Abstract: The concept of “enlightenment” in modern Western philosophy has had extensive influence on every aspect of modern Chinese society. In their writing of the history of Chinese philosophy, HOU Wai-lu and XIAO Jie-fu inherited LIANG Qi-chao and HU Shi’s achievements in the study of the intellectual history of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and applied the theoretical pattern of Marxism to define the over 300 years’ history from the late Ming Dynasty to the Regime of Emperor Daoguang in the Qing Dynasty as the “transition from the Ming Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty”. They believed that “early Chinese enlightenment thought”, with arising capitalist sprouts, had appeared in this period. XIAO even argued that “early Chinese enlightenment thought” was mainly against “ethical alienization” while European enlightenment against “religious alienization”. The interpretation and application of the modern Western concept of “enlightenment” in the study of the history of Chinese thought in modern China reflects the polysemy and diversity of the concept of “enlightenment” in modern world history.