A New History of Chinese Philosophy, Volume 2

Author: Feng Dawen
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-07-01
Features: This book studies the development of philosophy in China from the Northern Song Dynasty to the modern era from the perspective of intellectual history. It introduces the coexistence of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism during this historical period, as well as the representative figures, doctrines, and works of important philosophical schools such as Song-Ming Neo-Confucianism, Mindology, and scientific philosophy. A New History of Chinese Philosophy (Volumes I and II) is edited by Professors Feng Dawen and Guo Qiyong. The entire book contains approximately 700,000 words, covering the period from the pre-Qin era to the founding of the People's Republic of China (1949), divided into five parts: Philosophy in the Pre-Qin Period, Philosophy in the Han and Tang Dynasties, Philosophy from the Northern Song Dynasty to the Mid-Ming Dynasty, Philosophy from the Mid-Ming Dynasty to the Opium War, and the Development of Philosophy in Modern China (from the Opium War to the founding of the People's Republic of China). Based on the new achievements, new thinking, and new methods in the study of the history of Chinese philosophy over the past two decades since the reform and opening-up, this book employs traditional exegesis and modern interpretation methods, primarily relying on documentary historical materials while also incorporating archaeological findings. It strives to break away from the simplistic classification, dogmatism, and Western models of previous philosophical histories, highlighting the humanistic spirit of Chinese culture and the characteristics of Chinese philosophy. It focuses on the systematic review, elaboration, discussion, and analysis of various philosophical schools and trends in each historical period of Chinese philosophical history, as well as the ideas of their representative figures, aiming to accurately interpret and express the essence of traditional philosophical thought in a clear and accessible manner. It fully takes into account the diversity and richness of traditional philosophy, comprehensively showcasing its metaphysics, axiology, ethics, epistemology, and methodology, thereby constructing and writing a refreshingly new textbook on the history of Chinese philosophy. The book is appropriately concise, with an innovative structure, well-chosen materials, and rich yet succinct content. It is a thought-provoking, scientific, original, and novel textbook suitable for undergraduate and graduate students in philosophy departments of universities, as well as readers self-studying the history of Chinese philosophy.