Thick Black Theory

Li ZongwuQunyan Publishing House · ChinaSep 2024

3.7

Word count: 188K words
Chapters: 35

Summary

The book Thick Black Theory spans literature, philosophy, politics, economics, psychology, sociology, and many other fields, and has caused a sensation and exerted a major influence in literary and intellectual circles. Its author's writings have endured for seventy or eighty years and remain bestsellers to this day.

Thick Black Theory is broad in content, profound in insight, and intellectually stimulating. Written in a fluent, relaxed style and a humorous, memorable language, it both broadens the reader's knowledge and offers genuine instruction, while also giving a very special pleasure in reading and aesthetic enjoyment.

Editor's review

Since its publication, Thick Black Theory has circulated and been debated for seventy or eighty years. Its value lies not in offering a set of social formulas to be copied, but in stripping away, with an almost black humor, the warm veil of traditional moral discourse and revealing another side of the exercise of power in history and reality. Li Zongwu's writing is not obscure; it is fluent and relaxed, humorous and memorable. He fuses literature, philosophy, politics, economics, psychology, and social observation into one, so that reading gives both intellectual shock and a special pleasure. It should be noted that many of the book's judgments bear strong marks of their era and are deeply ironic; readers who treat it as a "thick and black operations manual" teaching people to do evil would precisely betray the author's original intent of warning the world through indignant words. The ideal way to read it is as a mirror: it reflects the complexity of human nature and institutions, and also reflects one's own hesitation when facing interests and principles. It is suitable for slow reading in leisure, for repeated chewing over, and for analysis in light of history and reality, rather than for hastily applying it to life.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in modern Chinese intellectual history and works of social criticism
Readers who enjoy a humorous, sharp style and are willing to think about human nature and power relations
Upper-grade students and working professionals who wish to broaden their perspectives and train independent judgment
Enthusiasts of reading and writing in literature, history, and sociology

Not a good fit for

Readers hoping to directly copy social techniques and seek shortcuts to success
Teenagers whose values are not yet formed and who may mistake irony for a guide to behavior
Readers who prefer systematic, rigorous academic argument and do not accept essayistic discussion

Reading tips

Read the preface and core chapters first to grasp the author's ironic tone, then read the whole book to avoid taking passages out of context.
After each part, write a few lines of analysis in connection with a historical or contemporary case, distinguishing description from advocacy.
Read it alongside traditional works on ethics to appreciate the pointedness of the author's critique and the limitations of his era.
Do not pursue speed; it is suitable for reading one small section a day, leaving room for afterthought and questioning.

About the publisher

Qunyan Publishing House China · Founded in 1989

Founded in 1989, Qunyan Publishing House has long been committed to publishing academic and educational books for mid- and high-level readers, and has built up a certain presence in Eastern philosophy, classical literature, and classic works. Representative titles available in the database include Records of the Grand Historian, Dream of the Red Chamber, Selections of Refined Literature, Complete Song Ci, Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, Record of Daily Knowledge, Taiping Huimin Hejiju Fang, and The Collected Works of Wang Yangming, covering common categories such as ancient poetry, medicine, and examinations. Its author resources include Sima Qian, Cao Xueqin, Xiao Tong, Li Shan, Pu Songling, and Gu Yanwu. The press also offers distinctive series such as the Biographical Series of the China Democratic League and the Historical Documents Series of the China Democratic League, and publishes research on historical documents, biographies, memoirs, and textbooks and academic works by League members. Public information is limited, and its overall publishing scale and complete catalogue require further verification.

版权信息
第一篇厚黑学
自序
一绪论
二厚黑学
三厚黑经
四厚黑传习录
五结论
第二篇厚黑原理
自序一
自序二
一性灵与磁电
二孟荀言性争点
三宋儒言性误点
四告子言性正确
五心理依力学规律而变化
六人事变化之轨道
七世界进化之轨道
八达尔文学说之修正
九克鲁泡特金学说之修正
十我国古哲学说含有力学原理
十一经济、政治、外交三者应采用合力主义
第三篇厚黑丛话
自序
致读者诸君
厚黑丛话卷一
厚黑丛话卷二
厚黑丛话卷三
厚黑丛话卷四
厚黑丛话卷五
厚黑丛话卷六
第四篇厚黑别论
自序
我对于圣人之怀疑
怕老婆的哲学

FAQ

Is Thick Black Theory teaching people to do evil?

It cannot be understood so simply. Much of the book is ironic and indignant; its focus is on revealing the gap between moral discourse and the exercise of power in history, not on providing a set of methods for harming others and benefiting oneself. Readers who extract only individual conclusions and copy them are likely to misread the author's intent.

Can I read it without a background in philosophy and sociology?

Yes. The book is written in a fluent, relaxed, and humorous style and does not rely on specialized terminology. But it involves multiple backgrounds of history, politics, and psychology; if you want to read it more thoroughly, some general knowledge of modern history will be helpful.

What age group is this book suitable for?

It is more suitable for adult readers with some social experience and independent judgment, as well as upper-grade students. Younger readers whose values are still forming may easily take the book's ironic statements as standards of behavior, and are advised to read it under the guidance of teachers or parents.

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About the author

Li Zongwu Author · Chinese · 1879–1943

Li Zongwu (1879–1943), originally named Shiquan and later renamed Shikai, with the courtesy name Zongru, was a modern Chinese thinker and educator from Ziliujing in Fushun, Sichuan (present-day Zigong). He worked in education for many years, serving as a middle school principal and a provincial school inspector. In 1912 he became known for his essay "The Philosophy of Thick Black," and styled himself the "Thick Black Patriarch." He later wrote works including "Talks on Thick Black," "Trends in Chinese Scholarship," and "A Discussion of Social Problems." His writing is sharp and humorous, often using historical figures and social phenomena to analyze human nature, with a plain and satirical style. The collection contains 23 of his works, including complete, collected, and illustrated editions of The Philosophy of Thick Black, as well as essays and academic commentary, mostly on social culture, Eastern philosophy, and applied psychology, and they have circulated widely as popular reading.