From November 23 to 24, 2024, the 2024 Annual Conference was successfully held at the Zhuhai campus of Sun Yat-sen University. The conference was jointly organized by the Chinese Society for the History of Foreign Philosophy, the Chinese Society for Modern Foreign Philosophy, and hosted by the Department of Philosophy at Sun Yat-sen University (Zhuhai) and the Belt and Road Research Institute at Sun Yat-sen University. The theme of the conference was "Changes in the Past and Present and the Distinction Between Chinese and Western Philosophy in Philosophical Coordinates," attracting over 200 experts and scholars from both China and abroad. The conference delved into topics such as East-West philosophical dialogue and the mutual learning of global civilizations. Professors Guo Haipeng and Yang Fubin from the Center for Whitehead Studies at the Insititute for Advanced Study of Beijing Normal Hong Kong Baptist University  (BNBU) attended the conference and delivered keynote speeches, offering new insights into the exchange of Chinese and Western philosophy.

Yang Fubin: Whitehead and China's "Two Handshakes" — The Spread and Influence of Process Philosophy in China

Professor Yang Fubin delivered a lecture titled "Whitehead and China’s 'Two Handshakes': The Spread and Influence of Process Philosophy in China", systematically reviewing the century-long journey of Whitehead's thought in China. He proposed that the "first handshake" between Whitehead’s philosophy and Chinese philosophy began in the 1920s, with scholars such as He Lin and Qu Shiying, who studied in the United States, learning from Whitehead and introducing process philosophy to China. This philosophy resonated deeply with the Confucian concept of "the unity of heaven and man." After the Reform and Opening-up, with the translation and research boom surrounding works such as Process and Reality and The Aims of Education, Whitehead's philosophy experienced a "second handshake" with Chinese philosophy. His organic holism and dynamic view of processes provided philosophical support for contemporary ecological civilization and educational reforms.

Yang Fubin particularly emphasized that the point of convergence between Whitehead’s philosophy and Chinese philosophy lies in their shared emphasis on "relationality" and "process." He referenced Zhang Zai's concept of "establishing the mind for the heaven and earth" and argued that Whitehead’s concept of "prehension" converges with the Eastern philosophical idea of "the unity of all things." Furthermore, Whitehead’s educational philosophy, with its sense of "religious" responsibility and reverence, aligns closely with the traditional Chinese view of self-cultivation. Yang Fubin called for the use of process philosophy to build an academic paradigm that bridges "Chinese and Western Marxism" and provides intellectual resources for building a community with a shared future for humanity.

Guo Haipeng: Whitehead’s Process Philosophy — A New Path for East-West Philosophical Dialogue in the 21st Century

Professor Guo Haipeng delivered a lecture titled "Whitehead’s Process Philosophy: A New Path for East-West Philosophical Dialogue in the 21st Century", exploring the unique role of process philosophy in East-West dialogue from both theoretical and practical perspectives. He pointed out that the core of Whitehead’s philosophy is the breaking of the shackles of substantialism, reconstructing cosmology with "events" and "relationships," which aligns closely with the anti-substantialist tradition in Eastern philosophy (such as the changing ideas in the I Ching and Daoist "Dao follows nature"). Guo Haipeng emphasized that the key to East-West philosophical dialogue lies in the resonance of "dynamic thinking," rather than a simple comparison of conceptual systems.

Guo Haipeng further proposed three paths for dialogue:

   1. Methodological Innovation: Replacing dualistic thinking with Whitehead’s "organic holism" to provide a dynamic framework for cross-cultural comparison;

    2. Practical Integration: Applying process philosophy to fields such as ecological civilization and educational innovation, for example, designing ecological governance plans from a "relational" perspective, or optimizing curriculum systems through Whitehead’s "romantic—precise—generalization" educational rhythm;

    3. Civilizational Mutual Learning: Using Whitehead’s explanation of "creative advance" to reinterpret the modern value of traditional Chinese philosophy, promoting bilateral interaction between "Chinese learning advancing to the West" and "Western learning advancing to the East."

He concluded that process philosophy is not only a bridge for East-West philosophical dialogue but also a tool for addressing global challenges (such as ecological crises and technological alienation). By activating the "Chinese gene" in Whitehead’s thought, a new philosophical path can be opened for constructing a new form of human civilization.

Conclusion: Process Philosophy Empowering Civilizational Dialogue and Contemporary Issues

The presentations of the two scholars, from historical retrospectives to future outlooks, demonstrated the vitality of Whitehead's process philosophy in East-West philosophical dialogue. Yang Fubin’s "Two Handshakes" theory revealed the deep logic of the spread of thought, while Guo Haipeng’s "New Path" provided a methodological guide for cross-cultural dialogue. At the conference, scholars engaged in passionate discussions on process philosophy and contemporary issues, agreeing that its dynamic, relational thinking is key to resolving the "disputes between the ancient and the modern, and between East and West."

The grand occasion of the conference

As the study of Whitehead in China continues to deepen, process philosophy may become an important link between traditional wisdom and modern civilization, Eastern spirit and Western reason, contributing a Chinese perspective to global philosophical development.