Warring States and Jin Period Metaphysics Draft -- Century Library

Author: Tang Yongtong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-04-01
Features: Tang Yongtong (1839-1964), styled Xiyu, was a native of Huangmei, Hubei. He graduated from Tsinghua Xuetang in 1917, went to the United States for further studies in 1918, and earned a master's degree from the Graduate School of Harvard University in 1922. Upon returning to China, he served as a professor at Southeast University, Nankai University, and Central University. From 1936 to 1948, he was a professor, head of the Department of Philosophy, and president of the College of Liberal Arts at Peking University (including Southwest Associated University during the War of Resistance). In 1947, he was elected as an academician and adjudicator by the Academia Sinica and concurrently served as the director of the Beijing office of the Institute of History and Philology. After January 1949, he served as chairman of the Academic Affairs Committee of Peking University, and from 1952 to 1964, as vice president of Peking University, a member of the Committee of the Philosophy and Social Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and a member of the First, Second, and Third Sessions of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, as well as a representative of the First, Second, and Third Sessions of the National People's Congress. His major works include: A History of Buddhism in the Northern and Southern Dynasties (Han and Wei-Jin Periods), Draft on the History of Buddhism in the Sui and Tang Dynasties, An Outline of the History of Indian Philosophy, Lectures on Wei-Jin Xuanxue, Collected Academic Papers of Tang Yongtong, Notes on Biographies of Eminent Monks, Annotation of Biographies of Eminent Monks, and A Collection of Materials on the History of Indian Philosophy in Chinese.
This book offers original insights into the relationship between Xuanxue (Neo-Daoism) and Buddhism, the debate over words and meaning, and the controversy over the primacy of the means over the end and existence over non-existence. It essentially covers the main aspects of Wei-Jin Xuanxue. The author excels in tracing the origins of the complex thought of Xuanxue and uncovering the profound principles it contains. The rigor of his scholarship and the precision of his research are evident in this book, which has long been regarded with attention by scholars. The book offers original insights into the relationship between Xuanxue (Neo-Daoism) and Buddhism, the debate over words and meaning, and the controversy over the primacy of the means over the end and existence over non-existence. The author excels in tracing the origins of the complex thought of Xuanxue and uncovering the profound principles it contains. The rigor of his scholarship and the precision of his research are evident in this book, which has long been regarded with attention by scholars.