The Reorientation of Lu K'un (1536-1618) and Other Ming Dynasty Scholar-Officials

FAIN: FA-11540-76

Joanna F. Handlin
President and Fellows of Harvard College (Cambridge, MA 02138-3800)

To examine the reorientation of Lu K'un (1536-1618) and other Ming dynasty scholar-officials in several areas. To examine the breakdown of the solidarity of scholar-officials and the development of a new cohesion between scholar-officials and commoners. The study will show that as scholar-officials entered into a dialogue with the commoners there emerged new ideas such as a modified popular consensus, a shift from abstract principles to concrete goals as the basis for a sense of community, and the use of laws to protect individual desires.