Abstract: This article introduces the implications of forgiveness in Chinese, Bible and the New Testament, and discusses the operative definitions of forgiveness. It expounds briefly three main methods that are usually applied in forgiveness research, which are narrative method, questionnaire method, experiment method. Finally this article expounds the determinants of interpersonal forgiveness, which are empathy, responsibility attribution, consequence of offense, apology, interpersonal relation, personality, culture background.

Key words: forgiveness, empathy, narrative method, cognitive function.