摘要
This essay attempts to explore a kind of philosophy about water that was formed in ancient China,which the author names it“water philosophy”.Historically,the spirit of water philosophy has rich cultural connotations and diverse social representations,and has a far-reaching impact on the promotion of social development in China.In fact,although it is only a common substance,water is an important object of Chinese traditional culture,and especially is a key cultural symbol in Chinese philosophy,politics,poetics,etc.The formation and goal of water philosophy are not to probe into the objective physics of water and its logic of knowledge,but to research the philosophical significance of water as a symbol and object of thinking.Because of its key role in social development,water has been one of the important sources of Chinese philosophical thinking.It is in this metaphysical thinking process that water philosophy with Chinese cultural traditions and characteristics is formed.More importantly,the cultural connotations and characteristics formed by the thinking of shape,nature,emotion,rhyme,momentum,and reason of water have exerted an extensive influence on formation of national character as well as social development.Although water philosophy is the product of Chinese agricultural civilization era,more meaningful is that the positive spirit of water philosophy is also of great value today.
