Vittorio Hosle's theory of cycles in the history of philosophy and its application to classical Chinese philosophy

The article represents an attempt of classification of Chinese classical philosophy (Chinese philosophy of pre-Han period) using the theory of cycles in the history of philosophy suggested by V Hosle. The authors believe that five cycles in the history of thought of Western Europe can be «imposed» on the history of Chinese philosophy, taking into account the only difference that the role of the main evolving core of pre- Han Chinese philosophy was played not by metaphysics, but by the ethical doctrine.