A Review Of Feng Youlan 's Early Life Philosophy

Life philosophy is the heart of Feng Youlan’s philosophical career system. In his early philosophical works, which were greatly influenced by Liang Shuming’s thoughts, Bergson’s life philosophy, "pragmatism" and "new realism", Feng already started to think about life issues and explore the differences between Chinese and Western philosophy, looking for a way to salvage China and its people from subjugation during the national peril. His early philosophical works mainly include An Outlook on Life, Philosophy of Life, History of Chinese Philosophy (Volume One&Two) and so on. By studying the outlook on life and the universe, cultivation theory, concept of happiness, Confucius’ theory, and religious view of the early period, He managed to figure out that early philosophy has four characteristics, including a combination of Chinese and Western thoughts, the fusion of Confucianism and Taoism, cultural consciousness and the modernization of traditional Confucian outlook on life. It is greatly commendable of Feng Youlan for his calm and rational comparative study on Chinese and Western philosophy against the wave of Westernization and "blind xenophobia", which was quite prevalent in China back then. Moreover, His early philosophy of life is very significant for the shaping of the younger generation’s outlook on life and value, and worth a reflection in our process of learning and studying.