Fu Enlightenment Thought

Modern Enlightenment Thought represented by Yan Fu in China was formed in the background of western learning entering into China and on the condition of serious national and social crisis. From the Opium War, the deepening crisis awakened more Chinese, especially after the Qing Dynasty failed in the Sino-Japan War. They recognized that it was not enough to learn from the level of artifacts from West, but should learn from the deeper levels of the system and the value. Yan Fu was a typical one. Based on patriotism and the resulting strong sense of responsibility and the broad theory perspective of Chinese and Western, he introduced systematically the worldview, theory of evolution, science, democracy and freedom to the people, which caused tremendous Enlightenment impact. Yan Fu completed the propaganda of the Enlightenment Thought while criticizing the traditional culture of China. Although these ideas were originated from the West, they were to serve for the purpose of self-salvation, and Yan Fu's own transformation was added to it. Although it's the 21st century today, the Enlightenment Thought has vital inspiration and reference for China's political reform and social development.