Professor Qian recognized that Neo-Confucianism took a major turn since the late-Ming. The development from Yangming School to Zhedong School indicated an inevitable transformation from Neo-Confucianism to historical study. Continuing this tradition and confronting the challenge of his era, Professor Qian focused his scholarship not on contemplating abstract principles but on unveiling the truth and meaning of history. However, this does not mean that he was not interested in basic principles, but that he, following the example set by Zhedong School, would not separate the study of principles from concrete events. Having uncovered the meaning of crucial historical events, Professor Qian's works were highly inspiring and touching, and there were Neo-Confucian values to be found in his study of cultural-intellectual history and his theory of the spirit of Chinese culture. Professor Qian inquired deeply into numerous schools of learning in order to achieve the goal of "learning to be an ideal person," and absorbed Buddhism and Western learning to expand the horizon of this inquiry. The scope of his scholarship had long surpassed that of Neo-Confucianism, but it was still a scholarship that originated from "learning to be an ideal person," a tradition initiated by Confucius, inherited by Neo-Confucians, and followed incessantly by later Chinese.
Keywords: Qian Mu, Neo-Confucianism, praxis, learning to be an ideal person, historiography, orthodox tradition, modern scholarship
