Integration Of Chinese And Western Cultures & Reestablishment Of Social Orders

Two contrasting opinions prevail when the academia evaluate Yen Fu's thought. One opinion holds that Yen was initially a radical Westernizer but turned reactionary with the progress of years, while the other states that views of Yen's late years were fully consistent with the general outline of his thought as presented in his early publications. This paper intends to evaluate Yen's late-years thought from a different perspective, which is a contrast to the above opinions based on the context of "impact-respond", thus offering a more comprehensive evaluation. The paper first discusses Yen's academic pursuits and finds that Yen's viewpoints were objective and detached when he was examining both Chinese and western ideas. The paper then re-examines Yen's fundamental attitudes towards Chinese and western cultures in his late years and reveals that Yen was in favor of an integration of Chinese and western cultures which was to be rooted in Chinese traditions. The paper also analyzes the underlying reason why Yen, in his late years, moved the focus of his academic study from western cultures to Chinese traditions, which seemingly contradicts his passionate pursuit in his study of western cultures in his early years. One explanation is offered. That is, Yen, who reached maturation in his academic study, was trying to discover the positive aspects in Chinese culture which were ignored in his early studies, and look for the way these positive traditional elements could be integrated into the modernity seen in western cultures. Two examples are discussed afterwards to support such an explanation. One is Yen's growing attention to education in his late years, and the other is Yen's proposal for a gradual process of reforms in the society. The paper concludes by suggesting Yen's late-years thought characterized by being prudent is of great significance in the cultural development in current China when the Chinese government is undertaking its opening up process and reforms.by Hong Tonghuai(Major in History of Chinese Ancient Thought) Directed by Professor Du Daoming...