Social harmony: Chinese existential psychology and application.

摘要

Existential givens are common concerns of people, according to Yalom (1980). However, the common concerns of the West may not be easily adapted for understanding of the Chinese mind. Anthony Marsella wrote that all psychology is indigenous. His idea has been supported by Chinese psychologists like professor Kwang-Kuo Hwang who leads the movement of Chinese indigenous psychology in Taiwan and proposes that Western psychology at its best carries some patronizing of other cultures and at worst, colonizing the minds of the East. Unfortunately most of the psychologists in China including Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Mainland are indiscriminately applying Western psychological concepts to Chinese clients who are socialized with eastern culture with a moralistic based psychology. Upon this notion and following the foot prints of the existentialists, I studied triophilosophies of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism that influence Chinese. I would like to examine these three oriental philosophies and countercheck them with common Chinese concerns reflect by Chinese literature, movie, idioms, and history to observe the underlying constructs of Chinese values and meanings. Through this process of searching, I have come to recognize the concept of harmony and its influences on the Chinese existential givens including family, to live (being alive), collective freedom, acceptance, and meaningfulness. This dissertation intends to cultivate the Chinese existential givens from Chinese philosophies and customs alike and demonstrate their therapeutic value and application.