THE CONCEPTUAL TRANSFORMATION OF SACRIFICE IN MODERN CHINA, 1895-1930

Abstract

In late Qing and early Republican China (1895-1930), the Chinese concept of sacrifice underwent a major transformation from a ritual victim to a moral and political act. The thesis examines the transformation from three interrelated angles.

In the domain of political rituals, history replaced cosmos or nature as the overarching context for ritual sacrifice. In the domain of intellectual history, newly formulated modern spiritual concept of jingshen fundamentally interiorized modern China?s spiritual landscape. In the domain of self-formation, nationalist self-sacrifice superseded age-old Confucian self-cultivation as the dominant ideal for elite selfhood.

The transformation of sacrifice prepared the grounds for momentous historical development in twentieth century China as the new concept of sacrifice engaged with older ideas and practices through conflicts and accommodation.