Seeking for Liberty from Tradition and Order:A New Research on Yan Fu's Conservatism

The most distinguishing feature of Yan Fu's political thought is his conservatism,which contains cherishing the traditional culture,advocating order,opposing radical changes,and supporting gradual progress.This thought is the philosophical foundation for the theory of evolution as well as empiricism.Basing on this thought,he advised saving the nation by education.In the modern history of China,this thought is faced with tragic experience due to both external environment and its inherent defect.But this abandoned thought has significant value to China's modernization,especially to China's development of political civilization.