Legitimacy of Chinese philosophy

rdf:langString Legitimacy of Chinese philosophy

rdf:langString The debate over whether the ancient Chinese masters can be counted as philosophers has been discussed since the introduction of this academic discipline into China about a hundred years ago. Cultural immersion in the West by figures such as Hu Shih and Feng Youlan led to an increased interest in a Chinese philosophy and stimulated the creation of this field which had not yet been labeled nor discussed as such until this point. Feng Youlan made a distinction between Zhongguo de zhexue [any philosophical activity pursued in China] and Zhongguo di zhexue [indigenous philosophy from Chinese soil]. The debates over the legitimacy of Chinese philosophy primarily concern the indigenous philosophy of China. They range in their central focus: whether the discipline of “philosophy” existed in traditional Chinese thought; whether the subjects and issues involved in the discipline existed in Chinese thought; and whether the now established discipline of Chinese philosophy can be truly be considered Chinese. These contentions have led to larger discussions about the nature of philosophy and its discipline.