[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
Cf.
Newsletter #1 for details -- Editorial ]
Newsletter[1]
Unveiling Ceremony:
Institute for Thomé H. Fang Studies
Tr. Suncrates
The
first Institute for Thomé H. Fang Studies in
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
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
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
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
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
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
方东美研究所
简讯
2008年10月23日
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。
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。
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。
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。
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。
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。
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。
当晚,副校长王源扩教授代表学校宴请了与会代表。
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。
[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.
[i] Professor Thomé H. Fang’s
ancestral relationship with Fang Yizhi and Fang Bao is for the first time perfectly clarified with the
publication of a conscientious genealogical research on the Great Fang Clan’s Family Tree as conducted in
May-June, 2007 by Mr. Chen Jing (陳靖),
Editor-in-Chief for the Special Column of “History and the Humanities” on the Zongyang WebsSite, Anhui, China. Fang Yizhi was the Enlightenment Philosopher of the late Ming Dynasty
in 17th century