Modern Times
Chinese文明小史
Literal meaningShort History of Civilization or A Brief History of Modern Times or A Brief History of Enlightenment

Wenming Xiaoshi (Chinese: 文明小史), translated into English as Modern Times, is a novel by Li Baojia (Li Boyuan). The novel is a satire of pseudo-reformers in the Qing Dynasty period who found difficulty adjusting to modernization, including its complexities and problems. The novel consist of 60 chapters.[1] It has often been compared to Li's other novel Officialdom Unmasked.

Introduction of the novel (volume one) in a 1915 edition

From 1903 to 1905 the work was serialized in Fiction Illustrated.[2] The first edition of the entire work was published in 1906.[3] Douglas Lancashire published an English translation, titled "Modern Times," in 1996.[4]

Plot

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In Chapter 16 Master Yao takes his son and three disciplines and Shanghai in order to show what Western civilization looks like to them. Master Yao has them explore Shanghai and familiarize themselves with the academic programs at schools in the area.[5]

Characters

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References

Notes

  1. ^ PL, p. 548.
  2. ^ Doleželová-Velingerová, p. 724.
  3. ^ Hegel, p. 189.
  4. ^ Li, Boyuan (1996). Modern Times: A Brief History of Enlightenment. Translated by Lancashire, Douglas. Hong Kong: Chinese University Press. ISBN 962-7255-16-5.
  5. ^ a b Yeh, p. 128.

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