Liang Shuming and the Populist Alternative in China

In Liang Shuming and the Populist Alternative in China, Catherine Lynch offers an alternative understanding of Liang Shuming’s work. While the current work on Liang suggests a connection to other Asian philosophical traditions (like Confucianism and Buddhism), this new work argues that Liang’s work is an important part of the evolution of the modern Chinese thought and examines the role of populist ideas in the development of Liang’s thinking. In addition to Liang’s writings, this reading of Liang relies on lengthy interviews the author completed with Liang as well as with people associated with Liang. This book adds a new perspective based on access the author had to Liang while he was still alive.

Catherine Lynch was Emeritus Professor of History at Eastern Connecticut State University before her death in 2015. At Eastern, she taught Asian History and completed numerous scholarly works on modern Chinese intellectual thinking.