Introduction
The book ‘Morality, Metaphysics, and Chinese Culture’ by Vincent Shen is dedicated to the disclosure of inseparable links between metaphysics morality faced in Chinese culture; the author strived to underline close connection between this aspects through the analysis of great thinkers’ theories and conceptualizing their views through the Chinese culture examination.
Modern world is considered to be under nihilism menace having no ideal values, which could become the central part of human life. It is necessary to underline the fact that this phenomenon has been experienced since post-modern cultural movement, denying the tendency of modernity value. The book written by Vincent Shen critically discloses the modern place of morality and its reflection in Chinese culture though the stress on education and metaphysics interference.
Cultural Traditions as Way to Morality
Modern population experience the period of value destruction; people have no sense to devote their life to something, due to human walking through the path to nihilism dark valley. The analysis of this situation can be based on the theoretical views of great thinkers, concentrating on reawakening of moral responsibility and human consciousness. Vincent Shen managed to highlight the role of moral education in the attempts to problem solution; he combined philosophical approaches with cultural values analysis to demonstrate the process of moral development in modern Chinese society.
It is necessary to underline the fact that we could not perceive the morality as human qualities cultivation; the author stressed the idea of humanism, subjectivity and self-assertion to be the necessary components of the human moral behavior formation. Nevertheless, the basic idea presented in the book is concentrated on necessity to provide no limitations to moral experience, as the phenomenon of human relationships fulfillment and self-realization. It is important to stress that the book highlighted the role of cultural traditions as an integral part of morality development; the author stated subjectivity limitations can be avoided through the cultural interference. In this case, we should regard cultural traditions as living process, rather than fundamentalism and rationalism constituted in the past. Here the author expresses his agreement with Gadamer, who considered that everyone is supported by his cultural tradition perceived as horizon of meaning. Demonstrating this view, the author tried to grab the readers’ attention to the principle cultural traditions of China, such as Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism. One should stress the idea that the highlight of this side of cultural development was aimed at helping people understand their own inner world and create the path to self improvement.
The book underlines the idea that every person lives in accordance with his own cultural tradition, nevertheless the reflection of others’ is still present. Throughout the book, one can notice the concept of comparison; this notion is used to denote human chance to escape any limitations in personal development. The concept is illustrated as a communication way and the method of comparison with other cultures, contributing to self-realization and self-consciousness. Besides, the author stressed that the concept of comparison with other traditions can bring realization of personal culture and morality. For the purpose of understanding the roots of Chinese culture and its main links with metaphysics and moral education, the book highlights comparison of Chinese culture with the elements of Western philosophical traditions.
Some aspects of the book are considered to be contradictive; on the one hand, the author stresses the importance of cultural traditions in avoiding the nihilism valley, but on the other, he outlines the importance of metaphysical nature of human beings. It is necessary to underline the fact that moral traditions and morality are regarded to be the forms of ‘Being’ manifestation marked in human history. So, moral life of people is to be based on metaphysical foundations and is to be perceived as ‘being’ realization. The analysis of this approach leads to the realization of human freedom, though it is all the same grounded. The author managed to dedicate the significant part of the book to the disclosure of metaphysical reflection through the analysis of human way to realization.
The Concept of Love
Special attention in the book is dedicated to the disclosure of love concept as a part of Neo-Confucian philosophy; the basic argument is concentrated on the presentation of ‘love’ through various cultural traditions promoted in Chinese philosophy. Taking into account stylistic aspect of the theme presentation, it is necessary to underline the fact that the book reflects the depth of Chinese philosophy through the author’s language and lexical expressions. Thus, the concept of love appeared to be difficult to translate; the book marks it as ‘jen’, with the meaning of human heartedness, compassion and charity. Some elements of historical overview disclosed in the book, give an opportunity to understand the link between ‘jen’ and love, identified by Confucius; he determined this notion as the state of love to men.
‘Jen is the universal virtue that embraces all relations,
but righteousness is the particular virtue that makes
distinctions in personal relations’. (Shen, 71)
Chinese philosophy compared the love concept to the state of being humane; in accordance with Huang Mien-chih, ‘jen is love before it is stirred, love is jen after it is stirred… to speak of love means to speak of jen’ (Shen, 72) The book presented critical overview of Wang Yang-ming’s theory as to the concept of love and it role in human morality development; he states that love is perceived as the part of the man,
‘Humanity (jen) and wisdom (chih) are the character of human nature,
and they are the way in which the internal and external are united’.
(Shen, 72)
Shen underlines the idea, that being a true Confucianist influenced Wang’s philosophical view perceiving jen as universal principle growing from within. Jen is considered to be the background of unceasing reproduction and production as well as universe regeneration. In general, the concept of love is being presented as the starting point to human consciousness rehabilitation and the morality self-improvement; the book managed to highlight a number of examples with the common idea of ‘love and jen’ interconnection on the basis of human relationships and gradual movement to self-realization and consciousness.
‘Manifesting the clear character consists in loving the people,
loving the people is the way to manifest the clear
character (jen)’ (Shen, 75)
It is necessary to stress that critical analysis of the book written by Shen appeared to be the reflection of Chinese cultural traditions and philosophical approaches aimed at highlight of morality place in modern society. Stylistic approach to book writing can be perceived through frequent usage of foreignisms and professionalisms, characterizing the nature and culture of the author. Some aspects described in the book are considered to be complicated for understanding, in case the reader has no background knowledge in Chinese culture. It is interesting to stress that the author managed to cover not only Chinese traditions, but highlight the Western cultural motives, giving an opportunity to dive into the depth of his own cultural roots.
Conclusion
The analysis of the book ‘Morality, Metaphysics, and Chinese Culture’ by Vincent Shen gave an opportunity to see the connection between morality and metaphysics reflected in Chinese culture. The disclosure of philosophical overview based on the greatest thinkers’ expressions provided a detail description of Chinese cultural motives. As it was stated in the analysis, the author strived to prove modern human way to gradual degradation through our moral destruction; the only solution to the problem is considered to be the introduction of moral education and examination of cultural traditions through their comparison to other cultures. In accordance with Shen, this method would help to come to self-realization and consciousness rehabilitation. People are to create value to devote their lives to; it is possible through their cultural enrichment and moral education.
Critical overview demonstrated the idea that the book appeared to be complicated and thought-provoking; it is a real treasure of modern literature world contributing to the spheres of philosophy, history and culture; Shen managed to demonstrate the central element of Chinese culture through the problems of morality faced by modern generation.
References
Shen, V. and Tran, V. D. Morality, metaphysics, and Chinese culture. CRVP, 1992.