Author ｜
Wei-yun Chiu
Abstract ｜
This study, by adopting a combination of the theory of metaphor and history of ideas, aims to explore the development process of how intellectuals in modern China received and spread the contemporary concept of equality from Western society through the conceptual metaphor of equality. The analysis of this study is based on crucial political newspapers around the end of the Qing Dynasty, including both constitutionalists and revolutionaries. This study, depending on the theory of metaphor, outlines the typology of conceptual metaphors used by the constitutionalists and revolutionaries. Based on the study outcomes regarding the history of ideas of equality in contemporary China, I indicate the functions and purposes the intellectuals used to conduct their political narratives through the conceptual metaphors. The results of this study show that the intellectuals in the late Qing had different themes and purposes of equality concept according to different political stands. The constitutionalists hold a stand that monarch and people are equal in consideration of the constitutional monarchy, while the revolutionaries hold a stand that Manchu and Han are equal in an account of overthrowing the Qing dynasty. Given the twofold equal concepts, the different metaphor types of equal emerged. The results of this study are mainly to outline the typology of equal metaphor from the constitutionalists and the revolutionaries and the structures of equal metaphor along with the trajectories of political battles between two sides. This study tries to introduce the theory of metaphor to deepen the methodology of history of ideas, looking forward to revealing how old ideas assist the spread of new ones through mapping of metaphor. It is expected that this comprehensive method can improve the mutual development between history of ideas and relevant metaphor theories, which is precisely the practical values and prospects of this study.
keywords ｜
metaphor, history of ideas, equality, constitutionalists, revolutionaries