Details
This book introduces Chinese philosophy along the line of topics instead of the line of history. The book has five topics, including: what is the nature of the world; what are the relationships among things; what are social norms; what is the orientation of life; what is the cognitive structure. The first two parts are about views on nature or the world; the third and fourth parts are about views on society and life; the fifth part is about views on cognition and wisdom. This book is intended to give readers the most basic understanding of profound Chinese philosophical thoughts as well as the most excellent and greatest wise ancient Chinese people and wisdom.
About Author
Wu Chun, alias Wu Jingdong, is a native of Quzhou, Zhejiang born in Shanghai in 1955. Now he is a professor at the Institute of Philosophy and Cross-culture, Shanghai Normal University, mainly studying the issue of the occurrence and paradigm of Chinese thought and philosophy and also engaging in the study of Chinese ancient science, ethics, religion and art. He has published more than 100 academic papers and more than ten works. His works on Chinese cultural studies have become a series, including Chinese Thinking Pattern – A Survey of the Occurrence and Formation Period, Paradigm of Ancient Chinese Science – Surveyed from the Perspective of Culture, Thought and Philosophy, Ethical Life in the Chinese Society – A Study Focusing on the Issue of the Possibility of Confucian Ethics, Religious Traditions in the Chinese Society – Opposition and Coexistence of Sorcery and Ethics and The Origin of Chinese Philosophy – The History of the Occurrence, Development and Formation of Ideas, Concepts and Thoughts before the Period of the Hundred Schools of Thought.
Sample Pages Preview
Chinese philosophy is extensive and profound. The advocacy of benevolence by Confucianism, which reflects a broad-minded, virtue based attitude toward the world, is the most valuable quality of the Chinese nation – a sublime spirit that is now in the blood of the whole nation. The Taoist wisdom, which is as infinite as heaven and earth and as inexhaustible as rivers, provides a deep and undying source and eternal motivation for the survival and development of the Chinese nation. Throughout her history, this nation has returned time and again to those ancient sages to reread the classics, listen to their teachings, and conduct self-examination . The same we should do today. In fact, Chinese philosophy based on Confucianism and Taoism is among the most important and most precious cultural legacy of the whole humankind. The virtue and wisdom contained therein can be compared to those in any other great tradition of humanity. n
As part of the Chinese Culture Series, this book is expected to be an introduction to Chinese philosophy based on subjects rather than history. That makes it impossible to present a complete narrative, which is in fact unnecessary. In a glimpse cast upon 3,000 years of thinking, many details playing a marginal role in the whole picture are bound to be left out. This is true not only of philosophy, but also of literature, science and art. It is also true that people are similar in their cognitive habits. As a familiar example, when we first came into contact with Western art, religion and philosophy, we actually remembered little except some persons, works, books, and a few schools of thought. Nevertheless, once attracted by the impression left by that first glimpse (via watching or reading), you would make an attempt at a deeper understanding.
