In The Language of Nation-State Building in Late Qing China, Qing Cao presents a fresh perspective on the intellectual foundation of modern China through an analysis of the epic debate between two influential periodicals in 1905–7. Through corpus-based discourse analysis of the debate, Cao examines the emergence, promotion, and internal tensions of key concepts such as “people,” “state,” and “revolution” in late Qing society. This analysis highlights the adaptation and appropriation of European post-Enlightenment values to the sociopolitical conditions of late Qing China, a transformation that reverberated throughout the twentieth century. This book is particularly valuable for scholars in Chinese studies and those interested in the role of language in shaping modern intellectual history and nation-building.
The main character of this study is Liang Qichao, a prominent nineteenth-century intellectual who advocated for reform and a new Chinese national identity. Cao portrays Liang as a powerful modernizer who tirelessly pursued...
