The institute inherits a distinguishing academic tradition created by the some of most renowned scholars of the earlier generation in Chinese humanities, Feng Qi, Chen Xulu, Qian Gurong, and Wang Yuanhua among others. This tradition pursues interdisciplinary studies by integrating perspectives informed by philosophy, history and literature.
Professor Feng Qi (馮契), an initiator of the Philosophy Department at the University,
was a disciple of Jin Yuelin (金岳霖), an outstanding philosopher of the Qinhua
School. Feng was remarkable in the articulation of this interdisciplinary tradition
in his historical study of Chinese philosophy. His solid logical analyses and
sophisticated theoretical thinking have been reflected in his influential works
such as The Logical Development of Ancient Chinese Philosophy and The Revolutionary
Progress of Modern Chinese Philosophy. He summarized his own approach in this
way: Philosophy is the synthesis of the history of philosophy, while the history
of philosophy is the unfolding of philosophy. Similarly, late Prof. Chen Xulu
in history also followed the principle of uniting philosophy and history in
his honorable works The Process of Metabolism in the Society of Modern China.
In addition, the interdisciplinary perspective combining literature philosophy
has been also well embodied in the study of Prof. Qian Gurong and Prof. Wang
Yuanhua.