Abstract :Walden was composed by American writer Henry David Thoreau and it was translated into Chinese and brought to China in the early 20th century. The readers surprisingly found that they felt an intimacy brought by the classic work from the other side of the ocean, because it was full of many Chinese philosophical thoughts, which led to the research of the experts and the scholars at home and abroad. 

  The thesis mainly discusses the similarities between Chinese philosophies expressed in Walden from three aspects: The first one is the Relationship between Man and Nature. The Chinese philosophical system advocates the idea Tianren Heyi（the Human-Nature Integration), in which the “Tian” means the universe and the nature. The concept means the harmony between man and nature and it is the mutual mapping of subject and object. Thoreau used his practice and his crafty thinking to tell people that what is returning to nature and how to live in harmony with nature. The second point is in the Culture of Hermits, which is to compare similarities and differences between Thoreau and the Chinese Hermits both in their living styles and spiritual pursuits. The last point lies in the Importance of Thrift and Abstinence. Thoreau thought that we should live in thrift and abstinence. He also thought that we the material we need is not much and we should concentrate more on our spiritual life, and the way in which that the Chinese treat their material life and spiritual life is much the same.

 Key Words: Thoreau  Walden  Chinese Philosophies  similarities

Contents

Abstract

摘要

Introduction-1

Chapter I The Relationship between Man and Nature -3

1. 1 Live in harmony with nature-.3

1. 2 Return to nature and get to know bout ourselves-5

1. 2. 1 To get into solitude.-5

1. 2. 2 How the nature shapes our character .-.6

1. 3 Transcendentalism and Tianren Heyi（Human-nature Integration) Thoughts-.7

 1. 3. 1 Transcendentalism and the transcendentalist movement.7

 1. 3. 2 Tianren Heyi（Human-nature Integration) thoughts7

Chapter II The Culture of Hermits.9

 2. 1 The hermits’ spirits in Mr. Tao Yuanming’s articles9

 2. 2 Chinese ancient philosopher Chuangtse’s seek for freedom.10 

 2. 3 Thoreau as a hermt11

Chapter III The Importance of Thrift and Abstinence-12

3. 1 The importance of living simply in material life and rich in spiritual life-12

 3. 1. 1 Thoreau’ s simple living12

 3. 1. 2 The story of Yan hui13

 3. 2 We should learn to control and minimize our lures and desires-13

Conclusion-14

Bibliography-15

Acknowledgments-18