Four Essays on Philosophy and Learning

Included here are translations of four essays by Wang Guowei, each representing a different stage in his intellectual development. The first, “Clarifying Delusions about Philosophy” (1903), defends the imported discipline of philosophy from its detractors by framing the issue in terms the Ruist notion of “rectifying names.” The second, “Autobiographical Notes at Thirty” (1907), recounts Wang’s intellectual career, from his youth to his later disillusionment with philosophy. The third, “Preface to Collected Writings on National Studies” (1911), proposes a view of learning as radically undifferentiated, rejecting distinctions like “Chinese” versus “Western.” The fourth, “Draft of an Imperial Memorial on Politics and Learning” (1923–1924), offers a polemic against Western theories and values. Together, these four essays paint a vivid picture of Wang’s evolving views on philosophy and learning, recounting his initial passion for and gradual disenchantment with Western thinking and what it could offer his own tradition.