periods of Traditional Chinese Economic Thought / 0042
Section 2 The Pre-Qin Period: The Formation of Traditional Chinese Economic Thought / 0052
I. The Formation Path of Economic Thought in the Pre-Qin Period / 0056
II. The Main Characteristics of Economic Thought in the Pre-Qin Period / 0072
III. The Historical Influence of Economic Thought in the Pre-Qin Period / 0082
Section 3 From the Qin and Han Dynasties to the Mid-Tang Dynasty: The Establishment of the Basic Doctrines of Traditional Chinese Economic Thought / 0083
I. The Evolution Path of Economic Thought from the Qin and Han Dynasties to the Mid-Tang Dynasty / 0088
II. The Main Characteristics of Economic Thought from the Qin and Han Dynasties to the Mid-Tang Dynasty / 0102
III. The Historical Influence of Economic Thought from the Qin and Han Dynasties to the Mid-Tang Dynasty / 0117
Section 4 From the Mid-Tang Dynasty to the Yuan Dynasty: The Changes in Traditional Chinese Economic Thought / 0118
I. The Generation Trajectory of Changes in Economic Thought from the Mid-Tang Dynasty to the Yuan Dynasty / 0127
II. The Main Characteristics of Changes in Economic Thought from the Mid-Tang Dynasty to the Yuan Dynasty / 0146
III. The Historical Influence of Changes in Economic Thought from the Mid-Tang Dynasty to the Yuan Dynasty / 0182
Section 5 From the Ming Dynasty to Before the Opium War: The Tortuous Development of Traditional Chinese Economic Thought / 0185
I. The Development Trajectory of Economic Thought from the Ming Dynasty to Before the Opium War / 0186
II. The Main Characteristics of the Development of Economic Thought from the Ming Dynasty to Before the Opium War / 0222
III. The Historical Influence of Economic Thought from the Ming Dynasty to Before the Opium War / 0230
Section 6 Summary of This Chapter / 0234
Chapter 2 The Brilliant Achievements of Traditional Chinese Economic Thought
Section 1 The Richness of Traditional Chinese Economic Thought: An Examination Based on Problem Orientation / 0243
I. The Definition of the Richness of Economic Thought / 0244
II. The First Essential Meaning of Richness: Based on Problem Orientation and Content Categories / 0246
III. The Second Essential Meaning of Richness: Based on Content Depth and Levels of Thought / 0295
IV. The Degree of Richness of Traditional Chinese Economic Thought from a Comparative Perspective / 0301
V. Exploring the Sources of the Richness of Traditional Chinese Economic Thought / 0310
Section 2 The Uniqueness of Traditional Chinese Economic Thought: An Examination from the History of Concepts / 0320
I. The Semantic Network and Internal Structure of the Conceptual System of Traditional Chinese Economic Thought / 0322
II. The Generation Mechanism and Basic Characteristics of the Conceptual System of Traditional Chinese Economic Thought / 0338
III. The Main Functions and Historical Limitations of the Conceptual System of Traditional Chinese Economic Thought / 0365
Section 3 The Innovativeness of Traditional Chinese Economic Thought: An Examination from an International Comparative Perspective / 0373
I. The Definition of the Innovativeness of Economic Thought / 0378
II. The Innovativeness of Traditional Chinese Economic Governance Thought / 0389
III. The Innovativeness of Traditional Chinese Fiscal Thought / 0401
IV. The Innovativeness of Traditional Chinese Financial Thought / 0412
V. The Innovativeness of Traditional Chinese Value and Price Thought / 0422
VI. The Innovativeness of Traditional Chinese Population Thought / 0433
VII. The Innovativeness of Traditional Chinese Land System Thought / 0441
VIII. The Innovativeness of Traditional Chinese Economic Ethics Thought / 0451
IX. An In-Depth Examination of the Innovativeness of Traditional Chinese Economic Thought: An Analysis of the Causes of Innovation and Stagnation / 0460
Section 4 The Analyticality of Traditional Chinese Economic Thought: A Correction to the Mainstream View Represented by Schumpeter / 0470
I. Conceptual Analysis and Redefinition of Economic Analysis / 0475
II. Mencius: An Economic Management System Based on the Theory of the Goodness of Human Nature / 0486
III. The Guanzi: The "Light-Heavy" and Monetary Management Theory / 0495
IV. Sima Qian: Historical Theory, Non-Action, the Theory of Good Causes, and the Study of Livelihood / 0505
V. Qiu Jun: The Theory of the People Making Their Own Markets, the Monetary System, and Economic Management / 0513
VI. Conclusion / 0521
Section 5 Summary of This Chapter / 0526
Chapter 3 The Worldwide Influence of Traditional Chinese Economic Thought
Section 1 The Spread of Chinese Learning to the West: An Overview of the Overseas Dissemination of Traditional Chinese Economic Thought / 0535
I. The Prerequisites and Foundations of the Overseas Dissemination of Traditional Chinese Economic Thought / 0535
II. The Historical Trajectory of the Overseas Dissemination of Traditional Chinese Economic Thought: An Examination Centered on Confucianism and Its Economic Thought / 0537
Section 2 The Chinese Origins of the Formation and Development of Modern Economics / 0599
I. The French Physiocrats and Traditional Chinese Economic Thought / 0600
II. British Classical Economics and Traditional Chinese Economic Thought / 0619
III. German Natural Law Philosophy and Cameralism and Traditional Chinese Economic Thought / 0650
Section 3 Chinese Elements in the Innovation of Japanese Corporate Management Models / 0739
I. An Overview of Confucian Thought and Culture and the Formation of Japanese Corporate Management Philosophy / 0742
II. Case Analysis: Confucian Economic Ethics and Shibusawa Eiichi's Management Philosophy / 0750
III. Chinese Elements in Japan's "Analects Plus Abacus" Corporate Management Model / 0757
Section 4 The Positive Reception of The Economic Principles of Confucius and His School in Chinese and Foreign Academia / 0772
I. The Creation Background and Main Content of The Economic Principles of Confucius and His School / 0773
II. The Publication, Translation, and Academic Reception of The Economic Principles of Confucius and His School / 0778
III. Case Analysis: The Economic Principles of Confucius and His School and Keynesian Economic Thought / 0795
Section 5 Summary of This Chapter / 0810
Chapter 4 The Modern Value of Traditional Chinese Economic Thought
Section 1 The Paths and Methods of Inheriting and Innovating Traditional Chinese Economic Thought / 0816
I. Multiple Paths of Inheriting and Innovating Traditional Economic Thought from a Global Perspective / 0820
II. The Fundamental Path of Inheriting and Innovating Traditional Chinese Economic Thought / 0826
III. Multiple Methods of Inheriting and Innovating Traditional Economic Thought from a Global Perspective / 0831
IV. Academic and Practical Methods of Inheriting and Innovating Traditional Chinese Economic Thought / 0835
Section 2 Drawing on Traditional Economic Thought to Solve Practical Economic Problems / 0841
I. Traditional Chinese Population Policy Thought and Promoting High-Quality Population Development / 0842
II. Traditional Chinese Thought on Equalizing Wealth and Promoting Common Prosperity / 0855
III. Traditional Chinese Famine Relief Thought and Improving the Food Security Governance System / 0868
IV. Traditional Chinese Management Thought and Building Chinese-Style Corporate Management / 0882
V. Traditional Chinese Paper Money Thought and Improving Monetary Policy / 0897
Section 3 Extracting Elements of Traditional Economic Thought to Construct Chinese Economics / 0914
I. The Practical Basis and Great Significance of Drawing on Traditional Elements to Construct Chinese Economics / 0915
II. Expanding Individualist Methodology and Establishing a People-Centered Approach / 0923
III. Breaking Through Western Resource Allocation Theory and Clarifying the Relationship between Government and Market / 0928
IV. Promoting the Tradition of Practical Statecraft and Promoting Theoretical Innovation with a Problem-Oriented Approach / 0930
V. Excavating the Treasure House of Traditional Chinese Economic Thought and Extracting Signature Concepts / 0934
VI. Elucidating the Essence of China's Fine Traditional Culture and Implementing the New Development Philosophy / 0937
Section 4 Better Demonstrating the Worldwide Significance of Chinese Economic Thought in Mutual Learning among Civilizations / 0944
I. Enhancing Cultural Self-Awareness and Confidence, and Expanding Research on Traditional Chinese Economic Thought from an International Perspective / 0948
II. Grasping the Opportunities of the Times and Promptly Extracting Contemporary Chinese Economic Thought and Innovative Theories / 0957
III. Promoting Exchanges and Mutual Learning among Civilizations and Continuously Enhancing Communication Capacity and Effectiveness / 0960
Section 5 Summary of This Chapter / 0963
Conclusion / 0968
References / 0974
Index / 1104
Postscript / 1111
