An international academic forum was held to mark the 100th anniversary of the well-known philosopher Feng Qi on November 2, 2015. The forum was hosted by East China Normal University, the Shanghai Federation of Social Science Associations, and the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. More than 100 scholars from the United States, France, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, mainland Chinese universities, and representatives of ECNU attended the forum.
ECNU holds an international academic forum to mark the 100th anniversary of Feng Qi.
One hundred years ago, Mr. Feng Qi was born to a famers’ family in Gaowu Village, Jishi, Zhejiang Province. In 1935, he was enrolled in Tsinghua University to study philosophy. He was taught by Jin Yuelin and Feng Youlan, the most influential philosophers in modern Chinese history. In the 1940’s, he completed his master’s thesis at the Tsinghua Institute of Arts at the National Southwest Associated University. When China was invaded by Japan, he participated in several student protests against the Japanese invasion. After Japan launched a full-scale invasion against China on July 7, 1937, he joined the army.
Prof. Feng Xiang, the second son of Mr. Feng Qi, delivers a speech at the ceremony.
The forum attracts lots of prestigious experts and scholars.
In the beginning of the 1950s, Mr. Feng joined the newly-established ECNU and founded the Department of Philosophy. He spent the rest of his life in the university, and his work was recommended by Chairman Mao Zedong himself. He was not only an excellent disciple of the Tsinghua philosophical school, but also an independent Marxist, famous for his Wisdom Theory. He wrote three influential articles on Wisdom Theory and two articles on philosophical history. His famous works include Understanding the World and Understanding Oneself, Dialectics in Logical Thinking, Human Freedom and Truth, Kindness and Beauty, The Logical Development of Ancient Chinese Philosophy, and The Revolution Process of Modern Chinese Philosophy.
Selection of Feng Qi's Works is published to review Mr. Feng's life and achievements.
This year 2015 marks the 100th anniversary of Mr. Feng Qi. To promote Mr. Feng’s spirit and encourage students to learn more from him, ECNU’s Department of Philosophy and relevant organizations held a series of celebrations. Apart from the academic forum, it also invited famous philosophy professors to hold lectures. Prof. Chen Lai and Prof. Feng Xiang of Tsinghua University, Prof. Xu Quanxing of the Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC, Prof. Cheng Zhongying of University of Hawaii, and Prof. Huang Yong of the Chinese University of Hong Kong held lectures at ECNU to mark Mr. Feng’s anniversary. A book was published to review Mr. Feng’s life. A photo exhibition was held at the ECNU Archive and Library. A documentary was made together with Shanghai TV to show his great life and thoughts.
Participants of the forum pose for a group photo.
At a meeting in memory of Mr. Feng, ECNU President Chen Qun commented: “Throughout his life, Mr. Feng maintained the freedom of mind and independence of thoughts no matter what the situation.” Although Mr. Feng has been deceased for two decades, his wisdom remains a giant contribution to human kind.
