Founded soon after the reform and opening up of China by FANG Keli, who was the president of China Philosophy History Association at that time, the Chinese philosophy studies in school of philosophy is the key research center in Tianjin. During these thirty years Chinese philosophy studies has become systematic and well-structured.
In 1980s Prof. FANG Keli first started his research project on Modern Neo Confucianism. This project was elected and supported as National Philosophy and Social Science “Seventh-five” and “Eighth-five” key project, in which there are many series of publication and young excellent scholars. With this project Chinese Philosophy studies in Nankai has oriented a new direction in the research of Chinese philosophy in China and became famous. Prof. LIU Wenying, who was the wise-president of China Philosophy History Association, focused on spiritual system and dream and was famous for Chinese primitive thoughts and view of time in middle age China. So far, there are several research projects by several scholars on traditional Confucianism, Chinese Neo Confucianism, Indian philosophy and Buddhism, Comparison research on Chinese and western philosophy, multi-dripline researches on Chinese traditional political philosophy and Chinese environment philosophy. In the fields of Daoism and Song-ming Philosophy also present new directions.
Since 1982 the Chinese philosophy was admitted to recruit graduate students and since 1986 was also open for doctorates. So far Chinese philosophy studies has not only founded systematical courses and publications, and also had Bachler, master and doctor education system. The education means to improve individual virtue and studies. Until 2015, there are 161 masters, 114 doctors graduated from these studies, including international students. Among all of them there are many intelligence and excellent scholars in academic circle, political and commercial world.
Now there are two professors, one associate professor and two assistant professor in Chinese philosophy studies. The motto of their research are: sympathetic understanding，neutral evaluation and critical supposing, which was also the principle from Prof. FANG. All the staff are trying their best to combine Marxism, Chinese tradition to give answer to Chinese modern questions, so that to contribute to the Chinese philosophy development and Chinese modern culture.
