Abstract

Introduction. The Chinese concept of Tianxia as a theory of political philosophy is analyzed on the basis of the main thoughts of two main representatives-philosophers - Zhao Tingyang and Xu Jiulin. As representatives of “hard” and “soft” Tianxiaists, Zhao and Xu offer different solutions to existing problems, developing an ancient concept. The purpose of the study is to present and analyze the concept of Tianxia as a philosophical doctrine with a focus on its logical structure and conceptual system. Methods. The hermeneutic method was used to examine the philosophical concepts of the philosopher being studied and criticize his theory. Scientific novelty of the research. The topic under study shows a close connection with modern realities, especially in the context of the fact that modern Chinese philosophy is discussed quite rarely in Russian science. When writing the article, the latest scientific works of researchers were used, which made it possible to obtain a broader view with a focus on different scientific traditions. Results. The main assumptions of the two philosophers are analyzed. Based on the analysis, we came to the conclusion that the Tianxia system, as a rethinking of the old Chinese concept against the backdrop of globalization, contains many ambiguities and contradictions that require further development. As Zhao suggests, his Tianxia system as a “political epistemology” with peace as the supporting political unit strives to resolve conflicts through a policy of “turning enemies into friends.” As he believes, “real politics” should not lead to conflicts and struggle, but solve existing problems; therefore political theory is needed precisely to create an order of stability and coexistence. Culturologist Xu, in turn, sees the main task in modernizing the Tianxia theory - eliminating the centrism and hierarchy of the old Tianxia system and presents his version called “neo-Tianxiaism.” He believes that this modern version of Tianxia represents certain universal and supranational values, on the basis of which all participating parties in the system can develop mutually beneficial friendly relations and achieve stability. Based on hermeneutic and comparative analysis, we found that the main tenets of Tianxiaism, consisting of inclusiveness, non-nationality, equality and “friendship,” are contradicted by assumptions and elements from the traditional understanding of Tianxia, such as the leading role of China itself in creating this order, the universality of Chinese traditional (which are, in fact, national) values and the “wrongness” of Western political theories. The author identifies terminological and conceptual uncertainties, which can be characterized as “internal conflicts” of the system.