On Self-Cultivation
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Summary
Editor's review
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Young readers seeking personal growth and inner development
- Readers interested in thinking about the meaning of life and the philosophy of living
- Readers hoping to draw wisdom from classics to address real-life confusions
- Literature lovers who appreciate Zhu Guangqian's plain, earnest style
Not a good fit for
- Readers expecting concrete, quick-fix methodologies or success-oriented techniques
- Readers inclined toward plot-driven, tightly narrated works
Reading tips
- Read with a calm, reflective mindset; there is no need to rush—read one or two essays a day and connect them with your own experience
- Take notes as you read, record ideas that resonate or prompt thought, and try to relate them to your own life
- Some ideas reflect their historical context; when understanding them, combine their core spirit with contemporary circumstances and think creatively
About the publisher
Founded in 1997 and based in Beijing, Taihai Publishing House takes “building cultural bridges and promoting cross-strait unity” as its mission, focusing on Taiwan-related studies, social sciences and humanities, Chinese and foreign history, and literature. Judging from the 709 titles in the database, its publishing centers on foreign literature and classic works, with attention to Eastern philosophy, architecture, and social culture. Representative books include Hermann Hesse’s Siddhartha and Steppenwolf and the four-volume Hesse literary series, Liang Sicheng’s A History of Chinese Architecture, Lao She’s Teahouse (unabridged classic edition), Sun Wu’s The Art of War, and collections by W. Somerset Maugham, Yasunari Kawabata, and Yukio Mishima. Its authors include major foreign writers such as Hesse, Maugham, Kawabata, and Mishima, as well as Liang Sicheng, Lao She, and Sun Wu. Its publishing features complete presentation of classic texts and series-based organization of foreign literature; public information on its Taiwan-related studies titles and authors is limited.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 自序
- 一 一番语重心长的话——给现代中国青年
- 二 谈立志
- 三 朝抵抗力最大的路径走
- 四 谈青年的心理病态
- 五 个人本位与社会本位的伦理观
- 六 谈处群（上）——我们不善处群的病征
- 七 谈处群（中）——我们不善处群的病因
- 八 谈处群（下）——处群的训练
- 九 谈恻隐之心
- 十 谈羞恶之心
- 十一 谈冷静
- 十二 谈学问
- 十三 谈读书
- 十四 谈英雄崇拜
- 十五 谈交友
- 十六 谈性爱问题
- 十七 谈青年与恋爱结婚
- 十八 谈休息
- 十九 谈消遣
- 二十 谈体育
- 二一 谈价值意识
- 二二 谈美感教育
- 附录
- 我要向青年说的
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About the author
Zhu Guangqian (1897–1986), courtesy name Mengshi, was a native of Tongcheng, Anhui, and a renowned modern Chinese aesthetician, literary theorist, educator and translator, as well as one of the pioneers and founders of modern Chinese aesthetics. He studied at the University of Hong Kong and later pursued advanced studies at the University of Edinburgh in Britain and the University of Strasbourg in France, and after returning to China he taught for many years at Peking University. His works cover aesthetic theory, literary criticism and youth education, with representative titles including On Literary Psychology, On Beauty, On Poetry, A History of Western Aesthetics and Twelve Letters to Young People. His style is accessible and warm, explaining profound ideas in plain language, and his writings have influenced generations of readers. He also translated such Western classics as Hegel's Aesthetics and Vico's The New Science, making important contributions to the establishment of Chinese aesthetics as a discipline and the introduction of Western aesthetic thought.
