A Study Of Philosophical Thoughts Of Liang Qichao

Liang Qichao is an "encyclopedic" style philosopher,who has made intensive study of both Chinese and western philosophy.He contributed to introduce western culture for keeping pace with the times,and protect traditional Chinese culture at the same time.Liang Qichao's thought was heavily influenced by not only traditional Chinese philosophy-Confucianism,Daoism,and Buddhism,but also western academic culture.His ideas were shaped by combining Chinese and Western cultures together,to formed his unique philosophical view of nature,epistemology and historiographical thought.In the view of nature,he corrected his earlier point that the strength of heart is the greatest power of the universe which is an assert of idealism,and began to admit some view of materialism that material processes can affect mind and consciousness.However,in general,he criticized both materialism and idealism.Later,under the influence of Wang Yangming's idea of "Nothing external to the mind",he asserted that mind is as affairs,which is considered as idealism philosophy.Liang's view of epistemology,which based on “extensive of intuitive knowledge”of Wang Yangming and Buddhism,classify the “insight wisdom” into the intuition of“intuitive knowledge”.He thought that the “insight wisdom” is given by the Heaven and generated in inside of human.He advocated that men must not be slaves to other men,negative emotions,the ancients,society,personal realm and desire.In the view of historiographical thought,he advocated the Great Man theory that heroes create the times which is followed by the people.He also studied the theory of evolution,including Darwin's“natural selection”.Liang asserted that everything is changing;men should always make self-examination of their thoughts to find the truth which is never changed.Liang Qichao is a pioneer and initiator of Chinese modern academy,and the titan of scholarship in the transitional period.His thinking on philosophical issues make tremendous influence on Chinese modern philosophy.Combine with diamonds and rust,his philosophy worth further exploration.