Chinese Thought
1 min readDifferent approaches to life have given rise to great differences in traditional Eastern and Western thought. This is especially apparent in the means used to express ideas. Chinese thinkers often employ intuitive or metaphorical language to hint at the meanings of deep concepts, so understanding these concepts requires a strong capacity for associative thought.
At the same time, traditional Chinese schools of thought put great importance on cultivating personal ethics and morality, believing that only a person of superior character is capable of bringing about domestic harmony and national advancement. Therefore, the ancient Chinese philosophers applied themselves to personal self-cultivation, as well as to exploring the relationship between the individual, the state, and society.
In 1977, the Chinese government established the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, based on the philosophy and social science divisions of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, to undertake ideological studies in the areas of philosophy, politics, world religions, history, archeology, and literature. The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences currently has over one thousand highlevel, specialized research personnel and publishes close to 100 academic journals, such as Chinese Social Sciences, which provide a centralized forum for the most recent research andinformation in the field of Chinese social sciences.
