Social Sciences in China (Chinese Edition)

No. 11, 2022

Exploring the Origins of the Intellectual History of Chinese Marxism

(Abstract)

Sun Daiyao and Lu Kuan

As a textual source of Chinese Marxism, the documents on the early spread of Marxism record the preliminary adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context. Prior to the founding of the Communist Party of China, socialism and Marx’s thought had been transmitted, disseminated and evolved intellectually for half a century. The history of this period, almost forgotten in the mists of time, requires that we draw on genuine and complete texts in combination with innovative truth-seeking research to rediscover and reconstruct this era. This approach can help recreate the intellectual landscape of Marxism’s first dissemination in China as well as allow us to examine the early shoots of modern Chinese philosophy and social sciences.