Human Nature versus Human Agency: A Different Perspective on Kang Youwei's Philosophy of History1.

Most appraisals of representations of history in the philosophy of Kang Youwei 康有為 (1858-1927) tend to concentrate on depictions of linear historical transformations that were characteristic of some of his most renowned works, such as The Book of Great Unity (Datong shu 大同書). However, this approach tends to overlook the multifaceted nature of Kang's thought in general, and how the early phases of its development continued to have an impact on later ideas. This article analyses a relatively overlooked text written by Kang during his formative years, 'On Human Nature and Learning' ('Xing xue pian' 性學篇), in which he expounds a cyclical understanding of history. In this text, Kang describes the creation of civilisational forms based on the most natural traits of human nature; followed by a period of decline resulting from human agency and reasoning which have gradually lost their footing in such traits. After such a process of decline and destruction, Kang posits the re-emergence of the aforementioned civilisational forms in a process that is continually repeated; and associates the dynamics of development and decline with Confucianism and Buddhism respectively. 'On Human Nature and Learning' not only represents a fascinating object of study in its own right but also an extremely useful perspective from which to reflect upon and nuance the true import of Kang's later linear visions of history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]