Different Thinking Modes And Communicating Methods

In western, the proving of God's existence plays an important role both in the Faith and in the metaphysical discussion. While for the Jesuits who visited China trying to convert Chinese to Christianity, it was not only theological or philosophical proposition but also an all-important practical issue. From the perspective of"the proving of God's existence"in Chinese literatures of late Ming and early Qing Dynasties, this essay, comparing with its archetype—the representative of western mode of thinking—Aquinas'five statements, illustrates the difference resulting from the two sides when treating of the same proposition, and points out the characteristics of Chinese mode of thinking. After understanding the different characteristics of Chinese and western modes of thinking, we need to focus on the question: whether the two completely different modes of thinking can understand and communicate each other? By studying the missionaries'letters and writings in foreign languages and taking consideration of Chinese intellectuals'response, this paper draws a positive conclusion. In the end, this paper centers on"the proving of God's existence"in Chinese literatures once more, and explores the feasible scheme of linking two modes of thinking according to the missionaries'treating the western materials.