Chen Caijun, a professor of history at Ji'nan University, has recently published his book Communication and Evolution: Knowledge, Culture, and Belief in China Since the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
Published by the China Social Sciences Press, the book mainly discusses the collision of ideas and the dialogue between different civilizations caused by the spread of Christianity in China, as well as knowledge transformation, cultural evolution, innovation in education, and the conflict of beliefs in modern China.
This book is a collection of some of Professor Chen Caijun's research on the history of cultural exchange between the East and the West from the mid-16th century to the mid-20th century. It covers the fields of history, philosophy, religion, education, linguistics, and communication. Focusing on the theme of the Christian religion and the cultural exchanges between China and the West in modern times, the author selects and examines the cases with a discerning eye in order to reveal, in the meeting of civilizations, the awakening, and renewal of Chinese social culture since the Age of Discovery.
Chen Caijun is a native of the city of Songzi in Hubei. He holds a bachelor of arts degree in English Language and Literature, a master of arts degree in Modern and Contemporary Chinese Culture, and a doctorate degree in Modern Chinese History from Central China Normal University. He is a professor of history and the director of the Sino-Christian History Research Center at Ji’nan University. His main research interests are the history of cultural exchanges between China and the West, the history of Christianity, and sinology.
- Translated by Joyce Leung
