Metaphorical Metaphysics in Chinese Philosophy

Derong Chen is sessional lecturer II in Chinese at the University of Toronto Mississauga.

• Chapter 1 IntroductionPart 2 Chapter 1. Linguistic Approaches vs. Metaphorical MetaphysicsChapter 3 Approaches to Chinese PhilosophyChapter 4 Systematic Linguistic ApproachChapter 5 Metaphorical MetaphysicsPart 6 Chapter 2. Abstract Categories: Feng Youlan's Zhenji and ShijiChapter 7 The Theory of the Realm of TruthChapter 8 The Essence and Rationality of ZhenjiChapter 9 An Alternative Vision of the Realm of TruthPart 10 Chapter 3. Metaphorical Metaphysical Categories: Feng's Li and QiChapter 11 The Metaphorical Metaphysical Category: QiChapter 12 The Metaphorical Metaphysical Category: LiPart 13 Chapter 4. Metaphorical Metaphysical Propositions: Feng Youlan's Zai and LiuChapter 14 The Embodiment of Dao as a Process of ChangeChapter 15 Aggregate Being vs. Great TotalityPart 16 Chapter 5. Metaphorical Metaphysical Ideas in Ethics: Feng Youlan's Theory of Four Realms of LifeChapter 17 The Metaphysical Foundation of the Five Confucian VirtuesChapter 18 The Li of Society: Metaphysical Grounds of MoralityChapter 19 My Proposal: The Human RealmPart 20 Summary and Conclusions

Philosophers outside China are only beginning to realize that twentieth-century China was the scene of significant and creative cross-tradition philosophical endeavors. The work of these Chinese thinkers to critically develop Chinese philosophical thinking in the light of challenges from Western philosophy may in fact serve as a model for our own century, when philosophies both East and West need to attend to one another if they are to continue to grow. Derong Chen's impressive study of Feng Youlan (1895-1990)'s metaphysics is thus extremely timely. In addition to being a thorough and well-grounded interpretation of Feng's metaphysical doctrines, Chen's book offers two additional features: Chen's own critical, constructive developments of Feng's metaphysical thinking are very substantial, and Chen develops a large-scale interpretive frame ('metaphorical metaphysics') that applies to Chinese philosophy quite generally. For all those interested in metaphysics or in understanding that Chinese philosophy is a live, contemporary enterprise, I recommend the book highly.