Two Chinese Philosophers: The Metaphysics of the Brothers Cheng

by A.C. Graham

"Two Chinese Philosophers", which appeared in 1958, was the first book by the late Angus Graham, who went on to establish a reputation both as one of the leading sinologists of the 20th century and as a creative philosopher in his own right. In the course of a scholarly career spanning more than 40 years, Graham became known as a thinker and interpreter of extraordinary depth and incomparable breadth. Since the initial publication of "Two Chinese Philosophers", the field of neo-Confucian studies has proliferated, yet Graham's work on Ch'eng Ming-tao (Ch'eng Hao, 1032-1085) and Ch'eng Yi-ch'uan (Ch'eng Yi, 1033-1107) has not been superseded. The Ch'eng brothers were leading exponents of the neo-Confucian revival, which became orthodox state doctrine, used thereafter for the training and ideological moulding of the Chinese ruling class.

Genres: Philosophy, China

Paperback

First published August 1, 1992

About the author

Angus Charles Graham (1919-1991) was born in Penarth, Wales. He studied theology at Oxford University and served as an interpreter in Malaya and Thailand while in the Royal Air Force. In 1946 he enrolled in the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, where he remained throughout his career. An important Sinologist, Graham is credited with introducing into English several little- or poorly-known works of Chinese classical literature and philosophy, and is celebrated for his insightful analysis of these texts. Among his books are translations of Lieh-tzu and Chuang-tzu; a partial reconstruction of the anti-Confucian writings of Mo-tzu and a study of Mahoism, Later Mohist Logic, Ethics, and Science; a comparison of Eastern and Western religions, The Disputers of the Tao; and Yin-Yang and the Nature of Correlative Thinking.

Reviews

[Patty Chang · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was grateful for an introduction to these two scholars whom I had first come across in Wingsit Chan’s Sources of Chinese philosophy. Outside my historic period but I enjoyed their thinking.