A Fresh Study Of The Oriental Element In Emersonian Thought

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) was a foremost thinker in American intellectual history. His thought is profound and ever-refreshing. Emerson was one of the earliest American scholars who paid genuine attention to the Orient and China. He read extensively Oriental literature throughout his lifetime, and revealed much of his admiration and congeniality in his essays. Despite the fact that he had been widely studied in the United States and the West, his Oriental element was left cold until the 1930s. In recent years, some Chinese scholars have taken interest but the research remains unproductive.During reading Emerson, the author stumbled upon Emerson’s remarkable Daoist element in many essays. The fact that Emerson never got to read Dao De Jing makes it an apt way to approach his Oriental thought. Out of personal interest in Daoist philosophy, the author adopted it as a scholarly topic. The paper intends to evaluate his Daoist element in an effort to reveal the Emerson’s Oriental disposition. It also aims to promote Emersonian study and explore alternatives in cross-cultural studies.This paper examines the topic by adopting empirical and inductive methods. Facts are drawn from his life experiences, textual analysis, and broader historical and demographic contexts. Thus his Oriental element will be put in fairer, holistic perspectives. His life experiences include his personal episodes and scholarly method; textual analysis covers his keywords and core values with plausible Laozi ones. Nine pairs of keywords are broken down into three chapters in the sequence of his framework, Daoist-tinged and core values, i.e., Oversoul and Dao, virtue and De, nature and all things; innocence and the pristine; spontaneity and wuwei, humility and submission; man and human beings, men and the masses, genius and saint. The paper also presents his Oriental and Chinese connections in terms of unity and human good, correlational thinking and innate moral law; his European connection with the pre-Socratic philosophy, Stoicism, Scottish common sense and Christian tradition. When it comes to his American-ness, four factors, i.e., historical context, regional culture, national character and cultural psyche will be singled out. All perspectives strive to argue that his Oriental element is fused with universal values and personal disposition while his American element features his essentials.Emersonian thought is encompassing yet condense, nuanced yet rugged, plain yet obscure. He discusses striking themes and formulates formidable views, rich in layers. Emerson is impossible to cover through one person and one doctoral endeavor. It is hoped that with its distinctive perspectives, this paper can lay some groundwork for more fulfilling research.