A Study On Yang Xianzhen And Sinicization Of Marxism

The Communist Party of China has been integrating Marxism with the Chinese conditions to continually make the historical process of sanitizing Marxism move forward in the great practice of Chinese revolution, construction and reform, among which there are numberless splendid achievements and memorable frustrations. A number of historic figures have left indelible impressions, one of which being Yang Xianzhen. He, a contemporary famous philosopher, theorist and educator, worked all long at the Marxist theory research and cadre education and put forth original viewpoints in many theoretical issues. He made an important contribution to the Sinicization of Marxism.Yang Xianzhen dedicated himself to the theoretical pursuit though he had a good experience of ups and downs in his life. In school due to the influence from Russian October Revolution and May Fourth Movement he accepted Marxism. After the test of the Great Revolution, he joined the Party, and therefore he embarked on the revolutionary road. During the new democratic revolutionary period, he was put into prison twice and stayed there for seven years. In Caolanzi prison of Beiping, he was responsible for education as a member of the committee of the Party branch. He translated some English theoretical literatures on Marxism into Chinese as studying materials, turning the prison that could jail the political criminals into a red Party school which was used to study revolutionary theories and cultivate cadres. After that, he gradually grew to be a Party educator in the war against Japanese invasion. He noted to stick to link of theory and practice, consciously applied Marxist theories to study social realities, and played a crucial role in the three debates of philosophical issues. Since1959, he had experienced criticism, demotion, deposition, prison, and exile, until his reputation was resumed in1978. He never gave up his pursuit and struggle even in the hardest time, honoring the oath to write his history to end with the red pen.Yang Xianzhen attached importance to studying and publicizing the basic tenets of historical materialism while he sharply exposed and criticized the historical idealism in realm of thoughts and real life. In the transitional period, as for the debate between economic base and superstructure, he established the theory of comprehensive economy, which means the total sum of national economy, cooperative economy, private capitalism, individual economy, and national capitalism, comprises our economic base during that period. Socialist construction has proved that Yang's view is practical and is of highly theoretical value and realistic significance. He kept to the view of masses making history and opposed individual heroism and personal worship. He exposed the theoretical basis of Masses Line, thinking that collective leadership is top principle of our Party leadership.From practice Yang Xianzhen came to realize the significance of studying Marxist theories to our Party and our nation. He believed it was essential to study materialism centering on the philosophical basic problems. He put it that these problems are the basic ones in the practical work too and keeping to materialism means being loyal to the Party spirit. In the debate of unity between thought and existence, he distinguished the unity in two different categories. He held that the unity between thought and existence was an idealist position and this was disclosed by Marx, Engels and Lenin. He put forward that Marxist epistemology is active reflection theory and we can not regard the unity issue as a second aspect of the basic philosophical issue. When Yang Xianzhen read philosophy notes written by Lenin, he noticed unity is divided into two parts and unity is composed of two opposite parts are both ways to express the law of opposite unity. Out of national dignity, he also discovered the same expression in Chinese philosophical works. He maintained that unite two into one and one divided into two were expressions about the law of opposite unity from Chinese ancient thinkers. Unfortunately, he was thought of as the leader of the opposite Party because of this point of view and criticized publicly.For a very long time, Yang Xianzhen held on to the position of Marxist theoretical education, and set up an good example with his words and action to foster a number of leaders and cadres who have dialectical materialist and historical materialist worldview, methodology and working style. He formed his educational idea which is profound and characteristic in his teaching. He argued that combination between theory and practice is the only correct way to study. He believed that teaching in Party schools should keep to the sixteen-word principle of learning theory, enhancing perception, connecting reality, and transforming minds. Undoubtedly he made positive contributions to the cause of Party cadre education and naturalizing Marxism in China and making Marxism known to the general public.Firmly sticking to dialectical materialism and historical materialism, Yang Xianzhen made in-depth research and expounding on basic Marxist tenets, applied theories to analyze social reality, and dared to tell the truth and hold on to truth, which embodies his ardent ideal and belief and loftily theoretical character. He contributed positively to the establishment and development and he is a pride to the theory field of contemporary Chinese Marxism. His fluctuation of pushing adapting Marxism to Chinese conditions shows that we must have a firm believe, stick to linking theory to practice, and Correctly handle the relationship between learning and Politics when advancing Marxist localization in China.