Hierarchy of Life — A Study on Feng Youlan's Theory of Life's States: A Study on Feng Youlan's Theory of Life's States

Author: Liu Dongchao
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2002-10-01
Features: The theory of life stages is an important component of the newly constructed system of New Logic by Mr. Feng in the 1930s and 1940s, and one of the few systematic philosophical doctrines of life in Chinese philosophy in the 20th century. This theory divides human life existence from low to high into four levels: natural stage, utilitarian stage, moral stage, and cosmic stage. People in the natural stage act according to instinct or habit, those in the utilitarian stage pursue personal gain, those in the moral stage follow moral rules, and those in the cosmic stage "identify with the great whole." The differences in stages are caused by varying degrees of enlightenment, with those in the cosmic stage possessing the greatest enlightenment. Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism are the three pillars of traditional Chinese culture, with a long history, rich content, and profound influence. They have played an extremely important role in the formation and development of the common psychology, emotions, and strong cohesion of the Chinese nation. They have been the spiritual weapons that enabled our nation to overcome all difficulties, pass through countless obstacles, and always remain invincible for thousands of years. Today, they still demonstrate their strong vitality and will radiate even more brilliant brilliance in the coming new century. Since the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee of the Communist Party of China in 1978 established the reform and opening-up policy, research on Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism in our country has also made great progress. Many doctoral programs have been established across the country, allowing the training of young research talents to proceed in a planned and organized manner. A batch after batch of doctoral graduates is thriving, and they represent a strong new force in the study of traditional Chinese culture and will be the future academic leaders in related disciplines. Some of their doctoral dissertations have gained attention and produced a positive impact among peer scholars both domestically and internationally. However, due to various reasons, publishing academic works remains extremely difficult, especially for young and middle-aged scholars. As a result, a considerable number of doctoral dissertations still fail to be published in a timely manner. Failing to resolve this issue promptly is not only unfavorable to the growth of young and middle-aged scholars but also detrimental to promoting traditional Chinese culture and facilitating academic exchange. We have been determined to solve this problem for a long time, but various reasons have prevented us from achieving our goal. Recently, we discussed this matter with the Hong Kong Guanyuan College and were delighted to receive their generous agreement to donate funds to support the publication of the "Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism Doctoral Dissertations Series." This will be a great event in academia, and its long-term continuation will inevitably produce far-reaching impacts. This book first examines Feng Youlan's theory of life stages from two levels: the authenticity of the text and the theoretical implications, sorting out and analyzing the knowledge resources, the theoretical form of the subject, and the development and changes of this doctrine.