方東美於1948年來臺灣，接掌臺灣大學哲學系主任，關心國事及國運，學思逐漸轉向中國哲學，使中國哲學在臺灣的大學哲學系中得以承傳香火。方先生逝世至今已34年，大陸與臺灣的大學生已鮮有人研讀其著作。因此，本文一方面向臺灣的青年學子介紹方東美其人，另方面扼要紹述他對莊子哲學的詮釋，文中先紹述方東美對中國哲學通性及道家哲學基本觀點的宏觀視域，方先生立基在中國哲學形上學之機體論通性，中國哲學的終極關懷在人的生命意義和價值之前提下，透視莊子〈齊物論〉的重玄精神境界可以往來於「有」、「無」之表面上對立的世界。他認為人間世也可妙契道真，在與「道」冥合同遊之悟修雙行工夫上實現真人、至人、神人的人生終極境界。文中指陳方東美認為在「和之以是非而體乎天鈞」的道樞兩行原理下，才能使人在精神上徹底大解脫，在遍歷層層生命境界後，才足以使人逍遙於無限的意義世界中。
Mr. Thome H. Fang came to Taiwan in 1948 and was appointed the chairman of the Department of Philosophy at Taiwan University. Concerned with affairs and fate of the state, he gradually moved toward Chinese philosophy, carrying on the study of Chinese philosophy in the departments of philosophy in Taiwan. Now, thirty-four years after Mr. Fang's death, not many college students read his writings in either mainland China or Taiwan. Therefore, this article is meant to introduce Thome H. Fang to the students in Taiwan and refer briefly to his interpretation about Zhuang Zi's philosophy. First, we introduce Fang's grand vision about the common nature of Chinese philosophy and the fundamental views of Taoist philosophy. Founded on the common organism of Chinese metaphysics and premising that Chinese philosophy is ultimately concerned with the meaning and value of life, Fang had an insight about how the metaphysical spirit of Zhuang Zi's "The Theory of the Equality of AII Things" could wander between the apparently oppositional world s of "being" and "nothingness." He believed that the ultimate state of life as a true man, a saint and a sage could be achieved on earth. For Thome H. Fang, only under the principle of harmonizing with both right and wrong and resting in Heaven the Equalizer could one be completely relieved spiritually and wander at ease in the infinite world of meanings after experiencing the states of life at various levels.
