The balance of yin and yang reflects an early form of dialectical thinking. Image generated by AI

Classical studies is a comprehensive humanities discipline centered on classical civilizations and grounded in rigorous scholarly methods. Its inquiry spans textual criticism, archaeological investigation, historical analysis, conceptual interpretation, and comparative research on civilizations, and carries the important mission of bridging ancient and modern cultural traditions, drawing wisdom from the classics, and advancing dialogue among civilizations. Given the complexity of its subject matter, its interdisciplinary character, and its exceptionally broad scope, classical studies requires dialectical thinking to clarify its main lines of inquiry, identify key priorities, and grasp underlying patterns, thereby achieving an organic unity between inheritance and innovation.

Dialectics is deeply embedded in the fabric of classical civilizations and constitutes an important scholarly tradition within classical studies. Whether in Socrates’ use of probing questions to dissect contradictions within ideas, Plato’s use of dialogue to explore tensions inherent in concepts and principles, or the rigorous and comprehensive modes of understanding developed by China’s Hundred Schools of Thought during the pre-Qin period (prior to 221 BCE), centered on the balance of yin and yang, each reflects an early form of dialectical thinking.

Dialectics is part of the intellectual DNA of classical studies, rather than an external tool imposed on the discipline by later generations. Recognizing dialectics as a tradition of classical scholarship means breaking down barriers to understanding among different classical civilizations—neither blindly following Eurocentric narratives nor falling into the extremes of revivalism and exclusionism. In this way, classical studies can serve as a cultural medium linking past and present and connecting China with the wider world.

Effectively applying dialectics in classical studies first requires viewing classical civilizations as interconnected, evolving, and dynamic. Classical civilizations have never been isolated, closed, or static relics of texts and history; rather, they are living entities shaped by extensive connections, continual development, and constant renewal.

If classical studies abandons dialectical thinking and dissects classical texts in isolation, divorced from the historical contexts and intellectual systems that shaped them, it is liable to produce fragmented interpretations that wrench passages from their context. If historical traditions are examined solely through a static lens, with no regard for the objective patterns of civilizational evolution, the discipline risks falling into the dogmatic trap of being uncritically bound to the past. Likewise, if classical civilizations are viewed from a one-sided perspective that rejects engagement with contemporary realities as a means of expanding the scope of interpretation, classical studies will ultimately amount to little more than empty theorizing.

The key to effectively applying dialectics in classical studies lies in properly navigating the relationship between inheritance and innovation. Inheritance is the prerequisite and foundation of scholarly research, while innovation provides the impetus and direction for academic development. The two are complementary and equally indispensable. Throughout the history of human scholarship, every scholarly achievement of profound and lasting influence has emerged through continual innovation grounded in the inheritance of cultural traditions.

In classical studies, the inheritance of cultural traditions rests above all on firm foundations, a clear understanding of origins, and fidelity to historical facts. It involves not only clarifying the evolution of texts, the development of commentarial traditions, and the genealogies of different schools of thought in order to accurately grasp the meaning and principles of classical works, but also interpreting the classics within their specific historical contexts. Such interpretations should be grounded in the social structures, intellectual climates, and cultural circumstances of particular periods, thereby fully carrying forward scholarly traditions and the essence of the civilization. A solid grounding in textual scholarship and a clear line of intellectual reasoning provide a firm and reliable foundation for subsequent theoretical interpretation, ensuring that innovation does not lapse into subjective speculation.

Innovation in classical studies should focus on bringing Chinese and Western comparative perspectives into dialogue, drawing on interdisciplinary approaches and research findings, and moving beyond fragmented research paradigms. At the same time, it should remain closely attuned to the needs of the present, thoroughly explore the contemporary relevance and intellectual significance of classical civilizations, and articulate these insights in clear and accessible language, while avoiding novelty for novelty’s sake or subjective conjecture.

Ultimately, making effective use of dialectics in classical studies should serve the goal of “drawing upon the past to serve the present.” Practical engagement with state governance and society is an inherent characteristic of classical scholarship. Ancient Chinese scholars consistently rejected scholarship detached from reality and empty discussion of abstract principles. Their efforts in collating classical texts, interpreting the teachings of various philosophical schools, and examining historical records were primarily aimed at distilling practical wisdom in service of social governance and people’s well-being.

Ancient Greek classical thought was rooted in the public life of the city-state. Ancient thinkers engaged in debates on rationality and communal life, seeking to address the challenges of constructing social order and cultivating civic virtue. This shows that, from its intellectual origins, classical studies has been oriented toward engaging with social realities and addressing practical problems. Simply burying oneself in old texts and devoting one’s efforts solely to textual collation and evidential research based on ancient manuscripts would reduce classical studies to academic self-entertainment within a small elite circle—a departure from the discipline’s very foundation and original mission.

Yang Hongyuan is a research fellow from the Institute of Philosophy at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.