INVESTIGATE TRENDS AND HOTSPOTS IN STUDYING WANG FUZHI'S THOUGHT USING VOSVIEWER

This study employs bibliometric methods to systematically analyze 707 CSSCI-indexed journal articles on Wang Fuzhi’s thought from the China National Knowledge Infrastructure database 1998–2024, aiming to map the academic development trajectory and frontier developments of this field. The results of annual publications reveal three distinct phases of development: a period of steady accumulation, followed by rapid growth, and fluctuations with adjustments. Philosophy and Chinese literature are core disciplines, while institutions such as Peking University and Beijing Normal University emerge as leading hubs. Keyword cooccurrence analysis identifies 11 thematic clusters, including critiques of Neo-Confucianism, hermeneutics of the Yijing, and philosophy of history, with recent scholarly attention pivoting toward Ontology of Qi Studies, intellectual dialogues with Fang Yizhi, and the reconstruction of Confucian orthodoxy. Methodologically, the field is undergoing transformative shifts: digital humanities are redefining traditional metaphysical frameworks in Qi studies, crossschool comparative approaches are expanding interpretive horizons in Ming-Qing philosophy, and historical-philosophical analyses are deepening insights into the modern applicability of Wang’s thought. By providing a visual analytical framework, this study advances scholarly understanding of the modernization pathways inherent in traditional Chinese philosophy and offers actionable strategies for the innovative revitalization of China’s cultural heritage.