<Articles>Wei Yuan 魏源 : His Political and Economic (ching-shih 経世) Thought

Ohtani Toshio

doi:10.14989/shirin_54_827

Modern Chinese history began with the defeat of the Opium War. Here I will study the political and economic thought of Wei Yüan who, in this crucial period, tried to awaken the people to the internal and external danger of China, and proposed many reforms. He urged the necessity of the reform of the institutions based on a doctrine of "Wei-yen-ta-i" (微言大義 the great principles hidden in esoteric language) which was expounded by Kungyang-hsüeh (公羊学 a school of commentators of Confucius). His reform proposals were as follows. First of all, by the reform of Kó-chü (科挙), the able officials skilled in the administrative works should be substituted for ones proficient only in literature and poetry. Secondly, in economic policy, the salt policy, the navigation policy, the control of Huang-Ho (黄河) and the irrigation which have embarrassed the Chinese finance for a long time should be reformed. Futhermore, the flow of silver resulting from the opiumsmuggling should be remedied by the strict prohibition of opium-smoking and the exploitation of silver mines, then silver currency would be stabilized. The object of this economic policy is "Shih-li shih-kung" (実利実功) In foreign policy, by accepting and adopting the merits of the foreign arms and military systems, military forces enough to counterbalance the western powers should be established. In trade, the reasonable trade relations should be established instead of the existing unreasonable tributary trade. This thought of Wei Yüan's was succeeded by Yang wu-Pien fa (洋務変法) theory and had influence on Japan at the end of Tokugawa dynasty.

<Articles>Wei Yuan 魏源 : His Political and Economic (ching-shih 経世) Thought

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