A Brief
Chronology
Of the
Life of Thomé H. Fang
(1899-1977)
Suncrates
1899, aged 1 Born on Feb. 9 (Luna
Calender) at the Dali (Great Ni) Estate, Yangshu Wan (
The 23th generation descendant of the
Guilin Fang Clan,[1]
usually known as the Great Fang Clan, beginning with Fang Deyi of the later
Song and early Yuan Period; the 16th generation descendant of Fang
You (1418-1483),[*] Imperial
Inspecting-General of the Ming Dynasty, who served briefly as Mayor of Guilin,
Guangxi (now the most fascinating scenic spot in world tourism).
Geneological
name: Fang Dehuai; official name: Fang Xun, personal name: Dongmei, (hence
Thomé), meaning thereby “Beauty of the east”; Father: Fang
Jianzhou (Grantee of Honorary Advanced Official Candidate); mother, Lady Yang; 1st elder
brother: Fang Daohuai, farmer; 2nd elder brother Fang Yihuai (Fang
Chen 方琛),
Principal of the nation-wide famous Tongcheng Middle School; Director,
Education Bureau of Tongcheng City; two elder sisters died in their early
youth.
1901, aged 2 Death of father;
death of mother in 1903; entrusted to the guardianship of Fang Chen, his 2nd
elder brother.
1902,
aged 3 Education began at home
with the study of The Book of Odes; a
prodigal wonder child able to learn by heart the entire book just by listening
to the odes chanted; thus, bred up in the atmosphere of a typical Confucian family.
1913, aged 14 Attending
the nationwide famous Tongcheng Middle School founded by the great scholar and
educator Wu Rulun; met life long good friend Zhu Quangqian, later Acting Dean
of Liberal Arts, Beijing University; a leading authority on aesthetics of 20th
century China.
1917, aged 18
President, the Students
Self-Government; Editor-in-Chief, The
Light of Jinling (a campus Bulletin); President, the Chinese Philosophical
Society of the Students Body.
Well-known across the campus for
his intellectual brilliance: with superior knowledge of classical Chinese
literature surpassing the teacher; and better command of English than Professor
of Philosophy of Religion, the
British educated Dr. Wang, Dean of Students. But soon designated for
dismissal for having been caught in reading novels on Sunday ceremonies. Dr.
Clarence H. Hamilton (later Special Writer for Encyclopedia Britainica on Chinese philosophy and Buddhism) came to
his rescue with protest, saying, “I would rather see the whole university
closed than such a brilliant young man dismissed (for such trivial
blunders)!” In an interview with the President, Dr. Baldwin, Fang
proposed (1) that the University shall register with the Chinese government for
due respect of China’s educational sovereignty; and (2) the missionary
educational institutions shall respect Chinese cultural tradition and heritage
by appointing top qualified scholars for relevant courses, rather than hiring
the shams. President Baldwin so impressed with his presentation; decided to
send him to study in the
1918, aged
19 Met
Wang Guangqi for the first time; Wang and
other co-founders of the Young China Society (hereafter referred to as YCS)
came from
1919,
aged 20 Outbreak
of the May 4th Movement in
On May 5, received student
leaders from Beijing University (Duan Shuyi, Zhou Binglun, etc.). With Students
Self-Government of Jinling University as Headquarter, Fang was able to
accelerate, timely and in full scope, the spread of this epoch-making May 4th
New Cultural Movement across
Joined YCS in November for love
of its cultural and intellectual ideals as independent of political power
struggles, endorsing to the Society’s goalset for creation of a Young
China by way of social activities on the scientific spirit and to its guiding
principles for lifestyle: Strive, Practice, Perseverance, and Simplicity.
Founding Member for the Nanking
Branch, YCS.
The American pragmatist
philosopher John Dewey arrived in Shanghai on May 1; Hu Shi was there to
receive him; hence actually neither in Beijing nor Nanking was Hu Shi directly
involved in the May 4th Movement.
1920,
aged 21 Editor-in-Chief,
The Young World an offerspring of The Young China founded by Wang Guangqi
and edited by Li Dazhao and Kang Baiqing in
Mao Zedong jointed the YCS in November,
introduced by Kang Baiqing. Li Dazhao organized secretly the Marx Studies
Society in the Library of Beijing University where Mao worked with him.
Living in the South, Fang joined
neither the Marx Studies Society nor the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) founded
the year following (1921). Thus, by
such a non-partisan position Fang was enabled to server as re-conciliator
during the final split between the Left and Right Wings of the Society in 1926,
Publications in The Young World: (1) “The
Bergsonian Philoso9phy of Life”; (2) “The Realistic Philosophy of
Life”; (3) “The Annual Meeting of the American Sociological
Association”; (4) “Russia in 1919”; (5) “The Soviet
Russia in Bertrand Russell’s eyes” (translation); (6) “Two
International Academic Organizations.”; and (7) “William
James’ Philosophy of Religion.”
Finished in June translation of Pragmatism by D. L. Murrary, published
by China Books Co., Shanghai.
Delivered the “Welcome
Speech” in honor of John Dewey’s visit to the Jinling University,
Nanking. Took one year course with Dewey in “History of Philosophy: the
Ancient Period.” At first interested in Dewey as a scholar and teacher of
ideas; but unable to appreciate the teacher’s pragmatism because (in
Fang’s own words) of their temperamental differences; but admired Dewey
as an earnest and genuine person.
1921, aged 22 Set out
in August for
1922, aged 23 Completed
Master Thesis “A Critical Exposition of the Bergsonian Philosophy of
Life”; Thesis Director: Professor Evander Bradley McGilvary; wan high
praise from the graduate philosophical faculty; Thesis still available at the
University of Wisconsin Library, Madison, MI.
Visited Bertrand Russell with
several other Chinese students at a hotel of Madison, Wisconsin; so
enthusiastically engaged in discussion on “The Problem of China”
that Russell forgot entirely his lecture appointment with the local community,
leaving the audience to have waited in vain at the lecture hall!
Remained at Madison in summer
working hard on German. Came in
time to the rescue of a dying young man, the son of his landlord, who hugges
the young Chinese philosopher, exclaiming, “You have saved my son’s
life!”
With rather limited financial
resource, could afford to hire a tutor from the German Department for only two
hours (at $5.00 per hour), learning the pronunciation of the language;
afterwards, by self-study with perseverance, could read Goethe, Kant, Hegel,
Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Dilthey, Cassirer, Heidegger, etc., in the original. Often
fond of saying, “With ten dollars have I mastered the German!”
Disappointed at no courses
offered on Hegel at Madison, transferred to Ohio State University, Columbus,
OH, intent upon studying Hegel with J. A. Leighton for one year, but promised
to return in time.
1923, aged 24 Joined
the Society for Chinese Education Reform in
1924, aged 25 Completed
Doctorial Dissertation “A Comparative Study of the British and American
Neo-Realism”; Dissertation Director: Professor Evander Bradley McGilvary;
passed oral defence; returned home, for financial reasons, without having
Dissertation published as required for the doctorate.
Associate Professor of Philosophy
at Wu Chang Normal College (now Wuhan University), after having passed
successfully the toughest 3-step faculty entrance examination: (1) publishing
one article on the campus Bullletin, (2) delivering an Inaugural address, and
(3) accepting the oral examination by students and faculty conjointly.
1925, aged 26 Professor of Philosophy, National Southeastern
University, Nanking (until 1927); colleague with Zong Baihua，Li Zhenggang, He Zhaoqing, etc.
Taught
Ludwig C. H. Chen in logic, introduction to philosophy, idealism, realism,
especially Plato; Chen later became a world authority on Aristotle (with one
year’s study at London University and ten years’ at Berlin
University, 1929-41).
1927, agd 28 Concurrently Professor of
Philosophy, Jinling University (soon changed into National Central University),
Nanking.
Finished
Science, Philosophy and the Significance
of Human Life, Chapters I-V.
Taught
Chen Shih-chuan and Tang Junyi (transferred from Beijing University); the
former later became an acclaimed authority in the study of The Book of Change and the latter, a leading authority of
contemporary Neo-Confuciansim.
Led
the faculty’s demonstration on October 22, as one of the three professors
carrying the student’s coffin on their shoulders in march straight
towards the Government Mansion, protesting for the student leader Yuan
Daxi’s being killed on the previous day’s demonstration, to the
effect that Acting President Li Liejun resigned and Chiang Kai-shek returned
from Japan to resume office in Nanking.
1927, aged 28 Met Hu Shi for the first time in Shanghai,
disagreeing with the latter’s article “The World Philosophy during the Last Fifty Years,” the 50th
Anniversary Special Issue of The Shen Bao,
Shanghai (1922).
1928, aged 29 Married to Miss Lilian Kao,
aged 22, in Shanghai.
1929, aged 30 Chairman and Professor, Philosophy
Department,
Eldest
son Fang Tianhua born, later became a scientist in Chemistry.
1931 Aged 32 “The
Sentiment of Life and the Sense of Beauty” published in Journal of Literature and Fine Arts,
1932, aged 33 Twin children Fang Tianjue and Fang Tianni born;
Tianjue became a scientist in mechanics and Tianni, in electricity.
1933, aged 34 First daughter Fang Tianxin born, later became a
library scientist, but finally joined the Catholic Order as a num.
1936, aged 37 Address to the 1st
Annual Meeting of CPS (Chinese Philosophical Society), Nanking, on “The
Tragedy of Life: A Duet of the Greek and modern European Motif.”
Science,
Philosophy, and the Significnce of Human Life published
by the Commercial Books Co., Shanghai.
Outbreak of the Xi An Accident,
December 12; Generalissmo Chiang Kai-shek was kidnapped by General Zhang
Xueliang and General Yang Hucheng at Xi An, Shan Xi; released as a result of
Stalin’s intervention.
1937, aged 38 Accepted Generalissmo
Chiang’s invitation to tutor him in philosophy at his native town Xikou,
Fenghua, Zhejiang; teaching schedule postponed because of Chiang’s
injuries on the waist caused during the said Incident of the previous year
(1936).
On the eve of the Japanese
Invasion, invited by Ministry of Education, spoke over the Central Broadcasting
Station, Nanking, April 6 to 24, in a series of eight lectures, later published
in book form entitled The Chinese
Philosophy of Life: An Outline; generally regarded the author’s Address to the Chinese Nation,
paralleling Fichte’s Address to the
German Nation (while facing the invasions by Napoleon).
Spoke 30 minutes at the Lu Shan
Conference called by Generalissmo
Chinag, calling for “Fighting United against the Japanese Invasion.”
– An inspiring address with tears and blood, reminiscent of Winston
Churchill’s vigorous and sonorous oration after “the Dunkirk
Retreat.”
Outbreak of the Resistance War
against the Japanese Invasion on July 7, known as the Lugou Bridge Incident,
Hobei, Northern China.
Member of Executive Committee,
CPA (Chinese Philosophical Society); address to the 2nd Annual Meeting, CPS,
Nanking, on “Three Types of Philosophical Wisdom”
Retreated in October with the
Nationalist Government to Shaping Dam, Chongqing, Sichuan. Private library including the original
copy of Doctorial Dissertation all destroyed with the fall of Nanking; only the
manuscripts of “Three Types of Philosophical Wisdom” survived
retreat inland.
2nd daughter Fang
Tianxi died in the course of rertreat.
1937, aged 38 Chairman
and Professor, Philosophy Department, and Director of Graduate Institute of
Advanced Studies in Philosophy,
Address to the 3rd Annual Meeting
of CPA on “The Eastern and Western Types of wisdom.”
Resumed the tutoring schedule
with Generalissmo Chiang in courses of Hegel, Dialectics, Philosophy of Change,
and Wang Yangming, etc. Exchange of courtesy between teacher and student
proceeded that between citizen and head of the state, in accordance with
ancient rules of propriety.
1938, aged 39 “Three
Types of Philosophical Wisdom” published in China Times, Sunday Supplements, Chongqing, June 19, 22.
1939, aged 40 “Logical
Formulation of the Philosophy of Change” published in The Joint Studies of the Book of Change,”
Commercial Books Co., Changsha, Hunan and Hong Kong.
1940, aged 41 Early
disciples Professor Tang Junyi and Ludwig C. H. Chen joined the philosophical
faculty, NCU, as colleagues with Zong Baihua, Li Zhenggang, He Zhaoman, Xiong
Wei, Hu Shihua, etc.
Senior poet and scholar Ma Yifu,
on reading “The Sentiments of Life and the Sense of beauty” sent
sincere greetings via their common friend Professor Xiong Shili – A
rarely heard of anecdote of “the elder seeking to befriend the
younger” in conventional China.
1941, aged 42 Death
of Rabindranath Tagore in
As requested, sent poems to Professor
Zhu Guangqian, Dean of College of Liberal Arts,
1942, aged 43 Kept
correspondences with Professor Xiong on Buddhist Philosophy, clarifying certain
points of difference between them.
1943, aged 44 In
February President Gu Mengyu of NCU resigned; Generalissmo Chiang took over the
office as Concurrently President. On inauguration, his staffs (unfamiliar with
the academic custom) treated the faculty rudely by ordering all the sitting
chairs in the Auditorium be removed in wait for Chiang’s arrival. Fang asked, “Who is coming
today?” “President Chiang of the University.” “How can
one be the University President without showing due respect for the
Faculty! In protest, I
quit!” All stunned. Even with all the sitting chairs
restored, Fang still insisted to keep his words by resigning as Director for
the Institute of Advanced Studies in Philosophy at NCU.
1944, aged 45 Received
the visit at NCU by Dr. Servepalli Radhakrishnan heading the Indian Delegation
of Culture and Education; accepted the latter’s most friendly challenge
to serve as spokesman for China’s cultural and philosophical traditions,
as he was doing for India.
1945, aged 46 September,
invited by Mao Zedong, Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party, to attend the
Reunion Reception for the YCS members in Chongqing, during the peace talks
period (August 28 –October 11) for the two parties, the Nationalist and
the Communist. The philosopher addressed Mao simply as “Big Brother
Mao” – an expression that changed totally the atmosphere of the
reception.[2]
Returned to Nanking after the
Japanese Surrender; gave the first public speech at the Campus Auditorium
blaming the corrupt Nationalist Government officials for misconduct and
mis-speech (e.g., calling those innocent citizens who remained in the fallen
Capital during the wartime “pseudo-students,”
“pseudo-people,” etc.); all the audience burst out in sobs and
tears.
1946, aged 47 Made a lecture
tour of Taiwan in summer, subsequently after the tragic “228
Accident”; apparently urged by the Nationalist Government to soothe the
wounds caused thereby; wan admiration and respect from the local people with
sincere communication and genuine personality; even through translation his
words received with tears; acclaimed by local classical poets as “truly a
great authentic personality of comprehensive transformation” (博大化人)
-- in Daoist terms.
Accompanied by Mr. Xie Dongmin, later Vice
President of Nationalist Government, and Professor Xu Keshi, German educated,
Director of Education, Taiwan Provincial Government, to visit the Grass
Mountain for sightseeing, now the Yangmingshan, situated in the suburb of
Taipei, a scenic spot that served as the reception center for Prince Hirohito
of Japan (later Emperor) in 1923 and Alexandr Solzhenitsyn, the Russian Nobel
Laureate, in the early 80s; who stayed at the China Hotel nearby.
1948, aged 49 Professor and Chairman, Philosophy
Department, and Concurrently Director, Graduate Institute of advanced Studies
in Philosophy, NTW (
1949, aged 50 Strongly
recommended Zhu Guangqian, (then Acting Dean of Liberal Arts, National Peking
University) for a Professorship in Philosophy at NTW. In protest of the case
being boycotted by the Dean of Liberal Arts, Fang resigned both his
Chairmanship and Directorship, remaining only in the capacity as a teaching
faculty in the department until his retirement in 1973. – undoubtedly a
great loss for the subsequent development of the department toward excellence.
1951, aged 52 Address
to the banquet reception for university professors, hosted by President Chiang,
on “Hegel’s Philosophy: Its Present-Day Predicament and its
Historical Background
1953 Reformed the CPS (Chinese Philosophical
Association), Taiwan Branch.
Elected to Executive Committee.
1955, aged 56 Concurrently
Professor of Classical Chinese Literature, Taiwan Provincial Normal College
(until 1956), and Suchou University (until 1959).
1956, aged 57 Address on Hegel published
in Collected Essays of Hegel’s
Philosophy, Vol. I, China Cultural Enterprise Co., Taipei.
Awarded “Medal of
Distinguished Service Professor” by Ministry of Education, Nationalist
Government.
1957, aged 58 The Chinese View of Life published
by the Union Press, Hong Kong -- as an initial response to Servapalli
Radhakrishnan’s most friendly challenge in Chongqing, 1944.
1959, aged 60 Lecture tour
in the U. S. A at the invitation of the US State Department. Visiting
Professor, University of South Dakota, September.
Science,
Philosophy, and the Significance of Human Life reprinted
by the Rainbow Books, Taipei.
1960, aged 61 Visiting
Professor, University of Missouri, Columbus, Missouri, February to June; met
for the first time Professor Lewis E. Hahn (awarded “Man of the Year in
Philosophy 1967” and “Lifetime Achievement” by APA).
Address to Oberlin Theological
Seminar, Oberlin, Ohio on “A Philosophical Glimpse of Man and Nature in
Chinese Culture,” where his first mentor in Western philosophy and
religion (1917-21) Dr. Clarence H. Hamilton resided and taught.
Continued lecture tour throughout
the U. S. A. from coast to coast. visiting 37 campuses.
1964, aged 65 Heading
the Chinese Delegation attending the 4th East and West
Philosophers’ Conference on “The World and the Individual in
Philosophy East and West,” University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, June to
August.
Address to Section of Metaphysics
on “The World and the Individual in Chinese Metaphysics,”
culminating in the climax of his debate with Professor A. N. Findlay of London
University, England. Wan high
admiration from all participants.
D. T. Suzuki of Japan sent his personal greetings and invited him to
meet at the Japanese Garden on the campus of UH. Dr. Charles Moore, Conference Host and
Department Chairman, openly declared, “I never know, until now, who the
greatest philosopher of China is!”
Visiting Professor, Michigan
State University, East Lanson, MN, beginning with September. Offered seminar courses “Plato and
Socrates,” “Comparative Philosophy East and West,” etc.
Awarded “Medal of
Distinguished Service Professor for over Forty Years,” Ministry of
Education, Nationalist Government, Taiwan.
1965, aged 66 At the request
of Michigan State University, his tenure of Visiting Professorship extended for
one more years until 1966.
2nd reprinting of Science, Philosophy, and the Significance of
Human Life, the Rainbow Books Co., Taipei.
Off-Campus Examiner.
1966, aged 67 Awarded
“the Most Distinguished Visiting Professor” by President of
Michigan State University at Farewell Reception
Offer as Visiting Professor from
State University of New York at Buffalo, NY (for over $20,000.00 per
year). Declined. Determined to return to his home
institution NTU.
Beginning with October, offered a
series of special courses in Chinese Philosophy at NTW, e.g.,
“Metaphysical Studies of the Wei-Jin Period” “Buddhist
Philosophy of the Sui-Tang Period”; “Neo-Confucianism of the
Song-Ming-Qing Period”; “Chinese Mahayana Buddhist
Philosophy,” etc. until his retirement in 1973.
1967, aged 68 Launched the
writing project in English, beginning with “Primordial
Confucianism,” mostly at night.
Address on “The World and
the Individual in Chinese Metaphysics” selected in Chinese Mind, Honolulu, HI, University of Hawaii Press
1969, aged 70 Composed
the poem “Wintry Plums without Blossoming” on the 70th
birthday anniversary.
Address to the Section of Metaphysics,
the 5th East and West Philosophers’ Conference, June 22, on
“The Alienation of Man in Philosophy, Religion, and Philosophical
Anthropology”; published by Taipei Cultural Products Supplies the year
following.
Rejected unreasonable request
from Professor Abraham Kaplan, Director for the 5th East and West
Philosophers’ Conference: At the first session, Section of Metaphysics,
Kaplan asked if the speaker would consider
skipping over the formal presentation and moving directly to discussion.
Fang replied, “Yours is a procedural question. This session has been assigned to
me. How to present is my business.
Discussion without presentation is against my style. I refer your motion to
Section Chairman, Dr. Paul Weiss (a great disciple of Whitehead) for decision. If your motion is accepted, I
quit!” Paul Weiss at once gave Fang full support.
1970, aged 71 Address to the
Confucius and Mencius Society,
1971, aged 72 lecture on
“The General and Special Characteristics of Chinese Philosophy,”
October 15, 20, Classroom #17, College of Liberal Arts, NTW. Edited with
annotation by Uen-fu Kuo, later published in Speeches of Thomé H. Fang, the Liming Cultural Enterprise
Co., Ltd., 1978, Taipei.
Lecture on a synoptic relegation
of the various strains of Indian philosophy in terms of the formula
“11236” -- “One Source, One Stream, Two Books, Three Schools,
and Six Systems.”
1972, aged 73 Address to 5th
Centennial Symposium on Wang Yang-ming, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, on
“The Essence of Wang Yangming’s Philosophy in a Historical
Perspective,” later published in Philosophy
East and West, 1973, Vol. 23, Nos. 1-2.
Gave a Farewell Dinner Reception
inviting all participating Chinese scholars: Professors Tang Junyi, Mou
Zongsan, Li Fanggui, Nelson Wu, Zhang Zhongyuan, Wing-tsit Chan (absent), Zheng
Zhongying, Du Weiming, Suncrates, and his son Fang Tianni, etc.
1973, aged 74 Retired as
Research Professor of Philosophy from NTW, June 8, exactly on the 50th
Anniversary of his teaching career since 1924; A Candlelight Farewell Tea
Reception given in his honor by groups of students of various stages at
Cardinal Tian Gengxin Memorial Hall, Taipei; each participant with a candle
light in hand, listening to his Farewell Speech “Deep Meaning of the Transmission
of Lanterns” concluding, “I have none of my own children to pass on
to the torch of wisdom that is in my hand; I have only my intellectual
heirs!” featured by interflow of candle-lights with lights of tears.
Selected in Speeches of Thomé H.
Fang, 1978.
Chair Professor of Philosophy, Fu
Jen Catholic University, Xinzhuang, Taipei, beginning with September. Delivered
thereat a series of lectures exclusively on Chinese philosophy for a period of
three years, culminating in a monumental contribution to world thought at
large.
Address on “Chinese
Philosophy and Its Impacts on the World to Come“ November 2, at Cardinal
Tian Gengxin Memorial Hall, “Introductory Remarks” by Suncrates;
edited with annotation by Uen-fu Kuo, selected in Ibid.
Address to the 2nd World
Congress of Poets, at Grand Hotel, Yuanshan Taipei, November 17, on
“Poetry and Life”; selected in Ibid.
1974, aged 75 Lecture Notes
on “Confucius’ Creative Spirit in the light of The Zhou Book of Change”; a student had it published on The Central Daily News, Supplements,
January 21-22; it called for studies of Confucius’ thought as not
confined to The Analects alone;
provoked harsh criticism from orthodoxy Confucians in
Address
to the Chinese Classical Studies Society,
1976, aged 77 Completed the
entire work of Chinese Philosophy: Its Spirit and Its Development, typed
manuscripts totaling to 800 pages in 8 volumes – the outcome of a
lifetime scholarship for conception and ten years of dedicated workmanship for
execution! Professor Lewis E. Hahn of SIUC and Professor Kenneth K. Inada of
SUNY at Buffalo expected for his arrival for a colloquium presentation; the
work originally intended for publication in the U.S. being in process of
consideration by Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey, submitted
through Suncrates.
Physical examination before
departure (December) confirmed of symptoms for cancer spread from the left lung
to the lymphatic gland areas; the whole visiting plan to U. S. forced to abort.
1977, aged 78 Converted to
Buddhism in late March, initiated by Chan Monk Rev. Guang Qin, Tucheng,
March 1977, composed “To
Visitors -- in appreciation of all relatives and friends for their
kindness”:
Here now I fall ill
Because
all the sentient beings do
And
yet without being aware of illness as illness![3]
Thus
try I will,
With
my own illness, to
Wish
them all to get well, nonetheless.
For
only with true freedom from ill-
Be
capable of such a self-awareness.[4]
The
mysteriously mysterious
(Dao) and the wondrously wondrous
Dharma accord perfectlt with Heaven
And
Spontaneous Nature.
On April 3 designated Suncrates
as authorized translator for his last opous magnum Chinese Philosophy: Its
Spirit and Its Development.
On May 4, composed “From
Śūnyatā Have I come”:
From Śūnyatā have I come,
Whereto
am I returning.
What
can be possessed from
Śūnyatā to
Śūnyatā? Wherein
The
loci to find
For
the“Attaching Mind”?
Both published as his final works
in Universitas: A Monthly Review of
Philosophy and Culture, Vol. IV, No. 5.
Passed on July 13, after seven
months of suffering from cancer.
Testament: All his private
library collections donated to the state, opening to the public. Now catalogued
in Professor Thomé H. Fang Room at the Dr. Sun Yatsen Memorial Hall,
Dunhua South Road, Section III, Taipei.
Declined any official obituary
service; but memorial service still held with solemn simplicity, July 19, by
groups of his friends, students, and admirers; attended by such celebrities as
Cardinal Paul Yupin, the great historian Qian Mu, the senior economist Wang
Zuorong, the senior physicist Dai Yungui, etc; over thousands gathered together
to see him off for cremation.
Distinguished Neo-Confucian
authority Professor Tang Junyi in Hong Kongcomposed “Memoriam” in
the form of a Chinese couplet of antithetical structure:
To Master Thomé H. Fang on His Way
to Eternity:
Having been a
disciple of yours for over half a century, I often remember
your profound utterances on Dao as if they were all issued from Heaven!
Sharing the same illness with Virma for over half a
year, I always cherish your radiances as a Wisdom-Sun; why dessert me with so
early a sunset?
Reverentially,
Tang
Junyi
On July 22, in accordance with
his Will, sea-buried as close as possible to Mainland China; ceremony held in
Jinmen, Fujian; A marble urn containing his ashes sunk down to the deep waters
of the Liaoluo Gulf of Taiwan Strait; attended by his eldest son Dr. Fang
Tianhua, his wartime disciple Army General Wang Sheng, and the student representatives
Professors Huang Zhenhua and Liu Fu-kuen, etc.
*
* * *
*
Posthumorous Events:
1978 In commemoration of the
1st anniversary of his passing, a Memorial Pavilion in his honor
erected by local people in Jindong
and Shamei, Jinmen, Fujian Province
– notice what a perfect linguistic coincidence (for dong-mei)! a Tablet
calligraphed in the handwriting of his grand pupil President Chiang Ching-guo
(Jiang Jingguo); a marble monument inscribed by his wartime disciple Army
General Wang Sheng.
Complete Works in Chinese
published in 11 volumes, the Liming Cultural Enterprise Co. Ltd.,
1980 August, Mrs. Lillian
K. Fang visited the Liaoluo Guld, Jinmen, gazing silently and affectionately at
the deep waters as the resting place for her philosopher-husband, accompanied by her lifelong friend
Professor Chen Yusheng of NTW and a few students, e.g., Professor and Mrs.
Elmer H. H. Fung, Professor Edward Shih-I Wang, and Suncrates, etc.
Complete Works in English
published in three volumes, the Linking Publishing Co., Ltd.,
1983 Suncrates (tr.),
Thomé H. Fang, Chinese Philosophy:
Its Spirit and its Development, Vol. I, published, University (Chengjun)
Press,
1985 The idea of founding a
Thomé H. Fang Institute in
Professor Paul A. Schilpp, Charles Hartshorne,
Professor Ludwig C. H. Chen and Professor Tsung-I Dow, etc., approached as
Advisors. Professor Dow, a
recipient of the Government Fellowship for advanced studies in the
Two projects being discussed: (1) publication in
Fang’s honor of an international journal or bulletin in comparative
philosophy and culture, and (2) promotion of Fang’s works in translation.
1986 August, the same idea and
project further discussed with Professors Rose-Mary Barral, Sandra A. Wawrytko,
James Sellmann, James W. Kidd, and Mrs. Sunnie A. Kidd at the International
Symposium of Philosophy and Psychology, University of Las Vegas, Las Vegas,
Nevada.
1987 The 1st
International Symposium on the Philosophy of Thomé H. Fang held in
Taipei, Taiwan, July 15-17, participated by over forty scholars all over the
world; mostly the Master’s former students and friends; Proceedings published under the title The Philosophy of Thomé H. Fang, the Youth Press, Taipei, 1989.
Keynote Address by Professor Lewis E. Hahn on
“Thomé H. Fang and the Spirit of Chinese Philosophy,”
published in Ibid, pp 9-22.
Distinguished literary critic Qian Zhongshu of
1991 Professor and Mrs.
Lilliam K. Fang passed at the
1999 The Centennial International
Symposium on the Philosophy of thomé H. Fang held in
2003 The first Thomé
H. Fang Institute, Inc., installed in
2004 Suncrates (tr.),
Thomé H. Fang Chinese Philosophy:
Its Spirit and Its Development, Vol. II, finished, August.
2005 Complete Works of Thomé H. Fang in Chinese, Revised Edition,
totaling to 13 volumes, published by the Liming Cultural Enterprise, Co., Ltd.;
A New Books Exhibition Reception given at the NTU Alumni Association, Building,
2007 Mr. Chen Jing,
Editor-in-Chief, History and the Huamnities Column, Zongyang Web Site,
2008 The
first Institute for Thomé H. Fang Studies established with official
“Unveil Ceremony,” October 14, at the
2009
Suncrates and
Sandra A. Wawrytko (trs.), Thomé H. Fang, “Three Types of
Philosophical Wisdom”; “Hegel’s Philosophy: Its Present-Day
Predicament and Its Historical Background,” Part I; and “The Spirit of Chinese Philosophy – Inaugural
Address as Chair Professor at the Fu Jen Catholic University” (1973)
first published in Comprhensive Harmony:
A Bulletin of Comparative Philosophy and Culture, Alibris, Philadelphia, PA., September, as part of the
Kumārājiva Project, Thomé H. Fang Institute, Inc., Mobile,
AL., U.S.A.
[*] For the first accurate geneological account of our subject, we are all deeply indebted to the fruitful research work of Mr. Chen Jing (陈靖): “A study of the Genesis of Thomé H. Fang, the Great Philosopher of Our Time,” Zongyang News--Anqing Daily, Supplements (in the 4th Column), Anqing, Anhui, China, September 22, 2007. For further relevant details, see endnotes.
Notes
[1] The title “Guilin Fang” is a great honor
officially conferred upon the familyhead Fang Mao for five of his sons having
all passed successfully the state examination, acclaimed as “the five dragons”
of the Fang family. For all this
Fang You (1418-1483) is crucially important as the first one of his whole
family to win the honorable status of “Jinshi” --Advanced Candidate
for Official Service.
[2] Confirmed in
a conversation between Suncrates and
Mr. Wang Chong-wu, former Major of Jinan,
[3] A classic allusion to The Virmalakirti-Nedesa-Sūtra, Chapter V.
“Mañjūśrī Sent to Ask after Layman Vimalakirti in
Illness. The latter replies, “I fall ill because all the sentient beings
do (yet without being aware of illness as illness).”
[4] A classic allusion to The Works of Laozi, Chapter 71: “The Sage is aware of illness
as illness; and hence free from it.”
[5] We learn from Chen Jing’s most updated
genealogical research (2007) that our subject Thomé H. Fang is
truly the 23th generation descendant of the Guilin Fang (Great Fang) Clan; the
16th generation descendant of Fang You (1418-1483), Imperial Inspecting General of the Ming Dynasty -- Fang Yizhi
(1611-1671) being his 14th, and Fang Bao (1668-1749) his 16th, generation
ancestral uncle, respectively. Their 7th generation ancestors Fang
Lin, Fang You, and Fang Guan being brothers of the same family. This discover is enlightening in that it
perfectly clarifies Thomé H. Fang’s ancestral relationship with
Fang Yizhi and Fang Bao -- two towering figures in the glorious Tongcheng
cultural tradition. The former is revered as the Enlightenment Philosopher of
17th Century