Liang the Philosopher of Religion

Abstract

AbstractThis chapter is devoted to Liang’s discussion of religion, mostly based on the works of his early period (1919–1949). It explains first the debates about the definition of the new concept of religion in China at that time, and shows the originality of Liang’s approach, especially in distinguishing religion from the issue of national salvation. The chapter proceeds next in discussing the three types of religions, Christianity, Confucianism and Buddhism, found respectively in the three cultures of the West, China and India, showing the specificity of each type: Christianity as a social religion which fulfills collective needs but is unable to answer the deepest aspiration of the individuals; Confucianism as an ethical religion which strikes a right balance between the needs of the group and the individuals; Buddhism as the true religion which through its philosophical method allows individuals to reach transcendence. In the last section, the legacy and relevance for today of Liang’s philosophy of religion are discussed.KeywordsLiang ShumingReligionPhilosophyTranscendenceBuddhismConfuciusRituals