安徽大学 

[Esteemed Friends and Thomé Fans: What an encouraging

wonderful message from our spiritual ally? The Institute

for Thomé H. Fang Studies was officially established Oct.

14, 2008 in our philosopher’s native province Anhui, China!

Cf. Newsletter #1 for details -- Editorial ]

Newsletter[1]

October 23, 2008:

Unveiling Ceremony:

Institute for Thomé H. Fang Studies

Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui, China

Tr. Suncrates

The first Institute for Thomé H. Fang Studies in China was officially established, with the Unveiling Ceremony held October 14, 2008 at the Qing Yuan (Stone Drum Garden) Guest House on the campus. Vice President Wu Chunmei of AU and Dr. Zhong Maosen, Vice President of the Pure Land Learning College, Australia, conjointly unveiled the monument for this Institute named after the distinguished thinker of Anhui

The ceremony was conducted by Dr. Li Xia, Chairperson of Philosophy. Present at this ceremony were: Professor Kuo Uen-fu, Philosophy Department, National Taiwan University; Professor Liu Epei, Liberal Arts College, Tsinghua University and concurrently President, Society for Zhang Dainian Studies; Vice Director Su Yongdong, Lujiang Education Center for Chinese Culture, Lu-jiang, Anhui; Professor Bai Yuxiao, Philosophy Department, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Ji-angsu; part of the Thomé H. Fang scholars all over the country, and our Faculties and Student Bodies representatives alike.

Congratulation letters on the establishment of the Institute were sent in from various sources: such as Philosophy Department, Fu Jen Catholic University, Taipei; Department of Philosophy, Nanjing University, Nanjing; Institute for Thought and Culture, Tsinghua University, Beijing; Liberal Arts College, Qufu Normal Universiy, Qufu, Shandong; Technology and Philosophy Division, China Science and Technology University, Hefei, Anhui; Yellow Mountain Academy of Culture; and Comprehensive Harmony: A Bulletin of Comparative Philosophy and Culture, Thomé H. Fang Intitute, Inc., USA, etc.

At the ceremony Vice President Wu (Chunmei) delivered her address. She said, “Anhui is the native place of Thomé H. Fang, and AU is the institution of higher learning for Anhui; the founding of this Institute so named after him right here on our campus is not only significant for advancing the intellectual studies on Thomé H, Fang himself. It will exert far-reaching impacts on the spread and enhancement of the splendid traditional Chinese culture [or, so to speak, “the Glory that was China”], on the furtherance of the relationship between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, and on the promotion of cultural integration of the East and West, as well.

Zhong Maosen and Kuo Uen-Fu each spoke highly of the great contributions Professor Fang had made to Chinese philosophy at large. Kuo pointed out specifically that with the Institute for Master Fang installed in his native place Anhui, it is of great importance both for dissolving the gap of estrangement still existing between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait and for further strengthening the intellectual interflow between our compatriots thereon.

Following the unveiling ceremony a session of panel discussion was held, wherein all the participating experts were enthusiastically engaged in free exchange of their views centering around the thoughts of Thomé H. Fang with regard to their formations, their values, and the progress made in current Thomé H. Fang Studies. Fang’s philosophical idea of “Comprehensive Harmony,” they unanimously concurred, has indeed provided an important frame of reference for the implementation of our current “Hrmonious Society” project. At the session a video tape sent by Senior Professor Rev. Ching Kung (in Hong Kong) congratulating on the Grand Opening of this Institute was played.

While briefing on “Construction of the Harmonious Worlds in the light of Thomé H. Fang’s Interpretation of the Hua Yan (Avatamsaka) School of Buddhism,” Dr. zhong Maosen recapitulated Fang’s outstanding achievements in the studies of the Hua Yan Sūtras, and analyzed the actual values thereof. Professor Qian Gengsen, Philosophy Department of AU., highlighted the impacts of Fang’s philosophical ideas on the contemporary society in terms of the spread of the Hui Studies (Huixue), the cultural interflows between both sides of the Taiwan Strait and between East and West in general, and studies of Neo-Confucianism in particular. Yu Bingyi, Fellow of Anhui Academy of Science, Professor Li Anze, School of Philosophy and Social Science, Shanxi University, and Professor Wan Xiaoping [grandson of Zhu Guangqian], Philosophy Department, AU., had each expressed their thematic views.

Finally, conclusive and summary remarks were made by Vice President Li Renqun. He stated that the establishment of the Fang Institute and the offering of new courses studies on his thought will definitely help advancing our course curriculum programs and thus promote the academic standards of our University, both being especially significant for the further development of our Philosophy Department. The newly established Fang Institute, he hoped, will consolidate and attract all the academic intellectual forces at home and abroad. He further insisted that we shall run the Institute open-mindedly so as to truly deepen and strengthen the Thomé H. Fang studies,

At the evening, on behalf of our University, Vice President Wang Yuankuo invited all the participating representatives to a dinner party.

As we understand, distinguished philosopher of China, Thomé H. Fang was the 16th generation descendant of Fang You (1418-1483), Imperial Inspecting General of the Ming Dynasty, of the Great Fang Family, Zongyang, Anhui -- Fang Yizhi (1611-1671) being his 14th, and Fang Bao (1668-1749)[i] his 16th, generation ancestral uncle, respectively. He devoted all his life to the career of intellectual pursuits, culminating in perfect blend and fusion of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism, in masterful grasp of the philosophies and cultures of East and West, and in ingenious construction of a trenchant and comprehensive system of thought. In addition, he was duly acclaimed as a poet-philosopher of the highest order. The unique charisma of his combined personages of poet and philosopher in one has cut himself quite a figure as a splendid vista in the world of contemporary intellectual history. Financially, the Institute for Thomé H. Fang Studies is being sponsored by his great Buddhist disciple Rev. Ching Kung, President of the Pure Land Learning College, Sidney, Australia. Our University President -- Professor Huang Dekuan, Senior Professor Ching Kung, and Senior Professor Qian Gengsen have all been offered the distinction as Honorary Directors for the Institute; Professor Li Xia appointed as Director, Professor Wan Xiaoping and Dr. Zhong Maosen as Vice Director, and Professor Shi Xiangqian of History Department as Secretary-in-General.

The Institute’s tasks for the near future are as follows: (1) preparing and planning for the publication of an international periodical Journal entitled The Great Fang Studies; (2) recruiting and appointing competent experts and scholars as Fellows; (3) enabling Fang’s Complete Works to be published in Mainland China (in simplified Chinese); and (4) calling for the Symposium celebrating Fang’s 110th Birthday Anniversary to be held at the most appropriate timing in the up-coming year [in August to September, 2009, so we are lately informed].

***** ***** *****

安徽大学（本文转载自枞阳网：http://www.zywbbs.com ）=hEI77[1]1 ￣
方东美研究所（本文转载自枞阳网：http://www.zywbbs.com ）H"v
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2008年10月23日

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全国首家方东美研究所于10月14日在我校磬苑宾馆揭牌成立。副校长吴春梅教授、澳洲净宗学院副院长钟茂森博士为以这位皖籍著名思想家名字命名的研究机构揭了牌。（本文转载自枞阳网：http://www.zywbbs.com ）/G-Y81([' ￣

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揭牌仪式由哲学系主任李霞教授主持。台湾大学哲学系郭文夫教授，张岱年哲学研究会会长、清华大学文学院刘鄂培教授，庐江中华文化教育中心束永东副主任，南京大学哲学系白欲晓教授等，与全国部分方东美学术研究者及我校师生代表一起出席了揭牌仪式。（本文转载自枞阳网：http://www.zywbbs.com ）@S^M`zO| ￣ 

台湾辅仁大学、南京大学哲学系、清华大学思想文化研究所、曲阜师范大学文学院、中国科学技术大学科技哲学部、黄山文化书院,,美国《东美学报：广大和谐》等单位为研究所成立发来了贺信。（本文转载自枞阳网：http://www.zywbbs.com ）'NE[ZJ ￣ 

揭牌仪式上，吴春梅发表致辞。她说，安徽是方东美的家乡，安徽大学作为安徽省的高等学府成立方东美研究所，不仅在推进方东美学术研究方面意义重大，而且在弘扬中国优秀传统文化、加强海峡两岸交流、促进中西文化会通等方面都具有深远的影响。钟茂森、郭文夫分别发表讲话，高度评价方东美为中国哲学做出的巨大贡献。郭文夫还特别指出，在方东美的家乡建立方东美研究所，对消解海峡两岸的隔阂、加强两岸学术交流有着重大意义。（本文转载自枞阳网：http://www.zywbbs.com ）C([Kwg*j' ￣ 

揭牌仪式结束后，举行了学术报告会。与会专家围绕着方东美哲学思想的形成、价值、研究现状等议题纷纷发表见解，一致肯定方东美“广大和谐”的哲学思想为构建当今和谐社会提供了重要的借鉴。会上，还播放了净空老教授祝贺研究所成立的讲话录像。（本文转载自枞阳网：http://www.zywbbs.com ）dF/y]1VX‑ ￣ 

钟茂森在题为《从方东美华严思想谈构建和谐世界》的报告中，追述了方东美在华严经研究方面的突出成就，剖析了这些成就的现实价值。我校哲学系钱耕森教授从弘扬徽学、两岸及中西文化交流、新儒家研究等方面揭示了方东美哲学思想对现代社会的影响。省社科院余秉颐研究员、山西大学哲学社科学院李安泽教授、我校哲学系宛小平教授等也分别作了主题发言。（本文转载自枞阳网：http://www.zywbbs.com ）Pf7 C13A ￣ 

副校长李仁群教授作了总结讲话。他说，成立方东美研究所、开展方东美哲学思想研究，有利于促进我校学科建设、提升我校学术水平，对我校哲学系的发展意义尤其重要。他希望新成立的研究所团结吸引海内外的学术力量，坚持开放办所，把方东美研究做深、做强。

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当晚，副校长王源扩教授代表学校宴请了与会代表。

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据了解，方东美是桐城派始祖方苞的第十六代孙，中国著名哲学家。他毕生致力于学术事业，圆融儒道佛，会通中西哲学与文化，建构了宏大精深的哲学体系。方东美还享有“诗人哲学家”之美誉，其“诗哲相兼”的学术气象成为现代学术史上一道亮丽风景。方东美研究所由方东美的高足、澳洲净宗学院院长净空教授资助成立。校长黄德宽教授、净空教授和钱耕森教授应邀任研究所名誉所长，所长由李霞教授担任，宛小平教授、钟茂森博士为副所长，哲学系史向前教授为秘书长。研究所近期任务为筹办刊物、聘请海内外专家做研究员、促成方东美全集在大陆出版，并预备在明年适当时候以方东美诞辰110周年为契机举办学术研讨会。（本文转载自枞阳网：http://www.zywbbs.com ）1hP~G4mz ￣

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[1] Editor’s Note: By courtesy of the Institute for Thomé H. Fang Studies and Public Relations Office, Anhui University, Anhui, China. Grateful thanks are due to Professors Qian Gengsen and Wan Xiaoping for kindly sharing with us this “Good News” as an important historical document.