In this interview, we explore Felix Erdt’s research on how Confucian scholars from Sichuan engaged with Western concepts of history and progress during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Erdt delves into how these thinkers reconciled traditional Chinese philosophical frameworks, such as Yin and Yang, with the modern idea of an open, unpredictable future. We also discuss how the cultural and intellectual landscape of Sichuan influenced these scholars’ perspectives and their innovative reinterpretations of modernity, offering insights into the complexities of China’s reception of Western thought.

Questions for Felix Erdt:

1. How were Western concepts like modern history and progress received in China at the turn of the last century?

2. Your research focuses on scholars with a Confucian background. How did they engage with modern notions of progress?

3. The scholars you studied come from Sichuan. What unique cultural or intellectual characteristics of this region shaped their perspectives?

4. How did traditional elements, such as Yin and Yang, enable them to understand the complexities between Chinese historical perspectives and progressive ideas?

5. Could you tell us a bit about your new research project on Redemptive Societies and what you aim to explore through it?

Introduction to Felix Erdt:

Felix Erdt completed his PhD and served as a lecturer in the Department of East Asian Studies at the University of Göttingen, focusing on the critical reception of modern notions of history by scholars from Sichuan with a strong Confucian educational background in Republican China. His research interests encompass modern historiography, the intellectual history of modern China, as well as conservatism and religion. His recent research focuses on the religious groups of the so-called redemptive societies in Republican China. He is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Modern History, Academia Sinica.