Beauty and Human Existence in Chinese Philosophy

Beauty and Human Existence in Chinese Philosophy

Author: Keping Wang

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2021-05-26

Total Pages: 331

ISBN-13: 9811617147

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This book considers the Chinese conception of beauty from a historical perspective with regard to its significant relation to human personality and human existence. It examines the etymological implications of the pictographic character mei, the totemic symbolism of beauty, the ferocious beauty of the bronzeware. Further on, it proceeds to look into the conceptual progression of beauty in such main schools of thought as Confucianism, Daoism and Chan Buddhism. Then, it goes on to illustrate through art and literature the leading principles of equilibriumharmony, spontaneous naturalness, subtle void and synthetic possibilities. It also offers a discussion of modern change and transcultural creation conducted with particular reference to the theory of the poetic state par excellence (yi jing shuo) and that of art as sedimentation (ji dian shuo).


Book Synopsis Beauty and Human Existence in Chinese Philosophy by : Keping Wang

Download or read book Beauty and Human Existence in Chinese Philosophy written by Keping Wang and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-05-26 with total page 331 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book considers the Chinese conception of beauty from a historical perspective with regard to its significant relation to human personality and human existence. It examines the etymological implications of the pictographic character mei, the totemic symbolism of beauty, the ferocious beauty of the bronzeware. Further on, it proceeds to look into the conceptual progression of beauty in such main schools of thought as Confucianism, Daoism and Chan Buddhism. Then, it goes on to illustrate through art and literature the leading principles of equilibriumharmony, spontaneous naturalness, subtle void and synthetic possibilities. It also offers a discussion of modern change and transcultural creation conducted with particular reference to the theory of the poetic state par excellence (yi jing shuo) and that of art as sedimentation (ji dian shuo).


Human Freedom and the Values of the True, the Good, and the Beautiful

Human Freedom and the Values of the True, the Good, and the Beautiful

Author: Feng Qi

Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG

Published: 2023-09-05

Total Pages: 418

ISBN-13: 311098623X

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This is a philosophical book about the idea of human freedom in the context of Chinese philosophy on truth, the good, and beauty. The book shows that there is a coherent and sophisticated philosophical discourse on human freedom throughout the history of Chinese Philosophy in aesthetics, ethics, and epistemology. Feng Qi discusses the development of freedom in light of the Marxist theory of practice. In the history of philosophy, the relation between thought and existence, which is fundamental to philosophy, has stimulated many debates. These debates, though they have assumed diverse forms in Chinese and Western philosophy, have eventually concentrated on three inquiries: the natural world (the objective material world); the human mind; and the concepts, categories, and laws that are representative forms of nature in the human mind and in knowledge. In Chinese philosophy, the three inquiries are summarized using three notions: qi (气 breath, spirit), xin (心 heart), dao (道 the Way). What relationship do the three notions have with each other? This book explores the way to human freedom through the divergent paths in Chinese philosophy. This book’s investigation of human activities brings the typical Chinese philosophical discourse from the cosmological realm into the realm of human beings as individuals. In this regard, the three inquiries can be described as being about real life, ideals, and individuals.


Book Synopsis Human Freedom and the Values of the True, the Good, and the Beautiful by : Feng Qi

Download or read book Human Freedom and the Values of the True, the Good, and the Beautiful written by Feng Qi and published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. This book was released on 2023-09-05 with total page 418 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is a philosophical book about the idea of human freedom in the context of Chinese philosophy on truth, the good, and beauty. The book shows that there is a coherent and sophisticated philosophical discourse on human freedom throughout the history of Chinese Philosophy in aesthetics, ethics, and epistemology. Feng Qi discusses the development of freedom in light of the Marxist theory of practice. In the history of philosophy, the relation between thought and existence, which is fundamental to philosophy, has stimulated many debates. These debates, though they have assumed diverse forms in Chinese and Western philosophy, have eventually concentrated on three inquiries: the natural world (the objective material world); the human mind; and the concepts, categories, and laws that are representative forms of nature in the human mind and in knowledge. In Chinese philosophy, the three inquiries are summarized using three notions: qi (气 breath, spirit), xin (心 heart), dao (道 the Way). What relationship do the three notions have with each other? This book explores the way to human freedom through the divergent paths in Chinese philosophy. This book’s investigation of human activities brings the typical Chinese philosophical discourse from the cosmological realm into the realm of human beings as individuals. In this regard, the three inquiries can be described as being about real life, ideals, and individuals.


Anthology of Philosophical and Cultural Issues

Anthology of Philosophical and Cultural Issues

Author: Yijie Tang

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2016-08-02

Total Pages: 231

ISBN-13: 9811018693

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This book argues that a general understanding of traditional Chinese philosophy can be achieved by a concise elaboration of its truth, goodness and beauty; that goodness and beauty in Chinese philosophy, combined with the integration of man and heaven, knowledge and practice, scenery and feeling, reflect a pursuit of an ideal goal in traditional Chinese philosophy characterized by the thought mode uniting man and nature.This book also discusses the anti-traditionalism of the May Fourth Movement, explaining that the true value of “sagacity theory” in traditional Chinese philosophy, especially in Neo-Confucianism in the Song and Ming dynasties, lies in its insights into universal life. In addition, existing ideas, issues, terminologies, concepts, and logic of Chinese philosophical thought were actually shaped by Western philosophy. It is necessary to be alienated from traditional status for the creation of a viable “Chinese philosophy.” “Modern Chinese philosophy” in the 1930s and 1940s was comprised of scholarly work that characteristically continued rather than followed the traditional discourse of Chinese philosophy. That is to say, in the process of studying and adapting Western philosophy, Chinese philosophers transformed Chinese philosophy from traditional to modern.In the end of the book, the author puts forward the idea of a “New Axial Age.” He emphasizes that the rejuvenation of Chinese culture we endeavor to pursue has to be deeply rooted in our mainstream culture with universal values incorporating cultures of other nations, especially the cultural essence of the West.


Book Synopsis Anthology of Philosophical and Cultural Issues by : Yijie Tang

Download or read book Anthology of Philosophical and Cultural Issues written by Yijie Tang and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-08-02 with total page 231 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book argues that a general understanding of traditional Chinese philosophy can be achieved by a concise elaboration of its truth, goodness and beauty; that goodness and beauty in Chinese philosophy, combined with the integration of man and heaven, knowledge and practice, scenery and feeling, reflect a pursuit of an ideal goal in traditional Chinese philosophy characterized by the thought mode uniting man and nature.This book also discusses the anti-traditionalism of the May Fourth Movement, explaining that the true value of “sagacity theory” in traditional Chinese philosophy, especially in Neo-Confucianism in the Song and Ming dynasties, lies in its insights into universal life. In addition, existing ideas, issues, terminologies, concepts, and logic of Chinese philosophical thought were actually shaped by Western philosophy. It is necessary to be alienated from traditional status for the creation of a viable “Chinese philosophy.” “Modern Chinese philosophy” in the 1930s and 1940s was comprised of scholarly work that characteristically continued rather than followed the traditional discourse of Chinese philosophy. That is to say, in the process of studying and adapting Western philosophy, Chinese philosophers transformed Chinese philosophy from traditional to modern.In the end of the book, the author puts forward the idea of a “New Axial Age.” He emphasizes that the rejuvenation of Chinese culture we endeavor to pursue has to be deeply rooted in our mainstream culture with universal values incorporating cultures of other nations, especially the cultural essence of the West.


Bodies in China

Bodies in China

Author: Eva Kit Wah Man

Publisher: The Chinese University of Hong Kong Press

Published: 2019-01-15

Total Pages: 288

ISBN-13: 9629967855

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This book seeks to engage Chinese philosophy to reframe existing Western scholarship in the fields of gender, body, and aesthetics. The assembled essays cover traditional and current global issues related to Chinese female bodies by addressing the following questions: Does Confucianism rule out the capacity of women as moral subjects, and hence, as aesthetic subjects? Do forms of Chinese philosophy in some ways contribute or correspond to the patriarchal Confucian culture? In what ways can Chinese philosophy provide alternative perspectives sought by Western feminist scholars? Professor Man uses an interdisciplinary approach to explore feminist philosophy through the issues of the body, aesthetical representation and gender politics, which are simultaneously historical and contextual. The first section of the book, "Body Discourses in Chinese Philosophy", brings in theoretical and philosophical discussions of Western traditions such as those of Plato, Descartes, and Kant, to examine their views on body and mind and how the Chinese philosophical ideas offered by Confucians and Daoists provide alternative body ontologies for critical feminist practices. The second section, "Chinese Bodies, Aesthetics and Art", reviews female aesthetical representations in classical traditional Chinese works ranging from The Books of Songs, women's embroidery, sexuality and suggested ways of kissing, and the contemporary body art represented by the controversial body artist He Chengyao. These chapters demonstrate the intertwining relationship among body, sexuality, aesthetics and the ascribed gendered roles in social environments. The third section, "Chinese Bodies and Gender Matters", aims to unfold the changing perceptions of femininity from imperial China to contemporary China. Case studies touch on female body ideals in the literary fantasies in late Ming, in the iron girls in Communist China, and in the Olympics Hoopla at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. This section also discusses Hong Kong women's fashion in the 1960s and how their bodies were shaped by colonial politics. Finally, the subject of sex and emotion in the development of ethical discourse of Chinese female sex workers from late Qing to contemporary society is discussed alongside the impact of the global economy on female beauty today. Overall, this book discusses new conceptual models that feminist scholars are using to displace dualism and emancipate notions of the body from Cartesian mechanistic models and metaphors. The different chapters review traditional and contemporary alternatives to understanding female bodies in Chinese society. Eva Man is professor of humanities and creative writing at Hong Kong Baptist University. She publishes widely in comparative aesthetics, feminist philosophy, cultural studies, art, and cultural criticism.


Book Synopsis Bodies in China by : Eva Kit Wah Man

Download or read book Bodies in China written by Eva Kit Wah Man and published by The Chinese University of Hong Kong Press. This book was released on 2019-01-15 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book seeks to engage Chinese philosophy to reframe existing Western scholarship in the fields of gender, body, and aesthetics. The assembled essays cover traditional and current global issues related to Chinese female bodies by addressing the following questions: Does Confucianism rule out the capacity of women as moral subjects, and hence, as aesthetic subjects? Do forms of Chinese philosophy in some ways contribute or correspond to the patriarchal Confucian culture? In what ways can Chinese philosophy provide alternative perspectives sought by Western feminist scholars? Professor Man uses an interdisciplinary approach to explore feminist philosophy through the issues of the body, aesthetical representation and gender politics, which are simultaneously historical and contextual. The first section of the book, "Body Discourses in Chinese Philosophy", brings in theoretical and philosophical discussions of Western traditions such as those of Plato, Descartes, and Kant, to examine their views on body and mind and how the Chinese philosophical ideas offered by Confucians and Daoists provide alternative body ontologies for critical feminist practices. The second section, "Chinese Bodies, Aesthetics and Art", reviews female aesthetical representations in classical traditional Chinese works ranging from The Books of Songs, women's embroidery, sexuality and suggested ways of kissing, and the contemporary body art represented by the controversial body artist He Chengyao. These chapters demonstrate the intertwining relationship among body, sexuality, aesthetics and the ascribed gendered roles in social environments. The third section, "Chinese Bodies and Gender Matters", aims to unfold the changing perceptions of femininity from imperial China to contemporary China. Case studies touch on female body ideals in the literary fantasies in late Ming, in the iron girls in Communist China, and in the Olympics Hoopla at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. This section also discusses Hong Kong women's fashion in the 1960s and how their bodies were shaped by colonial politics. Finally, the subject of sex and emotion in the development of ethical discourse of Chinese female sex workers from late Qing to contemporary society is discussed alongside the impact of the global economy on female beauty today. Overall, this book discusses new conceptual models that feminist scholars are using to displace dualism and emancipate notions of the body from Cartesian mechanistic models and metaphors. The different chapters review traditional and contemporary alternatives to understanding female bodies in Chinese society. Eva Man is professor of humanities and creative writing at Hong Kong Baptist University. She publishes widely in comparative aesthetics, feminist philosophy, cultural studies, art, and cultural criticism.


Little Sprouts and the Dao of Parenting: Ancient Chinese Philosophy and the Art of Raising Mindful, Resilient, and Compassionate Kids

Little Sprouts and the Dao of Parenting: Ancient Chinese Philosophy and the Art of Raising Mindful, Resilient, and Compassionate Kids

Author: Erin Cline

Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company

Published: 2020-04-21

Total Pages: 256

ISBN-13: 0393652327

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“A brilliant book, overflowing with wisdom.” —Philip J. Ivanhoe, author of Confucian Reflections The ancient Chinese philosopher Mencius compared children to tender sprouts, shaped by soil, sunlight, water, and the efforts of patient gardeners. At times children require our protection, other times we must take a step back and allow them to grow. A practical parenting manual, philosophical reflection on the relationship between parent and child, and necessary response to modern stereotypes of Eastern parenting, Little Sprouts and the Dao of Parenting reconsiders cultural definitions of success and explores how we might support and nourish young people. Engaging deeply with foundational Daoist and Confucian thinkers, philosopher Erin Cline shows how we can strengthen innate virtues of compassion, generosity, and individuality in our own tender sprouts.


Book Synopsis Little Sprouts and the Dao of Parenting: Ancient Chinese Philosophy and the Art of Raising Mindful, Resilient, and Compassionate Kids by : Erin Cline

Download or read book Little Sprouts and the Dao of Parenting: Ancient Chinese Philosophy and the Art of Raising Mindful, Resilient, and Compassionate Kids written by Erin Cline and published by W. W. Norton & Company. This book was released on 2020-04-21 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “A brilliant book, overflowing with wisdom.” —Philip J. Ivanhoe, author of Confucian Reflections The ancient Chinese philosopher Mencius compared children to tender sprouts, shaped by soil, sunlight, water, and the efforts of patient gardeners. At times children require our protection, other times we must take a step back and allow them to grow. A practical parenting manual, philosophical reflection on the relationship between parent and child, and necessary response to modern stereotypes of Eastern parenting, Little Sprouts and the Dao of Parenting reconsiders cultural definitions of success and explores how we might support and nourish young people. Engaging deeply with foundational Daoist and Confucian thinkers, philosopher Erin Cline shows how we can strengthen innate virtues of compassion, generosity, and individuality in our own tender sprouts.


Contemporary Chinese Philosophy

Contemporary Chinese Philosophy

Author: Chung-Ying Cheng

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2008-04-15

Total Pages: 448

ISBN-13: 0470752017

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Contemporary Chinese Philosophy features discussion of sixteen major twentieth-century Chinese philosophers. Leading scholars in the field describe and critically assess the works of these significant figures. Critically assesses the work of major comtemporary Chinese philosophers that have rarely been discussed in English. Features essays by leading scholars in the field. Includes a glossary of Chinese characters and definitions.


Book Synopsis Contemporary Chinese Philosophy by : Chung-Ying Cheng

Download or read book Contemporary Chinese Philosophy written by Chung-Ying Cheng and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2008-04-15 with total page 448 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Contemporary Chinese Philosophy features discussion of sixteen major twentieth-century Chinese philosophers. Leading scholars in the field describe and critically assess the works of these significant figures. Critically assesses the work of major comtemporary Chinese philosophers that have rarely been discussed in English. Features essays by leading scholars in the field. Includes a glossary of Chinese characters and definitions.


The Humanist Spirit of Daoism

The Humanist Spirit of Daoism

Author: Guying Chen

Publisher: BRILL

Published: 2018-02-12

Total Pages: 244

ISBN-13: 9004361987

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In The Humanist Spirit of Daoism, the eminent Chinese thinker Chen Guying presents his understanding of the significance of Daoist philosophy. He conceives of Daoism as a deeply humanist way of thinking that can give rise to contemporary socio-political critiques.


Book Synopsis The Humanist Spirit of Daoism by : Guying Chen

Download or read book The Humanist Spirit of Daoism written by Guying Chen and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2018-02-12 with total page 244 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In The Humanist Spirit of Daoism, the eminent Chinese thinker Chen Guying presents his understanding of the significance of Daoist philosophy. He conceives of Daoism as a deeply humanist way of thinking that can give rise to contemporary socio-political critiques.


Cultivating a Good Life in Early Chinese and Ancient Greek Philosophy

Cultivating a Good Life in Early Chinese and Ancient Greek Philosophy

Author: Karyn Lai

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2018-12-13

Total Pages: 272

ISBN-13: 135004959X

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This book engages in cross-tradition scholarship, investigating the processes associated with cultivating or nurturing the self in order to live good lives. Both Ancient Chinese and Greek philosophers provide accounts of the life lived well: a Confucian junzi, a Daoist sage and a Greek phronimos. By focusing on the processes rather than the aims of cultivating a good life, an international team of scholars investigate how a person develops and practices a way of life especially in these two traditions. They look at what is involved in developing practical wisdom, exercising reason, cultivating equanimity and fostering reliability. Drawing on the insights of thinkers including Plato, Confucius, Han Fei and Marcus Aurelius, they examine themes of harmony, balance and beauty, highlight the different concerns of scepticism across both traditions, and discuss action as an indispensable method of learning and, indeed, as constitutive of self. The result is a valuable collection opening up new lines of inquiry in ethics, demonstrating the importance of philosophical ideas from across cultural traditions.


Book Synopsis Cultivating a Good Life in Early Chinese and Ancient Greek Philosophy by : Karyn Lai

Download or read book Cultivating a Good Life in Early Chinese and Ancient Greek Philosophy written by Karyn Lai and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2018-12-13 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book engages in cross-tradition scholarship, investigating the processes associated with cultivating or nurturing the self in order to live good lives. Both Ancient Chinese and Greek philosophers provide accounts of the life lived well: a Confucian junzi, a Daoist sage and a Greek phronimos. By focusing on the processes rather than the aims of cultivating a good life, an international team of scholars investigate how a person develops and practices a way of life especially in these two traditions. They look at what is involved in developing practical wisdom, exercising reason, cultivating equanimity and fostering reliability. Drawing on the insights of thinkers including Plato, Confucius, Han Fei and Marcus Aurelius, they examine themes of harmony, balance and beauty, highlight the different concerns of scepticism across both traditions, and discuss action as an indispensable method of learning and, indeed, as constitutive of self. The result is a valuable collection opening up new lines of inquiry in ethics, demonstrating the importance of philosophical ideas from across cultural traditions.


The Metaphysics of Chinese Moral Principles

The Metaphysics of Chinese Moral Principles

Author: Mingjun Lu

Publisher: BRILL

Published: 2022-01-17

Total Pages: 332

ISBN-13: 9004503544

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This book seeks to construct and establish the metaphysics of Chinese morals as a formal and independent branch of learning by abstracting and systemizing the universal principles presupposed by the primal virtues and key imperatives in Daoist and Confucian ethics.


Book Synopsis The Metaphysics of Chinese Moral Principles by : Mingjun Lu

Download or read book The Metaphysics of Chinese Moral Principles written by Mingjun Lu and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2022-01-17 with total page 332 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book seeks to construct and establish the metaphysics of Chinese morals as a formal and independent branch of learning by abstracting and systemizing the universal principles presupposed by the primal virtues and key imperatives in Daoist and Confucian ethics.


Confucianism, Buddhism, Daoism, Christianity and Chinese Culture

Confucianism, Buddhism, Daoism, Christianity and Chinese Culture

Author: Yijie Tang

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2015-02-06

Total Pages: 314

ISBN-13: 3662455331

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This book collects the 25 most important articles written by Professor Tang since the 1980s, dealing extensively with issues of Confucianism, Buddhism, Daoism, Christianity and Chinese culture. In these articles, Professor Tang proves his value as a worthy successor to the Chinese philosophical tradition, while also open to the latest trends of thought both at home and abroad. The late Professor Tang Yijie (1927-2014) was a prominent professor at Peking University and China’s top scholar on philosophy and Chinese studies. He spearheaded the Confucian Canon project (**), which seeks to compile all known classical works on Confucianism, comparable in scope and significance to the Complete Library of the Four Treasuries (****), the largest collection of books on Chinese history, which was commissioned by the Qianlong Emperor in the 18th century. Throughout his life, Professor Tang published scores of books and more than one hundred articles, offering enlightening insights into how to deal with issues that have historically troubled and continue to trouble people in modern society. Among his numerous innovations, Professor Tang is especially remembered for introducing the concept of “harmony in diversity”(****). In the context of “the clash of civilizations” championed by Samuel P. Huntington, Tang argued for harmony in diversity, holding that this principle can offer some clues to help enable peoples, nations, and regions with different cultural traditions to develop together while remaining unique. note: * represents Chinese character, please refer to BCC file.


Book Synopsis Confucianism, Buddhism, Daoism, Christianity and Chinese Culture by : Yijie Tang

Download or read book Confucianism, Buddhism, Daoism, Christianity and Chinese Culture written by Yijie Tang and published by Springer. This book was released on 2015-02-06 with total page 314 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book collects the 25 most important articles written by Professor Tang since the 1980s, dealing extensively with issues of Confucianism, Buddhism, Daoism, Christianity and Chinese culture. In these articles, Professor Tang proves his value as a worthy successor to the Chinese philosophical tradition, while also open to the latest trends of thought both at home and abroad. The late Professor Tang Yijie (1927-2014) was a prominent professor at Peking University and China’s top scholar on philosophy and Chinese studies. He spearheaded the Confucian Canon project (**), which seeks to compile all known classical works on Confucianism, comparable in scope and significance to the Complete Library of the Four Treasuries (****), the largest collection of books on Chinese history, which was commissioned by the Qianlong Emperor in the 18th century. Throughout his life, Professor Tang published scores of books and more than one hundred articles, offering enlightening insights into how to deal with issues that have historically troubled and continue to trouble people in modern society. Among his numerous innovations, Professor Tang is especially remembered for introducing the concept of “harmony in diversity”(****). In the context of “the clash of civilizations” championed by Samuel P. Huntington, Tang argued for harmony in diversity, holding that this principle can offer some clues to help enable peoples, nations, and regions with different cultural traditions to develop together while remaining unique. note: * represents Chinese character, please refer to BCC file.