大辂椎轮，创始不易——中国近代学术的转型与王国维的戏曲研究 Huge Chariots and Wheels without Spokes, the Difficulty of Initiation — The Transition of Modern Chinese Learning and Wang Guowei's Traditional Chinese Opera Studies

Abstract

The great achievement of Wang Guowei in academic research was by no means an accident. This was a result of the driving effects of academic cultural elements of that time and individual effort, as what has been expressed by the proverb 'the times produces heroes.' With strong academic training and reasonable knowledge structure, Wang became the founding father of the studies of traditional Chinese opera. His research methodologies, achievements and characteristics were also related to the above mentioned qualities. Wang's research covered different branches of traditional Chinese opera, and had also contributed many novel and unique views. However, imperfectness was also evident within his research, and such imperfectness, along with the growth of Wang's influence, had also intensified to become problems in the scientific development of traditional Chinese opera studies. Notwithstanding this, the prominant position of Wang in the history of learning is firmly established.

Keywords: Wang Guowei, Traditional Chinese Opera, History of Learning