A Research On Li Zehou’s Historical Ontology Thought

Li Zehou is one of the most influential Chinese mainland thinkers since 1949. His research mainly covers aesthetics, history of thought and philosophy, which generates into original Confucian thoughts and systems. His philosophical thinking is original, prospective and realistic. The core of Li Zehou’s thought system is historical ontology, also named as ontology of historical anthropology, or subjective practical philosophy.The historical ontology put forward by Li Zehou is closely connected with his academy and life. In theory systems it manifests the combination of Marxism and Kantianism; western philosophy and Chinese traditional culture especially Confucianism. In this paper, first Li Zehou’s academic course and works are hackled to explore the process of historical ontology from rudiment to formation on the basis of interior and exterior two aspects. The academic theory is usually the essence of scholar’s life. On the one hand, the historical ontology comes from certain social and historical conditions and Li Zehou’s psychological construction. On the other hand, the whole academic experience also proves the “empirical reasonableness” of historical ontology.The core of historical ontology is subjectivity. The general premise, is the premise of “being”. It is the application of Marxism, which is the practical activity of making tools, to guide the questions of “how people live”, “why people live” and “how well do people live”. The kernel of subjectivity is how to deal with human subjectivity and individual subjectivity. As to individual subjectivity, historical ontology can be explained in two dimensions and three aspects. Two dimensions are noumenon of degree and sentiments; noumenon of tool and psychology, which finally point to “pragmatic reason” and “optimistic culture”. Three aspects, “truth” in epistemology, “goodness” in ethics, and “beauty” in aesthetics are the extension of the theory. Epistemology is the medium for religion and politics, which has similarities with Kantianism as the framework premise. Aesthetics serves as the pivot: it is not only the pivot for the turn from collective subjectivity to individual subjectivity, but also the pivot for connecting the pure philosophical system of historical ontology with Chinese traditional Confucianism. Aesthetics is regarded as the beginning and end by identifying “material collaboration and coexist between the human and universe” and aesthetic enjoyment metaphysically. Take epistemology as an example, it is a process from reason internalization to the truth enlightened by beauty, finally to the freedom and intuition.The meaning of historical ontology is reality. By putting forward deductive theoretical construction of “Shamanism” and “four period of Confucianism”, historical ontology is absorbed into the form of Chinese traditional Confucianism. Li Zehou tries to achieve the third “transformative creativity” which is a new period of Confucianism combined with Marxism, postmodernism, existentialism and liberalism. In the end, Li Zehou hopes to provide the possibility for the social entity to anchor the life and spirit; coexist with society, nature and universe harmoniously in the perspective of historical ontology, from the concrete, realistic and current exterior context and interior sentiments, under the concrete social and historical conditions of twenty first century.