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Chinese philosophy should examine universal issues

Author  :  Zhu Cheng     Source  :    Chinese Social Sciences Today     2021-06-28

The overseas study of Chinese philosophy, by definition, is academic study occurring outside of China which takes Chinese philosophy as the research object. The study is often conducted in such forms as translating the classics of Chinese philosophy, examining courses in which Chinese philosophers’ thoughts develop, and the heritage of these schools of thought.

In recent decades, the study of overseas Chinese philosophy has become a new branch within the field of Chinese philosophy. Academia has paid growing attention to research and works by foreign scholars in this field, such as Benjamin I. Schwartz, William Theodore de Bary, Joseph R. Levenson, Roger T. Ames, Hans Küng, David L. Hall, Donald J. Munro and Thomas A. Metzger. This obviously differs from the traditional study of Chinese philosophy which centers on research by Chinese scholars. Meanwhile, studies conducted by Wing-tsit Chan and Tu Weiming, and other overseas Chinese, enter the native Chinese-language world and affect it, attracting attention from Chinese academia in philosophy.

Naming the division of philosophy according to the place in which philosophical thought and philosophical study take place is a common practice in the field of the history of philosophy. For example, we often refer to philosophical thought that takes place around the world by the following names: Greek philosophy, German philosophy, French philosophy, British and American philosophy, and Chinese philosophy. This place-based nomenclature makes us think of the famous inference made by Chinese scholar Jin Yuelin, “As to writing the history of Chinese philosophy, there are two fundamental attitudes: one that takes Chinese philosophy as a special branch of knowledge which is categorized into the study of traditional Chinese learning, which has no overlapping with general philosophy; the other attitude takes Chinese philosophy as a philosophy which is discovered in China.” When we define a form of philosophy by its name, it is essentially the acknowledgement of the universality of this philosophy and the unique form in which the universality is displayed in a unique region. In this sense, when we say “the philosophy of a certain place,” we actually expound on ways the interrelationship between commonality and peculiarity of this philosophy is demonstrated in this place.

Based on this understanding, if we take “philosophy” as what carries commonality, then “Chinese philosophy” is the peculiarity carried by philosophy within China, and “overseas Chinese philosophy” is the peculiarity embodied by “Chinese philosophy” occurring overseas. In this sense, for overseas study of Chinese philosophy, philosophical issues that are of universal significance are one of its foci. The logic described here is that the study can be regarded as both discovered within China and outside of China.

Since overseas Chinese philosophy is a special form of both Chinese philosophy and general philosophy, it needs to pay attention to issues unique to Chinese philosophy and philosophical issues that are of universal significance, and try to deepen understanding of these issues and resolve them. Given this, overseas study of Chinese philosophy should not merely linger on the textual translation of traditional Chinese philosophy or the introduction of its thought, but should blend resources from global philosophical thoughts, and reflect on universal issues by using the unique thinking pattern adopted by Chinese philosophy. By doing so, it can integrate deeper into global philosophy trends and give answers to universal issues facing all humans. It should also participate in debates and discussions of discourse between different schools of thought from around the world. scholars should focus on the creation and emergence of new thoughts, and respond to common issues facing philosophy from a new perspective.

In short, when reflecting on the study of overseas Chinese philosophy, scholars should not just be content with nationalist sentiments arising from the uniqueness of Chinese philosophy, nor be content with comparative perspectives which examine Chinese and foreign philosophy. Instead, starting from the background of world philosophical development, they should understand China-West connectivity and the ways in which Chinese philosophy participates internationally from the perspective of common human destiny. Only in this way, can overseas Chinese philosophy and its studies display more vibrancy with bright prospects in the future.

 

Zhu Cheng is a professor from the Department of Philosophy of the Institute of Chinese Wisdom at East China Normal University.

Editor: Yu Hui

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