Thomé Fang’s Pursuit of a Cultural Ideal

Abstract

Thomé Fang’s philosophical ideas are largely directed to the possibility of a form of humane enculturation that is somewhat similar to the Greek idea of paideia. His persistent pursuit of a cultural ideal is based on the rediscovery of and reflection on the relevance of Chinese and Western heritage, and a comparison of both. As an illustration of the cultural ideal that is the focus of his concern, it is conducive to examine the pagoda allegory that implies an approach to transcultural transformation or synthesis. In practice, this involves a threefold strategy and a reconsideration of cultural origins through artistic features.

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