This Pivot reconsiders the controversial literary figure of Lin Shu and
the debate surrounding his place in the history of Modern Chinese
Literature. Although recent Chinese mainland research has recognized
some of the innovations introduced by Lin Shu, he has often been labeled
a 'rightist reformer' in contrast to 'leftist reformers' such as Chen
Duxiu and the new wave scholars of the May Fourth Movement. This book
provides a well-documented account of his place in the different
polemics between these two circles ('conservatives' and 'reformers') and
provides a more nuanced account of the different literary movements of
the time. Notably, it argues that these differences were neither in
content nor in politics, but in the methodological approach of both
parties. Examining Lin Shu and the 'conservatives' advocated coexistence
of both traditional and modern thought, the book provides background to
the major changes occurring in the intellectual landscape of Modern
China.