A Study of Laozi’s Concept of Freedom within the Syncretic Vision of Chinese and Western Thought in the Context of Yan Fu’s Perspective

Yan Fu maintained that the fundamental tenets concerning freedom found in Laozi’s Tao Te Ching , along with the democratic consciousness and logical approach built upon them, resonate with the spirit of democracy and science that emerged in the West since the modern era. He not only identified the presence of concepts such as non-action (wuwei), natural selection, equality, and communal harmony, which embody ideas of freedom within Laozi’s philosophy, but also staunchly refuted contemporary misinterpretations and criticisms targeting Laozi’s notion of “benevolence” (ren), asserting that Laozi’s thought inherently possessed democratic qualities and viewed “ren” as the quintessence of evolutionary theory. Furthermore, Yan Fu innovatively interpreted Laozi’s concept of the “Dao”, excavating its scientific connotations, thereby elevating Laozi’s ideas to the level of philosophical discourse. This syncretic approach to Chinese and Western thought in Yan Fu’s analysis of Laozi’s work retains relevance and value in today’s academic research and societal construction.