A Brief History of Chinese Philosophy

Author: Feng Youlan
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-11-01
Features: The great contemporary philosopher, Feng Youlan, was appointed as a Lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania in the United States in 1947 to teach the History of Chinese Philosophy. His English lecture notes were later compiled into A Short History of Chinese Philosophy, which was published by the renowned U.S. publishing company Macmillan in 1948. The book immediately became a super introductory text for Westerners to understand and study Chinese philosophy. Subsequently, translations in French, Italian, Spanish, Yugoslav, and Japanese were published. For over fifty years, it has been a standard textbook for Chinese philosophy in universities worldwide and has had a significant influence in the West. For a long time, there was no Chinese version of this book. It was not until the 1980s that the book was translated into Chinese by Feng Youlan’s student, , based on the English text, and published by Peking University Press in 1985. The first printing of the Chinese version was 100,000 copies, which sold out quickly and became a bestseller in academia at the time. It can be said that this book is the first choice for understanding Chinese philosophy. It is the crystallization of Feng Youlan’s philosophy and thoughts. With a limited number of pages, this philosophical monograph connects knowledge from ancient and modern China and the West, filled with wisdom and insights of a philosopher. Especially noteworthy is the author’s concern for real-world issues, embodying the great spirit of "never forgetting to save the country while reading" and "never forgetting to read while saving the country." For today’s Chinese readers, this book remains a culturally enriching classic. The book has been newly translated by Mr. Zhao Fusan and is accompanied by over 70 illustrations of Chinese thinkers, forming this illustrated (treasured edition).
The great contemporary philosopher, Feng Youlan, was appointed as a Lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania in the United States in 1947 to teach the History of Chinese Philosophy. His English lecture notes were later compiled into A Short History of Chinese Philosophy, which was published by the renowned U.S. publishing company Macmillan in 1948. The book immediately became a super introductory text for Westerners to understand and study Chinese philosophy. Subsequently, translations in French, Italian, Spanish, Yugoslav, and Japanese were published. For over fifty years, it has been a standard textbook for Chinese philosophy in universities worldwide and has had a significant influence in the West. Critics argue that this book is the crystallization of Feng Youlan’s philosophy and thoughts. With a limited number of pages, this philosophical monograph connects knowledge from ancient and modern China and the West, filled with wisdom and insights of a philosopher. Especially noteworthy is the author’s concern for real-world issues, embodying the great spirit of "never forgetting to save the country while reading" and "never forgetting to read while saving the country." For today’s Chinese readers, this book remains a culturally enriching classic. For a long time, there was no Chinese version of this book. It was not until the 1980s that the book was translated into Chinese by Feng Youlan’s student, , based on the English text, and published by Peking University Press in 1985. The first printing of the Chinese version was 100,000 copies, which sold out quickly and became a bestseller in academia at the time.