Chinese and Western Philosophy：Using Differences to Make a Difference

Professor Roger T. Ames. （COURTESY PHOTO)

Professor Roger T. Ames is a Canadian-born philosopher and Humanities Chair Professor at Peking University, who has made an outstanding contribution to the research and promotion of Chinese culture and philosophy, as well as Chinese and Western comparative philosophy.

Last month, Ames received the Chinese Government Friendship Award, the highest award for foreign experts who have made significant contributions to Chinese society.

When a westerner meets traditional Chinese philosophy

Fifty years ago, 19-year-old Roger arrived at the Chinese University of Hong Kong as an exchange student.

Speaking of his first contact with his life career, he still remembers the English version of The Four Books his roommate sent to him. This was the first time Ames came to know about Confucius, and he was captivated immediately. When he recalled how it related to his life choice, he said, "This was the moment when I made the decision to study Chinese philosophy for the rest of my life."

In terms of his motivation to erase the Westerners' misunderstanding about Chinese culture, Ames remembered back to 1978 when he was accompanying his wife to see a doctor in Canada, and the doctor casually asked him about his research. When the doctor heard that Ames' research area was Chinese philosophy, he laughed until he had tears in his eyes. This motivated Ames to change the prejudice rooted in the traditions of Western philosophy.

In his opinion, foreigners learning Chinese philosophy tend to use the Western thinking method to understand. However, from the very beginning, he studied both Chinese and Western philosophy without making either dominant in his research, which helped him understand what both sides are saying as a base for mutual understanding. This has helped him become a philosophy bridge between China and the West.

"If Western philosophy repels the traditions of other philosophies, then it as a subject doesn't fulfill its academic responsibilities," said Ames.

A bridge to facilitate mutual understanding

As a renowned expert in comparative philosophy, Ames has devoted his whole life to promoting the internationalization of Chinese philosophy, especially Confucianism, and facilitating equality of dialogue between Chinese and Western philosophy. He has brought Confucianism out of Chinatown.

To achieve that goal, Ames has written a series of well-known books, such as Thinking Through Confucius and Living Chinese Philosophy. In addition, he has also translated many Chinese classics, including The Analects of Confucius: A Philosophical Translation, Sun Tzu: The Art of Warfare, and Dao De Jing: A Philosophical Translation.

In the process of academic research, Ames places high value on deepening mutual understanding and appreciating the positive role in cultural differences. He attaches great importance to language as a core communication tool in his classes and encourages students to express their thoughts in English.

"Making the Chinese tradition voice [be heard] in its own words and be understood by the West," is the way he sees his work. Ames believes that Chinese students will become an essential bridge of cultural exchanges between China and the West in the future.

As Chinese philosophy goes global, Ames said that his role is being reshaped. "You could say I'm a translator, putting Chinese ideas, Chinese culture into new words," he said.

"Family" Concept Valued

"Family is where one is inspired to give everything. My teacher, Professor Din Cheuk Lau and I have always felt like father and son. There is some distance between teachers and students in foreign countries, while in China, the relationship between teachers and students is more like family."

To some extent, the entire Chinese society is functioning as a family. "In Confucian philosophy, more fundamental than anything else is family," said Ames.

To take a community with a shared future for mankind as an example, he underlined the Chinese approach to an inclusive, shared global governance rooted in Chinese culture and philosophy.

When it comes to his connection with Peking University, he quipped, "I'm a walking advertisement for Peking University," adding that Peking University is like his second home.

(Source: Peking University)