Hundred Years of Debate on Chinese Philosophy

Author: Li Lianke
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-09-01
Features: This book reviews and summarizes the intellectual and cultural achievements that emerged and persisted in China during the 20th century, employing a philosophical perspective in this endeavor. The ideas discussed span from the late Qing reforms (1898) to 1984, and the writing style focuses primarily on allowing readers to engage directly with the arguments of various philosophical schools, in a concise and to-the-point manner.
Social history, like a rushing river, flows endlessly without turning back. Yet, to continuously move forward, people must constantly reflect. What endures in society are only the ideas and their carriers: material cultural achievements. And philosophy is the highest synthesis of these intellectual and cultural achievements. Since various ideas and cultures are reflections of social existence, they inevitably reveal the shadows of social existence. As we stride toward the 21st century, it is essential to examine the state of the 20th century. Although China has a civilization spanning thousands of years, the 20th century was a century of extraordinary transformation, diversity, and enduring fascination: the feudal dynasty that lasted for millennia collapsed almost overnight; socialist thought, which had only existed for over a hundred years in the world, was suddenly realized in non-capitalist China. These were two earth-shattering changes. Such monumental transformations were beyond the dreams of ancient people. Even for moderns, unless they experienced them firsthand, it would be hard to believe. What is particularly exhilarating is that in the last two decades of the last century, the vast majority of the Chinese people, who had lived in poverty for generations, were on the verge of achieving a moderately prosperous society and aspired to catch up with the world's developed nations in the following century. Such a historical period is truly worth reflecting upon!
The social history of this nearly hundred-year span of the 20th century has passed, but the vast intellectual and cultural achievements it left behind are more than enough for us to evaluate. We can reflect on this unforgettable 20th century from various cultural perspectives. However, observing it through a philosophical lens holds special significance. Philosophy is the essence of the spirit of the age because it is "reprocessed" from the fruits of natural and social sciences. Philosophical thinking is abstract and profound, yet it is also deeper, more stable, and easier to discern. If the tides of social trends leave traces in every intellectual and cultural movement, then the traces of philosophical thinking are even easier to trace. This book attempts to revisit the true essence of China's 20th-century social history by tracing the trajectory of philosophical thinking in China over the past century.
There are multiple approaches to writing the history of philosophy. This book seeks to adopt a new method: instead of including every philosophical school without exception, it focuses solely on the main philosophical debates; instead of excessive analysis and description, it prioritizes allowing readers to engage directly with the arguments of each philosophical school. I am not claiming that this research method is necessarily superior to others, but it is at least a new attempt. No academic field is without debate, but philosophy, due to its "metaphysical" nature, is particularly prone to controversy, even existing and developing primarily through debate. Therefore, I have chosen philosophical debate as the thread of this book. My decision to minimize analysis and maximize citation stems from several considerations: first, this approach avoids the common flaw of "forcing labels" in the study of the history of philosophy, encouraging readers to think more independently; second, the language and thought patterns of 20th-century philosophers are almost on the same level as readers, at least very close, so less explanation is needed from others; third, it saves readers time, conserves paper for publishers, and offers academia a new trial.
Of course, focusing on debate does not mean only direct debate; reducing analysis and increasing citation does not imply the author lacks insights. The framework, the selection of debate participants, and the titles chosen in this book all reflect the author's intent. As for whether this book truly reflects the author's original intention, only the readers can judge.