| Western powers crashed open China’s gate of seclusion with gunboats and cannons in 1840.Thereafter.Western civilization has wandered about on mysterious Oriental pastures at will like "fierce floods and savage beasts",and China’s idyllic civilization cannot resist such violent change.In the long-term debate over "Eastward Dissemination of Western Learning,"Mr.Tang Yongtong refreshingly proposed the role of foreign civilization.Rather than adopting Westernization simply and completely,there is need for "reconciliation—conflict—reconciliation" stages.In this process,foreign civilization must undergo transformation and demonstrate a cultural pattern to adapt to the local nation before giving full play to its role.Tang Yongtong has selected Chinese Buddhism as a typical case.In a complete reproduction of the process,he systematically expounds the introduction process of Buddhism in China,and explains that Buddhism could only flourish after undergoing transformation and showing a cultural pattern accepted by the local civilization.By organizing and analyzing the history of the interpretation of Buddhism by Tang Yongtong,this paper studies the role of foreign civilization and taps its modern significance.The insights of Tang Yongtong,rather than being out of date,still have a vastly important academic value and realistic significance,and will provide useful ideological resources for the reconciliation of the contemporary cultural diversity of the Chinese nation. |
