Chinese Studies Symposium(Vol.49 No.1)

Professors Axel Schneider and Peter B. Ditmanson were invited to give a talk at the Academic Seminars for CCS Scholars Worldwide on Oct. 3. In the first session, Prof. Schneider delivered his lecture, entitled “What is Conservatism? A Reflection on Intellectual History.” Prof. Schneider pointed out that Conservatism was not at all uninterested in progress, but values tradition, stability and genial change. In the second session of the seminar, Prof. Ditmanson lectured on “Early Ming Dynasty Book Publication and Its Supporters.” He argued that the preface functioned not only to introduce the author, but also to reveal information about the book's publication. Asking a grand secretary to write a preface was just like a guarantee to gain the government assistance, and so the preface of each book reflects the social networks of an author.