Mao Zedong's world view: From youth to Yanan. Item Type text; Dissertation-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Xin, Jianfei. Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 06/10/2021 21:05:20 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/187043 INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type of computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. 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Contact UMI directly to order. UMI A Bell & Howell Information Company 300 North Zeeb Road. Ann Arbor. M148106·1346 USA 313!761·4700 800:521·0600 MAO ZEDONG'S WORLD VIEW: FROM YOUTH TO YANAN by Jianfei Xin Copyright ~ Jianfei Kin 1995 A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF EAST ASIAN STUDIES In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 1 9 9 5 OMI Number: 9531068 Copyright 1995 by Xin, Jianfei All rights reserved. OMI Microform 9531068 Copyright 1995, by OMI Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. UMI 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, MI 48103 2 THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA GRADUATE COLLEGE As members of the Final Examination Committee, we certify that we have read the dissertation prepared by-------------------------------------- Jian:fei Xin entitled Mao Zedong's World View: From Youth to Yanan and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement for the Degree of ___D_o __ c_t_o_r __ o_f ___ P_h_i_l_o __ s_o~p_h~y~ ____________ __ 2/7/1995 Date 2/7/1995 Charles e e Date tUc, .•...J.A /~ 2/7/1995 Chia-lin Pao Tao Date Date Date Final approval and acceptance of this dissertation is contingent upon the candidate's submission of the final copy of the dissertation to the Graduate College. I hereby certify that I have read this dissertation prepared under my direction and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement. 2/7/1995 ng Date 3 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This dissertation has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at The University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this dissertation are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the copyright holder. / (/~, o9V"J--:­I 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS In the course of preparing and completing this dissertation, the author is deeply indebted to Professor Allen S. Whiting, Professor Charles Hedtke, and Professor Chia-lin Pao Tao for their reading and criticizing the manuscript. It is impossible for the author to accomplish the task without their help and encouragement. A special gratitude should go to Professor Whiting and his wife, Alice C. Whiting. My family and I have accumulated personal debts for their love, support and guidance over last six years, while we were living in Tucson--a lovely but exotic place for us. In addition, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the people who have assisted my studies at University of Arizona. Jianfei Xin 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ..... 8 INTRODUCTION . 10 PART ONE: WORLD THROUGH MAO'S EYES • 36 Chapter 1 World Watcher (1): Mao as a Radical Youth (1893-1920) . 36 Chapter 2 World Watcher (2): Mao as a Revolutionary (1921-1935) ......... 73 (I) A Nationalist with Marxist-Leninist Faith (1921-1927) ... 73 (II) A Communist in a Peripheral Position (1927-1935) .... 90 Chapter 3 World Watcher (3): Mao as a Communist Leader (1936-1941) 100 PART TWO: MAO'S PERCEPTIONS OF THE WORLD 141 Chapter 4 World and its Connection with China . 141 (I) Mao's Approach to the World as a Whole 142 (II) Mao's viewpoints of the Existing World Orders 149 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS (III) Mao's Trifocal Vision of the World Systems 160 Chapter 5 Mao and Soviet Russia: Relations, Attitudes and Images 178 Chapter 6 Mao and Other Great Powers: Relations, Attitudes and Images 210 (I) Mao and the United States 210 (II) Mao and Japan 224 (III) Mao and Great Britain, France, Ger.many . 236 PART THREE: MAO'S CONCEPTS OF THE WORLD: PRACTICE, PRINCIPLE AND THEORY 253 Chapter 7 Mao's World View in Practice and Principle: "Wai Jiao", "Nation-State" and "Sovereignt" 254 (I) What Did Wai Jiao Mean To Mao? 254 (II) How Did Mao Exercise nNation-Staten and nSovereigntyn? 268 7 TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 8 Mao's Famous Revolutionary Concepts and His World View ............ 288 Chapter 9 Mao's World View in Theory: Understanding the World and Changing the World--a Philosophical Perspective 313 CONCLUSION 334 REFERENCES 348 8 ABSTRACT The main thrust of this research is to explore Mao Zedong's world view from his youth to Yanan (1941), a relatively neglected period in academic circle. A thorough examination of Mao's writings, speeches and behaviors is believed the most complete and systematic discussion on the subject. The findings, through the analysis moving from vertical to horizontal, from micro to macro, from concrete to abstract, have bridged the gap in our knowledge. Two interrelated hypotheses are suggested at the outset: (1) Mao had built up a long-time international sense and perspective since he was very young, (2) Mao had shaped his own world view during the defined period at both concrete and abstract levels. The assumptions have gained factual and logical validation. A chronological, periodized, and overall outlook portrays Mao as a lively world observer, an enthusiastic commentator, and a bold predictor. Mao's judgments, inferences, and perceptions, whether accurate or erroneous, were the reflection of the connection between the real (objective) world and Mao's mental (subjective) world, either concordant or discrepant. Mao's subjective world was compose of various elements, mainly, nationalist mentality, 9 revolutionary interest and values, historical and cultural heritages, and personal experiences and characteristics. Mao's perceptions of the world as a whole and his images of the major powers, especially his relations with Soviet Union, provide a concrete framework of his world view at empirical basis. A macro analysis of world view-related three groups of concepts (foreign affairs related concepts, famous revolutionary concepts and philosophical concepts) offers abstract principles of Mao's world view at conceptual level. His belief of "understanding the world and changing the world" shows distinctive philosophical ground. His preference of change, struggle, unevenness, and flexibility had particular significance for featuring his world view. Four intellectual sources contributed to Mao's world view, such as: older Chinese traditions, the newly emerged tradition in modern China, western thought and learning, and Marxism-Leninism. Each of them functioned to influence Mao's world view in one way or another. Mao proved to be an eclectic with the label of sinicized Marxism. 10 INTRODUCTION The significance of the subject--Mao Zedong's world view, on the one hand, is embodied in modern Chinese history, politics, ideology and culture in which Mao played the most significant role. 1 On the other hand, the weakness of scholarly research on the topic necessitates a serious, systematic, and comprehensive study.2 The research undertaken for this thesis is intended to fill the gap in our knowledge. Through an examination of Mao's writings and behavior from his youth to Yanan era (up to 1941), this thesis aims to sketch a chronological, periodized, and overall outlook 1 While people may attribute historical preeminence to such great figures as Sun Yan-sen or Deng Xiaoping, I am firmly convinced that, in terms of the breadth and depth of his influence, the life of Mao Zedong (viewed either as a positive or negative element) was unquestionably the most influential person shaping the history of twentieth century China. 2'When reviewing scholarly literature (in both Chinese and English) on Mao, one is impressed by the sheer number of biographies, treatises, and reminiscences. Considering these, and the number of important studies on China's foreign policy, it is surprising that little research has been done on the development of Mao's perceptions of the world prior to 1941. However, some research is relevant, such as: Stuart R.