Wang's biography of Fu Ssu-nien examines Fu's important role in modern China's intellectual development.

Acknowledgments; List of abbreviations; Chronology; Introduction: Fu Ssu-nien and post-1895 intellectual trends; 1. Fu Ssu-nien's early years; 2. The shaping of a new historical school; 3. Toward a theory of plural origins of Chinese civilization: hypotheses on ancient Chinese history; 4. Contra-introspective moral philosophy; 5. The burden of the May Fourth mentality; 6. Statism and the later days of a May Fourth youth; Conclusion: the defeat of a May Fourth youth; Appendix 1: a fragment from a short story attacking Ku Chieh-kang; Appendix 2: a transcript of a conversation between Fu Ssu-nien and Ch'en Pu-lei; Glossary; Bibliography; Index.