Social Sciences in China (Chinese Edition)

No. 5, 2022

 

What Makes “Chinese Marxist Philosophy” Possible

(Abstract)

 

Shan Jigang

 

“Chinese Marxist philosophy” refers to the Sinicization of Marxist philosophy. It is Marxist philosophy with Chinese characteristics formed through the creative transformation and innovative development of the original Marxist philosophy in the Chinese-speaking world. The specific mechanisms of its transformation and development include the translation and interpretation of texts, the adaptation of the basic tenets of Marxism to China’s realities and its traditional culture, and philosophy for the masses. Following its transformation and development, Chinese Marxist philosophy continues to inherit the traditions of Marxist philosophy in that it adheres to a people orientation, to the “two cause-and-effect arguments” viewpoint, and to materialist dialectics. In the course of the 100-plus years of the Sinicization of Marxist philosophy, there emerged integrated and comprehensive knowledge systems, such as social evolution theory, the materialist conception of history, dialectical materialism, historical materialism, humanism, and the materialism of practice, as well as several knowledge system branches or departments. The unity of originality, inheritance, and subjectivity is the distinctive feature of Chinese Marxist philosophy. The investigation of its formative mechanisms, traditions and knowledge systems respectively focus to reveal its originality, inheritance and subjectivity.