Please read Feng Youlan's "The Spirit of Chinese Philosophy", pages 1-10 and write your answers to these questions by replying to the teachers' questioning post.
1. What misunderstanding about Chinese philosophy does Prof. Feng Youlan bring up in the article?
2. What is the spirit of Chinese philosophy according to Feng?
3. How do you comment on Feng's creative interpretation of Chinese philosophy?
(1) Chinese philosophies like Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism are all religions.
(2) Chinese philosophy is only a this-world philosophy, which has led Chinese people far from the spiritual world.
2. Spirit
According to Feng, the spirit of Chinese philosophy is ''sageliness within and kingkiness without'', which means that we Chinese people apply philosophical ideas to daily behaviors. Therefore we can truly know as well as experience philosophy at the same time.
3. My Comment
First of all, I sincerely appreciate Mr.Feng's explaining the profound in simple terms and clear structure.
The first part, Place of Philosophy in Chinese Civilization, has illustrated well that philosophy is in the place between science and religion, which is similar to Bertrand Russel's "Philosophy, in my understanding of the world, is something that is between theology and science.", with explanation of three fundamental philosophy of China-- Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism, and the function of them. Personally, I am especially fond of his "Fortunately, however, besides religion there is philosophy, which provides man with an access to the higher values."
In the second part, Problem and Spirit of Chinese Philosophy, Feng subtly grasped the viewpoints of other-worldliness and this-wordiness to clarify Chinese philosophy's spirit, "sageliness within and kingliness without", which is similar to Plato's philosopher-king. The comparison of Western and Eastern philosophy is a stroke of genius.
Westerners think Confucianism,Taoism and Buddhism are religions and Chinese people are permeated with them.and they make a surface of view that Chinese philosophy is only a this-world philosophy.
2.Spirit
Feng’s perspective is that Chinese philosophy is “sageliness within and kindliness without.”and the Chinese philosophy is to accomplish a synthesis out of those antitheses.
3.comment
I really appreciate Feng’s perspectives. Formerly,I have ambiguous understanding of Chinese philosophy,especially Confucianism,Taoism and Buddhism.Now I know something about the distinction between religion and the three.They are ethics,not religion and they provide the spiritual basis of Chinese civilization.However,there is a flaw.If the essay use more data and examples to prove its points,it can be understood further and easier.
Westerners think Confucianism,Taoism and Buddhism are religions and Chinese people are permeated with them.and they make a surface of view that Chinese philosophy is only a this-world philosophy.
2.Spirit
Feng’s perspective is that Chinese philosophy is “sageliness within and kindliness without.”and the Chinese philosophy is to accomplish a synthesis out of those antitheses.
3.comment
I really appreciate Feng’s perspectives. Formerly,I have ambiguous understanding of Chinese philosophy,especially Confucianism,Taoism and Buddhism.Now I know something about the distinction between religion and the three.They are ethics,not religion and they provide the spiritual basis of Chinese civilization.However,there is a flaw.If the essay use more data and examples to prove its points,it can be understood further and easier.
1. Misunderstanding
①Prof. Feng said that the Four Books have been the Bible of the Chinese people. Although he added that there is no mention of heaven or hell in the Four Books, it may also leave a superficial mislead to Westerners that the Four Books contain some religion.
②He brought up an opinion that Chinese philosophy's function is not the increase of positive knowledge but the elevation of the mind. This may also result in a misunderstanding that Chinese philosophy does not care about positive knowledge.
③Chinese philosophy is a this-world philosophy.
2. According to Feng, the spirit of Chinese philosophy is both of this world and of the other world, which can be described as one of "sageliness within and kingliness without".
3. My comment
Generally speaking, Prof. Feng had given a clearer description and interpretation of Chinese philosophy to Westerners at that time, by mentioning and comparing both Chinese philosophy and Western philosophy. But there are also some misunderstandings. These may have been influenced by the era and environment at that time.
Besides, some opinions lack proof. For example, he said that the Chinese people take even their religion philosophically, but there are no detailed examples to prove in the following text.
In short, Prof. Feng's interpretation is of great significance to both Westerners and Chinese people, and for the current research and dissemination of Chinese philosophy, it is still necessary to continue moving forward.
Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism are three religions.
Chinese philosophy is a this-world religion.
2. The spirit of Chinese philosophy is the synthesis of this-worldliness and other-worldliness. The former being extremely idealistic, the latter being extremely realistic, this spirit is to be practiced by the sage, who in this case bears the character of "sageliness within and kindliness without".
3. Comment:
The place which philosophy has occupied in Chinese civilization has been comparable to that of religion in other civilizations. In China, philosophy has been every educated person's concern. In the old days. if a man were educated at all, the first education he received was in philosophy. When children went to school, the Four Books, which consist of the Confucian Analects, the Book of Mencius, the Great Learning, and the Doctrine of the Mean, were the first ones they were taught to read. The Four Books were the most important texts of Neo-Confucianist philosophy. Sometimes when the children were just beginning to learn the characters, they were given a sort of textbook to read. This was known as the Three Characters Classic, and was so called because each sentence in the book consisted of three characters arranged so that when recited they produced a rhythmic effect, and thus helped the children to memorize them more easily. This book was in reality a primer and the very first statement in it is that "the nature of man is originally good." This is one of the fundamental ideas of Mencius' philosophy
Feng Youlan argues that Lao-tzu was later than Confucius, Mozi and Yang Zhu in the early Warring States period, and even Huishi and Gongsunlong in the late Warring States period. Hui Shi was a good friend of Zhuang Zi, which means that if he did not show mercy, Lao Zi would even have to line up behind Zhuang Zi.
The Realm of life Feng Youlan believes that Chinese philosophy is concerned with the realm of life. The realm of life is divided into four kinds: the realm of nature, the realm of utility, the realm of morality and the realm of heaven and earth. These four realms represent different life pursuits and values. We should constantly improve our life realm and pursue higher value goals.
Inner transcendence Different from Western philosophy's pursuit of the external objective world, Chinese philosophy emphasizes inner transcendence. This transcendence means that through inner cultivation and practice, one reaches a state of connection with the universe.
Comment:First of all, I admire Mr. Feng Youlan very much, but we should also have a dialectical vision.
①To the Westerners, the Confucianism is a religion for it permeated in Chinese people’s life.
②Chinese seems to be unconscious of those values which are higher than the moral ones because we don’t care about religion but the ethics, while religion is a way to realize the fundamental desires for many foreigners.
③There are many people who say that Chinese philosophy is a this-world philosophy.
2. The spirit of Chinse philosophy is to figure out how to accomplish a synthesis out of the antitheses of “this-worldiness” and “other-worldiness”, and to enable to develop the character of the sage— “the sageliness within and kingliness without”.
3. His conclusion is systematic and thought provoking, which has proposed unique insights on many philosophical and cultural issues.
On the one hand, he interpreted philosophy in simple and profound terms as “a systematic reflection on life”. This is different from the abstract definitions of philosophers such as Plato and Hegel, and is more life oriented and Chinese oriented. Thus, it perfectly explains how Chinese people maintain super-moral values while not believing in religion for philosophy satisfies their innate desire of mankind and instructs their behaviors. And from such a conclusion I learnt how important and urgent the philosophy is required in such a faith-absent era. Also, everyone has a need for super-moral values without realizing it.
On the other hand, Feng's description is structured, which systematically connects scattered points, giving a picture of the whole traditional Chinese philosophy; and his narration is vivid and limped by citing classics and allusions and comparing with the western philosophy.
Furthermore, he introduces Chinese philosophical concepts through the translation of Western classics, and follow the rule of faithfulness, expressiveness, and elegance. Only through a thorough comprehension of both Chinses and Western culture could Feng accurately translate Chinese philosophy in English and use the most familiar cultural concepts of Western culture to analogize Chinese philosophical concepts. This is a top-level means of promoting Chinese culture and the best Chinese cultural education for Westerners. For instance, the Confucious notion “内圣外王” was translated as “inner sageliness and outer kingliness”, while Plato believed in "The Republic" that philosophers of excellent birth who were not burdened by wealth and material possessions were called Philosophy king.
Though his idea is innovative and inspiring, I hold divergent opinion with some of his comments.
First is his boldly prediction of “philosophy substitutes for religion”. Though philosophy is purer and more scientific, it also has high requirements for its own intelligence and spiritual literacy, which not everyone can achieve, even in Chinese philosophy we had totemism. While religion is more direct and absolute, hence has a higher universality among the general public.
Another disagreement is also related to religion. Recalling the history, Feng reckons the relation of religion and science is wane and wax. While they are more like complement each other from my perspective. Einstein also said, "Science without religion is lame, and religion without science is blind." Although there are differences in content and even some inconsistencies between science and religion, this does not necessarily mean that science and religion are in a hostile state.
Chinese philosophy to Chinese civilization has been regarded as religion to other civilizations.
As Confucianism permeating in the life of Chinese people, the Westerners see it as religion which they are immersed in. The westerners who have faith in religion always do some rituals, for example praying and going to the church weekly, to show their loyalty to the God. At most time only by practicing such special rites can they hold the canonical beliefs tightly. While the Chinese beg to the differ by treating Chinese philosophy as guidelines or teachings (the same as Platonism or Aristotelian-ism) that shape us a good man and instill us with kindness, loyalty, the spirit of resilience and the like. That’s the most noticeable and macro misunderstanding I can catch from the essay and my own thoughts.
Also from the micro perspective, Prof. Feng mentioned that the love of Chinese is different from that of the westerners. Influenced by Chinese philosophy including Confucianism, Chinese are prone to love a real and actual person in the world, who may be the families, teachers, friends or even an unfamiliar stranger, while the westerners have a kind of faithful love to the God, which is referred to as super-moral value.
Westerners think Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism are religions, and Chinese people are deeply influenced by it. They seem to think that Chinese philosophy is just a kind of secular philosophy.
2. spirit
Feng's view is that Chinese philosophy is "a sage inside and a benevolent outside." "Chinese philosophy is to unify these opposites.
3. Comments
I really appreciate Feng's point. Previously, my understanding of Chinese philosophy was vague, especially Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. Now I know something about religion and the difference between the three. They are ethics, not religion, and the spiritual foundation of Chinese civilization. There is, however, a drawback. If the article uses more data and examples to prove its point, it can go further and be easier to understand.
(1). Westerner keeps the point of vies that the life of Chinese people is permeated with Confucianism.They consider Confucianism as a religion.（2）At present it is known to many Westerners that the Chinese people have been less concerned with religion. And wasterners think the craving for what is beyond the present actual world is not one ofthe innate desires of mankind, so Chinese is an exception.
1. Chinese philosophy in Chinese civilization has been comparable to the religion in other civilizations.
Some Westerners regard Confucianism as a religion in China.
2. The spirit of Chinese philosophy is both of this world and of the other world, and it goes straight to what antedated Heaven, which means it is at the same time both extremely idealistic and extremely realistic, and very practical. The Chinese philosophy emphasizes and tries to develop the spirit of "sageness within and kingliness without", which means the person accomplishes spiritual cultivation and functions in society at the same time.
3. From my perspective, Feng's interpretation of Chinese philosophy is almost complete as he tried to interpret it from different angles considering Chinese history as well. He tries to distinguish philosophy and religion by listing their differences in detail. And I think he gets to the core nature of Chinese philosophy by pointing out the spiritual basis of Chinese civilization - ethics. In the following passage, when he discusses the spirit of Chinese philosophy, the history of ancient China mentioned by him also heIps us understand our national culture or philosophy better.
Westerners think Confucianism,Taoism and Buddhism are religions and Chinese people are permeated with them.and they make a surface of view that Chinese philosophy is only a this-world philosophy.
2.Spirit
Feng’s perspective is that Chinese philosophy is “sageliness within and kindliness without.”and the Chinese philosophy is to accomplish a synthesis out of those antitheses.
3.comment
I really appreciate Feng’s perspectives. Formerly,I have ambiguous understanding of Chinese philosophy,especially Confucianism,Taoism and Buddhism.Now I know something about the distinction between religion and the three.They are ethics,not religion and they provide the spiritual basis of Chinese civilization.However,there is a flaw.If the essay use more data and examples to prove its points,it can be understood further and easier.
1. Chinese philosophy in Chinese civilisation is comparable to religion in other civilisations. Some Westerners regard Confucianism Taoism and Buddhism as Chinese religions. Besides, Chinese philosophy is a this-world philosophy but actually it's both of this-world and other-world.
Spirit:
2. The spirit of Chinese philosophy is not only this world, but also another world. It goes straight to the kingdom of heaven, which is not only extremely idealistic, but also extremely realistic, but also very realistic. Chinese philosophy emphasises and tries to develop the spirit of "inner saint, external king", that is, people complete spiritual cultivation and play a role in society at the same time.
3. In my opinion, Feng's interpretation of Chinese philosophy is almost complete, because he tries to explain Chinese philosophy from different angles, and also considers Chinese history. He tried to distinguish between philosophy and religion by listing them in detail. I think he touched on the core essence of Chinese philosophy by pointing out the spiritual foundation of Chinese civilisation - ethics. In the following passage, when he talks about the spirit of Chinese philosophy, the ancient Chinese history he mentioned also helps us better understand our national culture or philosophy.
Westerners think Confucianism,Taoism and Buddhism are religions and Chinese people are permeated with them.and they make a surface of view that Chinese philosophy is only a this-world philosophy.
2.Spirit
Feng’s perspective is that Chinese philosophy is “sageliness within and kindliness without.”and the Chinese philosophy is to accomplish a synthesis out of those antitheses.
3.comment
I really appreciate Feng’s perspectives. Formerly,I have ambiguous understanding of Chinese philosophy,especially Confucianism,Taoism and Buddhism.Now I know something about the distinction between religion and the three.They are ethics,not religion and they provide the spiritual basis of Chinese civilization.However,there is a flaw.If the essay use more data and examples to prove its points,it can be understood further and easier.
Westerners think Confucianism,Taoism and Buddhism are religions and Chinese people are permeated with them.and they make a surface of view that Chinese philosophy is only a this-world philosophy.
2.Spirit
Feng’s perspective is that Chinese philosophy is “sageliness within and kindliness without.”and the Chinese philosophy is to accomplish a synthesis out of those antitheses.
3.comment
I really appreciate Feng’s perspectives. Formerly,I have ambiguous understanding of Chinese philosophy,especially Confucianism,Taoism and Buddhism.Now I know something about the distinction between religion and the three.They are ethics,not religion and they provide the spiritual basis of Chinese civilization.However,there is a flaw.If the essay use more data and examples to prove its points,it can be understood further and easier.
Westerners think Confucianism,Taoism and Buddhism are religions and Chinese people are permeated with them.and they make a surface of view that Chinese philosophy is only a this-world philosophy.
2.Spirit
Feng’s perspective is that Chinese philosophy is “sageliness within and kindliness without.”and the Chinese philosophy is to accomplish a synthesis out of those antitheses.
3.comment
I really appreciate Feng’s perspectives. Formerly,I have ambiguous understanding of Chinese philosophy,especially Confucianism,Taoism and Buddhism.Now I know something about the distinction between religion and the three.They are ethics,not religion and they provide the spiritual basis of Chinese civilization.However,there is a flaw.If the essay use more data and examples to prove its points,it can be understood further and easier.
(1) Chinese philosophies like Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism are all religions.
(2) Chinese philosophy is only a this-world philosophy, which has led Chinese people far from the spiritual world.
2. Spirit
According to Feng, the spirit of Chinese philosophy is ''sageliness within and kingkiness without'', which means that we Chinese people apply philosophical ideas to daily behaviors. Therefore we can truly know as well as experience philosophy at the same time.
3. My Comment
First of all, I sincerely appreciate Mr.Feng's explaining the profound in simple terms and clear structure.
The first part, Place of Philosophy in Chinese Civilization, has illustrated well that philosophy is in the place between science and religion, which is similar to Bertrand Russel's "Philosophy, in my understanding of the world, is something that is between theology and science.", with explanation of three fundamental philosophy of China-- Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism, and the function of them. Personally, I am especially fond of his "Fortunately, however, besides religion there is philosophy, which provides man with an access to the higher values."
In the second part, Problem and Spirit of Chinese Philosophy, Feng subtly grasped the viewpoints of other-worldliness and this-wordiness to clarify Chinese philosophy's spirit, "sageliness within and kingliness without", which is similar to Plato's philosopher-king. The comparison of Western and Eastern philosophy is a stroke of genius.
(1). Westerner keeps the point of vies that the life of Chinese people is permeated with Confucianism.They consider Confucianism as a religion.
(2).They think that Chinese philosophies like Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism are all religions.
(3).They trust that Chinese philosophy is only a this-world philosophy.This caused the fact that Chinese people have no craving for what is beyond the actual world.
2. Spirit
The spirit of Chinese philosophy is, as Prof. Feng mentioned: It is both of this world and of the other world.It is at one and the same time both extremely idealistic and extremely realistic, and very practical, though not in a superficial way.It is ''sageliness within and kingkiness without''.
3. My Comment
First of all, I appreciate Prof.Feng Youlan's justification and explanation of Chinese philosophy. Before reading, I only had a very vague understanding of traditional Chinese thought or philosophy. Realizing what kind of atmosphere of Chinese thought I have been permeated in, I do wish to know more.
At the beginning of the article, Professor Feng said that the Chinese do not care much about religion, because they are extremely concerned about philosophy. With the introduction of respectively Confucianism, Taoism and other philosophical schools, we can see clearly about the spirit of Chinese philosophy.The influence of Chinese philosophy on our own is imperceptible, as the professor said, Chinese people always use philosophy to open up. We absorb these ways of life in our unconscious learning. This consciousness moves me deeply.
1. Chinese philosophy in Chinese civilization has been comparable to the religion in other civilizations. Some Westerners regard Confucianism as a religion in China.
2. The spirit of Chinese philosophy is both of this world and of the other world, and it goes straight to what antedated Heaven, which means it is at the same time both extremely idealistic and extremely realistic, and very practical. The Chinese philosophy emphasizes and tries to develop the spirit of “sageness within and kingliness without”, which means the person accomplishes spiritual cultivation and functions in society at the same time.
3. From my perspective, Feng’s interpretation of Chinese philosophy is almost complete as he tried to interpret it from different angles considering Chinese history as well. He tries to distinguish philosophy and religion by listing their differences in detail. And I think he gets to the core nature of Chinese philosophy by pointing out the spiritual basis of Chinese civilization—ethics. In the following passage, when he discusses the spirit of Chinese philosophy, the history of ancient China mentioned by him also helps us understand our national culture or philosophy better.
1, Misunderstanding: they think Chinese philosophy is the equivalent of religion.
2, spirit of Chinese philosophy: it lies between this-worldliness and other-worldliness which avoids total realism and idealism. Chinese philosophy advocates that “sageliness within and kingliness without”. That is to say, people need not only cultivate his spirit world, but also concern himself with the business of the world. If that’s the case, he’s eligible to be called as sage, which is also the task of philosophy.
A big outstanding feature of Chinese philosophy spirit is his relation with politics. “Kingliness without without”, to some extent, means that a sage must sacrifice himself for running the state events.
3, comment: Feng’s interpretation can be acclaimed as accurate, which shows his comparatively comprehensive understanding of china’s historical background. In this paper, he uses a series of comparisons to make clear of different concepts.
The fist lies in his comparison religion with philosophy. Because many westerners mistake Chinese philosophy as religion, he firstly expounds the two distinctively different concepts. By doing so, he gives perfect reasons that Confucianism should fall into the philosophy category, which is well-organized and indisputable.
The second is his demonstartion of spirit of Chinese philosophy. At the very first, he pointed out two different kinds of philosophy “this-worldly” and “other-worldly”, elaborating on them in details. By comparison, as readers, we can clearly recognize the concepts and their main contents. Then, he explains that Chinese philosophy is the kind that lies in between, which is easier to understand.
In nutshell, his creative interpretation is full of reasoning, being highly convincing. More importantly, as a reader to say, it’s layman-friendly.
1. Chinese philosophy in Chinese civilisation is comparable to religion in other civilisations. Some Westerners regard Confucianism Taoism and Buddhism as Chinese religions. Besides, Chinese philosophy is a this-world philosophy but actually it's both of this-world and other-world.
Spirit:
2. The spirit of Chinese philosophy is not only this world, but also another world. It goes straight to the kingdom of heaven, which is not only extremely idealistic, but also extremely realistic, but also very realistic. Chinese philosophy emphasises and tries to develop the spirit of "inner saint, external king", that is, people complete spiritual cultivation and play a role in society at the same time.
3. Feng Youlan was a prominent Chinese philosopher known for his significant contributions to the study and interpretation of Chinese philosophy. He played a crucial role in introducing and interpreting Chinese philosophical thoughts to a broader audience, both in China and internationally.
Feng Youlan's approach to Chinese philosophy was characterized by a deep understanding of classical texts, particularly Confucianism and Neo-Confucianism, and his efforts to bridge the gap between Eastern and Western philosophical perspectives. His work aimed to elucidate the profound philosophical ideas embedded within Chinese thought while making them accessible to a global audience.
One of Feng Youlan's notable achievements was his synthesis of Chinese philosophical concepts and their comparison with Western philosophical ideas. His works, such as "A History of Chinese Philosophy" and "New Outline of the History of Chinese Philosophy," provide comprehensive overviews of Chinese philosophical development, offering insights into the evolution of Chinese thought across different dynasties and schools of philosophy.
Feng's creative interpretation involved presenting Chinese philosophy not merely as a historical relic but as a living, evolving tradition that offered valuable insights into human existence, ethics, metaphysics, and societal organization. His approach helped dispel misunderstandings and stereotypes about Chinese philosophy in the West, fostering greater appreciation and understanding of its depth and complexity.
Moreover, Feng Youlan's emphasis on rationality and systematic analysis within Chinese philosophy contributed to its recognition as a rigorous and sophisticated tradition of thought, challenging the perception that it was primarily mystical or esoteric.
In summary, Feng Youlan's creative interpretation of Chinese philosophy involved a scholarly and systematic approach that aimed to make the profound insights of Chinese thought accessible to a global audience. His efforts helped bridge the gap between Eastern and Western philosophical traditions, enriching cross-cultural dialogue and fostering a deeper appreciation for the richness of Chinese philosophical heritage.
1. Misunderstanding
①Prof. Feng said that the Four Books have been the Bible of the Chinese people. Although he added that there is no mention of heaven or hell in the Four Books, it may also leave a superficial mislead to Westerners that the Four Books contain some religion.
②He brought up an opinion that Chinese philosophy's function is not the increase of positive knowledge but the elevation of the mind. This may also result in a misunderstanding that Chinese philosophy does not care about positive knowledge.
③Chinese philosophy is a this-world philosophy.
2. According to Feng, the spirit of Chinese philosophy is both of this world and of the other world, which can be described as one of "sageliness within and kingliness without".
3. My comment
Generally speaking, Prof. Feng had given a clearer description and interpretation of Chinese philosophy to Westerners at that time, by mentioning and comparing both Chinese philosophy and Western philosophy. But there are also some misunderstandings. These may have been influenced by the era and environment at that time.
Besides, some opinions lack proof. For example, he said that the Chinese people take even their religion philosophically, but there are no detailed examples to prove in the following text.
In short, Prof. Feng's interpretation is of great significance to both Westerners and Chinese people, and for the current research and dissemination of Chinese philosophy, it is still necessary to continue moving forward.
Westerners think Confucianism,Taoism and Buddhism are religions and Chinese people are permeated with them.and they make a surface of view that Chinese philosophy is only a this-world philosophy.
2.Spirit
Feng’s perspective is that Chinese philosophy is “sageliness within and kindliness without.”and the Chinese philosophy is to accomplish a synthesis out of those antitheses.
3.comment
I really appreciate Feng’s perspectives. Formerly,I have ambiguous understanding of Chinese philosophy,especially Confucianism,Taoism and Buddhism.Now I know something about the distinction between religion and the three.They are ethics,not religion and they provide the spiritual basis of Chinese civilization.However,there is a flaw.If the essay use more data and examples to prove its points,it can be understood further and easier.
Westerners think Confucianism,Taoism and Buddhism are religions and Chinese people are permeated with them.and they make a surface of view that Chinese philosophy is only a this-world philosophy.
2.Spirit
Feng’s perspective is that Chinese philosophy is “sageliness within and kindliness without.”and the Chinese philosophy is to accomplish a synthesis out of those antitheses.
3.comment
I really appreciate Feng’s perspectives. Formerly,I have ambiguous understanding of Chinese philosophy,especially Confucianism,Taoism and Buddhism.Now I know something about the distinction between religion and the three.They are ethics,not religion and they provide the spiritual basis of Chinese civilization.However,there is a flaw.If the essay use more data and examples to prove its points,it can be understood further and easier.
Chinese philosophy in Chinese civilization has been comparable to the religion in other civilizations. Some Westerners regard Confucianism as a religion in China.
The spirit of Chinese philosophy is self-improvement, seeking truth from facts, dialectical thinking, people-oriented, inner transcendence, and tolerance. The development process can be summarised into three stages: the foundation period, the development period and the peak period. The basic problem of Chinese philosophy is the relationship between man and nature. The combination of man and nature is the unique philosophical thinking mode of Chinese philosophy. It introduces the basic contents of Chinese philosophy from the aspects of cosmology, ontology, ideological methodology, knowledge and action, values, etc., and reveals the unique national character, way of thinking, cognitive structure and values of the Chinese nation.
Feng Youlan once said:
"Everyone, as long as he is not dead, is in life. But there are not many people who have reflective thoughts about life, and fewer people have systematic reflective thoughts.
Reflection is actually very valuable.
Most of the pain in our life is not how difficult the outside world is. Many times, we are unwilling to "let ourselves go" for various reasons.
The "reconciliation with yourself" in Zhongzhe is not a negative self-abandonment, but to keep thinking in "reflection" to solve one "pimple after another". When we see the "real essence" of things, many problems are not so complicated, and it is much easier to deal with and deal with them.
1. What misunderstanding about Chinese philosophy does Prof. Feng Youlan bring up in the article?
Confucianism is a religion. Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism are considered as religions.Many people think that Chinese philosophy is a this-world philosophy.
2. What is the spirit of Chinese philosophy according to Feng?
Chinese philosophy is both of this world and of the other world .Chinese philosophy attempts to accomplish a synthesis. And it is the sageliness within and kingliness without.
3. Comments
I benefit a lot from Feng's perspective. It gives me a deeper understanding of Chinese philosophy. And I also learn about the essence of Taoism and the distinctions.
1. Misunderstanding
①Prof. Feng said that the Four Books have been the Bible of the Chinese people. Although he added that there is no mention of heaven or hell in the Four Books, it may also leave a superficial mislead to Westerners that the Four Books contain some religion.
②He brought up an opinion that Chinese philosophy's function is not the increase of positive knowledge but the elevation of the mind. This may also result in a misunderstanding that Chinese philosophy does not care about positive knowledge.
③Chinese philosophy is a this-world philosophy.
2. According to Feng, the spirit of Chinese philosophy is both of this world and of the other world, which can be described as one of "sageliness within and kingliness without".
3. My comment
Generally speaking, Prof. Feng had given a clearer description and interpretation of Chinese philosophy to Westerners at that time, by mentioning and comparing both Chinese philosophy and Western philosophy. But there are also some misunderstandings. These may have been influenced by the era and environment at that time.
Besides, some opinions lack proof. For example, he said that the Chinese people take even their religion philosophically, but there are no detailed examples to prove in the following text.
In short, Prof. Feng's interpretation is of great significance to both Westerners and Chinese people, and for the current research and dissemination of Chinese philosophy, it is still necessary to continue moving forward.
1. Chinese philosophy in Chinese civilization has been comparable to the religion in other civilizations. Some Westerners regard Confucianism as a religion in China.
2. The spirit of Chinese philosophy is both of this world and of the other world, and it goes straight to what antedated Heaven, which means it is at the same time both extremely idealistic and extremely realistic, and very practical. The Chinese philosophy emphasizes and tries to develop the spirit of “sageness within and kingliness without”, which means the person accomplishes spiritual cultivation and functions in society at the same time.
3. From my perspective, Feng’s interpretation of Chinese philosophy is almost complete as he tried to interpret it from different angles considering Chinese history as well. He tries to distinguish philosophy and religion by listing their differences in detail. And I think he gets to the core nature of Chinese philosophy by pointing out the spiritual basis of Chinese civilization—ethics. In the following passage, when he discusses the spirit of Chinese philosophy, the history of ancient China mentioned by him also helps us understand our national culture or philosophy better.
(1) Chinese philosophies like Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism are all religions.
(2) Chinese philosophy is only a this-world philosophy, which has led Chinese people far from the spiritual world.
2. Spirit
According to Feng, the spirit of Chinese philosophy is ''sageliness within and kingkiness without'', which means that we Chinese people apply philosophical ideas to daily behaviors. Therefore we can truly know as well as experience philosophy at the same time.
3. My Comment
First of all, I sincerely appreciate Mr.Feng's explaining the profound in simple terms and clear structure.
The first part, Place of Philosophy in Chinese Civilization, has illustrated well that philosophy is in the place between science and religion, which is similar to Bertrand Russel's "Philosophy, in my understanding of the world, is something that is between theology and science.", with explanation of three fundamental philosophy of China-- Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism, and the function of them. Personally, I am especially fond of his "Fortunately, however, besides religion there is philosophy, which provides man with an access to the higher values."
In the second part, Problem and Spirit of Chinese Philosophy, Feng subtly grasped the viewpoints of other-worldliness and this-wordiness to clarify Chinese philosophy's spirit, "sageliness within and kingliness without", which is similar to Plato's philosopher-king. The comparison of Western and Eastern philosophy is a stroke of genius.
From the text, the primary misunderstanding about Chinese philosophy that Prof. Feng addresses is the belief that it's purely practical or this worldly.
Some might believe that Chinese philosophy concerns itself only with worldly, practical affairs, devoid of any spiritual or metaphysical considerations. Feng clarifies that Chinese philosophy is not just this-worldly; it also touches upon the other-worldly. Thus, it synthesizes the tangible and the intangible, the practical and the spiritual.
2. According to Feng, the spirit of Chinese philosophy is a synthesis of contrasts: this-worldliness and other-worldliness, realism and idealism. Chinese philosophy doesn't negate these dualities but brings them into a harmonious whole. At its core, the spirit of Chinese philosophy aims for a synthesis of being deeply grounded in reality, while also striving for higher ideals. This synthesis is epitomized in the character of the sage who embodies "sageliness within and kingliness without." Such a character demonstrates both deep inner wisdom and a practical, societal engagement.
2. Feng's interpretation of Chinese philosophy, as presented in the provided text, offers a refreshing and holistic view. His emphasis on synthesis serves as a rebuttal to reductionist perspectives, painting a more comprehensive and nuanced picture of Chinese thought. By drawing parallels with other philosophical traditions, like references to Socrates and Plato, Feng bridges the gap between Eastern and Western philosophies, emphasizing the universality of certain philosophical pursuits. His insistence on the lived experience of Chinese philosophy — that it's not just about intellectual understanding but also about embodying its principles — underlines the integrative nature of this philosophy. Feng's approach seems to be both analytical and experiential, offering a multi-dimensional view of Chinese philosophical traditions.
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