An Introduction to Chinese Philosophy (Cambridge Introductions to Philosophy)

This comprehensive introductory textbook to early Chinese philosophy covers a range of philosophical traditions which arose during the Spring and Autumn (722-476 BCE) and Warring States (475-221 BCE) periods in China, including Confucianism, Mohism, Daoism, and Legalism. It considers concepts, themes and argumentative methods of early Chinese philosophy and follows the development of some ideas in subsequent periods, including the introduction of Buddhism into China. The book examines key issues and debates in early Chinese philosophy, cross-influences between its traditions and interpretations by scholars up to the present day. The discussion draws upon both primary texts and secondary sources, and there are suggestions for further reading. This will be an invaluable guide for all who are interested in the foundations of Chinese philosophy and its richness and continuing relevance. Cover......Page 1 Half-title......Page 3 Title......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Contents......Page 9 Preface......Page 13 List of Dates (in Chronological Order)......Page 15 1 Chinese Philosophy......Page 17 Origins of Chinese Philosophy......Page 19 Self Cultivation......Page 20 Understanding the Self: Relationships and Contexts......Page 22 Conceptions of Harmony......Page 24 Conceptions of Change......Page 26 The Philosophy of the Yijing (The Book of Changes)......Page 27 Thinking Philosophically......Page 31 Suggestions for Further Reading......Page 33 Notes......Page 34 Reading the Analects......Page 35 Ren: Humaneness......Page 37 Ren, the Confucian Golden Rule......Page 38 Ren and the Cultivation of Special Relationships......Page 39 Ren as Ethical Wisdom......Page 40 Li: Behavioural Propriety......Page 41 Ren and Li......Page 43 Ren is Fundamental......Page 44 Li is Fundamental......Page 45 Ren and Li in Contemporary Philosophical Debates......Page 46 Notes......Page 49 3 The Cultivation of Humanity in Confucian Philosophy: Mencius and Xunzi and Xunzi......Page 51 Mencius: The Cultivation of Human Nature......Page 52 Xunzi: The Regulation of Human Behaviour......Page 56 Li (Appropriate Behaviour) and Fa (Standards and Penal Law)......Page 57 Zhengming: Regulating Society with Prescribed Titles......Page 59 The Way of Heaven and the Way of Humanity......Page 61 Personal Cultivation and Social Development......Page 63 Character Development and the Cultivation of Skills......Page 65 Suggestions for Further Reading......Page 67 Notes......Page 68 4 Early Mohist Philosophy......Page 71 Texts and Themes......Page 72 The Essays......Page 73 Maximising the Collective Good......Page 75 Working with Standards......Page 79 Suggestions for Further Reading......Page 85 Notes......Page 86 5 Early Daoist Philosophy: The Dao De Jing as a Metaphysical Treatise......Page 87 The Origins of Daoist Philosophy and the Early Daoist Texts......Page 88 Dao as Reality: the Search for a New Reality......Page 90 Opposites: Contrast and Complementation......Page 97 De and the Integrity of the Individual......Page 100 Suggestions for Further Reading......Page 105 Notes......Page 106 6 Early Daoist Philosophy: Dao, Language and Society......Page 109 Dao, Language and Indoctrination......Page 110 Wuwei......Page 113 Wuwei and Government......Page 115 Wuwei and Learning......Page 118 The Ethics of Ziran and Wuwei......Page 121 Suggestions for Further Reading......Page 124 Notes......Page 125 7 The Mingjia and the Later Mohists......Page 127 The Mingjia Debates......Page 130 Hui Shi......Page 131 Gongsun Long......Page 134 The Later Mohists......Page 139 Argumentation and Disputation: Bian......Page 141 Language, Names and Propositions......Page 144 Scientific Discussions......Page 147 Practising Jianai: Utilitarian Morality......Page 150 Philosophy of Language in Early China......Page 152 Notes......Page 155 8 Zhuangzi’s Philosophy......Page 158 Epistemological Questions in the Qiwu Lun......Page 161 Interpretations of Zhuangzi’s Scepticism......Page 168 Cultivating Knack......Page 172 The Implications of the Philosophy of the Zhuangzi......Page 182 Notes......Page 184 9 Legalist Philosophy......Page 188 Fa: Standards and Penal Law......Page 190 Shu: The Technique of Managing the Bureaucracy......Page 194 Shi: Power......Page 197 Han Fei, the Great Synthesiser......Page 200 Human Nature......Page 202 Citizenry: the Role of the Common People......Page 203 Best Man and Best Laws......Page 205 Bureaucracy......Page 207 Secrecy, Power and the Control of Knowledge......Page 209 Government and Human Development......Page 211 Notes......Page 212 10 The Yijing and its Place in Chinese Philosophy......Page 215 The Text and Commentaries......Page 217 Comprehensive Synthesis and Correlative Thinking during the Han......Page 219 Correlative Thinking: the Spirit of the Yijing......Page 228 (1) The Primacy of Observation......Page 229 (2) A Holistic, All-encompassing Perspective......Page 230 (3) A Dialectical and Complementary Approach to Dualisms......Page 231 (4) Correlative Thinking and Resonance......Page 233 (5) An Interpretive Approach to the Meanings of the Hexagrams and Correspondences......Page 236 (6) Constant Movement Marked by the Inevitability of Change......Page 239 (7) The Action-guiding Nature of the Judgements......Page 242 The Impact of the Yijing......Page 245 Suggestions for Further Reading......Page 246 Notes......Page 247 11 Chinese Buddhism......Page 251 Basic Tenets of Buddhist Thought......Page 252 The Introduction of Buddhism into China......Page 260 Chinese Buddhist Doctrines during the fifth and sixth centuries CE......Page 266 Three Treatise (San Lun) Buddhism......Page 267 Consciousness-only (Wei Shi) Buddhism......Page 269 Tian Tai Buddhism......Page 271 Flower Garland (Hua Yan) Buddhism......Page 273 Chan Buddhism......Page 277 Chinese Buddhism......Page 283 Suggestions for Further Reading......Page 284 Notes......Page 285 Postscript......Page 288 Notes......Page 293 Texts......Page 294 Names......Page 296 Concepts and Themes......Page 299 Primary Texts......Page 304 Secondary Sources......Page 306 Index......Page 316 Cover 1 Half-title 3 Title 5 Copyright 6 Contents 9 Preface 13 List of Dates (in Chronological Order) 15 1 Chinese Philosophy 17 Origins of Chinese Philosophy 19 Features of Chinese Philosophy 20 Self Cultivation 20 Understanding the Self: Relationships and Contexts 22 Conceptions of Harmony 24 Conceptions of Change 26 The Philosophy of the Yijing (The Book of Changes) 27 Thinking Philosophically 31 Suggestions for Further Reading 33 Notes 34 2 Confucius and the Confucian Concepts Ren and Li 35 Reading the Analects 35 Ren: Humaneness 37 Ren as Love 38 Ren, the Confucian Golden Rule 38 Ren and the Cultivation of Special Relationships 39 Ren as Ethical Wisdom 40 Li: Behavioural Propriety 41 Ren and Li 43 Ren is Fundamental 44 Li is Fundamental 45 Ren and Li are Interdependent Concepts 46 Ren and Li in Contemporary Philosophical Debates 46 Suggestions for Further Reading 49 Notes 49 3 The Cultivation of Humanity in Confucian Philosophy: Mencius and Xunzi and Xunzi 51 Mencius: The Cultivation of Human Nature 52 Xunzi: The Regulation of Human Behaviour 56 Li (Appropriate Behaviour) and Fa (Standards and Penal Law) 57 Zhengming: Regulating Society with Prescribed Titles 59 The Way of Heaven and the Way of Humanity 61 Personal Cultivation and Social Development 63 Character Development and the Cultivation of Skills 65 Suggestions for Further Reading 67 Notes 68 4 Early Mohist Philosophy 71 Texts and Themes 72 The Essays 73 Maximising the Collective Good 75 Working with Standards 79 Suggestions for Further Reading 85 Notes 86 5 Early Daoist Philosophy: The Dao De Jing as a Metaphysical Treatise 87 The Origins of Daoist Philosophy and the Early Daoist Texts 88 Dao as Reality: the Search for a New Reality 90 Opposites: Contrast and Complementation 97 De and the Integrity of the Individual 100 Suggestions for Further Reading 105 Notes 106 6 Early Daoist Philosophy: Dao, Language and Society 109 Dao, Language and Indoctrination 110 Wuwei 113 Wuwei and Government 115 Wuwei and Learning 118 The Ethics of Ziran and Wuwei 121 Suggestions for Further Reading 124 Notes 125 7 The Mingjia and the Later Mohists 127 The Mingjia Debates 130 Hui Shi 131 Gongsun Long 134 The Later Mohists 139 Argumentation and Disputation: Bian 141 Language, Names and Propositions 144 Scientific Discussions 147 Practising Jianai: Utilitarian Morality 150 Philosophy of Language in Early China 152 Suggestions for Further Reading 155 Notes 155 8 Zhuangzi’s Philosophy 158 Epistemological Questions in the Qiwu Lun 161 Interpretations of Zhuangzi’s Scepticism 168 Cultivating Knack 172 The Implications of the Philosophy of the Zhuangzi 182 Suggestions for Further Reading 184 Notes 184 9 Legalist Philosophy 188 Three Basic Themes: Penal Law, Technique and Power 190 Fa: Standards and Penal Law 190 Shu: The Technique of Managing the Bureaucracy 194 Shi: Power 197 Han Fei, the Great Synthesiser 200 Debates in Legalist Philosophy 202 Human Nature 202 Citizenry: the Role of the Common People 203 Best Man and Best Laws 205 Bureaucracy 207 Secrecy, Power and the Control of Knowledge 209 Government and Human Development 211 Suggestions for Further Reading 212 Notes 212 10 The Yijing and its Place in Chinese Philosophy 215 The Text and Commentaries 217 Comprehensive Synthesis and Correlative Thinking during the Han 219 Correlative Thinking: the Spirit of the Yijing 228 (1) The Primacy of Observation 229 (2) A Holistic, All-encompassing Perspective 230 (3) A Dialectical and Complementary Approach to Dualisms 231 (4) Correlative Thinking and Resonance 233 (5) An Interpretive Approach to the Meanings of the Hexagrams and Correspondences 236 (6) Constant Movement Marked by the Inevitability of Change 239 (7) The Action-guiding Nature of the Judgements 242 The Impact of the Yijing 245 Suggestions for Further Reading 246 Notes 247 11 Chinese Buddhism 251 Basic Tenets of Buddhist Thought 252 The Introduction of Buddhism into China 260 Chinese Buddhist Doctrines during the fifth and sixth centuries CE 266 Three Treatise (San Lun) Buddhism 267 Consciousness-only (Wei Shi) Buddhism 269 Tian Tai Buddhism 271 Flower Garland (Hua Yan) Buddhism 273 Chan Buddhism 277 Chinese Buddhism 283 Suggestions for Further Reading 284 Notes 285 Postscript 288 Notes 293 Glossary 294 Texts 294 Names 296 Concepts and Themes 299 Bibliography 304 Primary Texts 304 Secondary Sources 306 Index 316 Chinese philosophy Origins of Chinese philosophy Features of Chinese philosophy Self cultivation Understanding the self : relationships and contexts Conceptions of harmony Conceptions of change The philosophy of the Yijing (the Book of Changes) Thinking philosophically Confucius and the Confucian concepts Ren and Li Reading the analects Ren : humaneness Ren as love Ren, the Confucian golden rule Ren and the cultivation of special relationships Ren as ethical wisdom Behavioural propriety Ren and Li Ren is fundamental Li is fundamental Ren and Li are interdependent concepts Ren and Li in contemporary philosophical debates The cultivation of humanity in Confucian philosophy : Mencius and Xunzi Mencius : the cultivation of human nature Xunzi : the regulation of human behaviour (Appropriate behaviour) and FA standards and penal law Zhengming : regulating society with prescribed titles The way of heaven and the way of humanity Personal cultivation and social development Character development and the cultivation of skills Early Mohist philosophy Texts and themes The essays Maximising the collective good Working with standards Early Daoist philosophy : the Dao De Jing as a metaphysical treatise The origins of Daoist philosophy and the early Daoist texts Dao as reality : the search for a new reality Opposites : contrast and complementation De and the integrity of the individual Early Daoist philosophy : Dao, language, and society Dao, language, and indoctrination Wuwei Wuwei and government Wuwei and learning The ethics of Ziran and Wuwei The Mingjia and the later Mohists The Mingjia debates Hui Shi Gongsun Long The later Mohists Argumentation and disputation : Bian Language, names, and propositions Scientific discussions Practising Jianai : utilitarian morality The philosophy of language in early China Zhuangzi's philosophy Epistemological questions in the Qiwu Lun Interpretations of Zhuangzi's scepticism Cultivating knack The implications of the philosophy of the Zhuangzi Legalist philosophy Basic themes : penal law, technique, and power FA : standards and penal law Shu : the technique of managing the bureaucracy Shi : power Han Fei, the great synthesiser Debates in legalist philosophy Human nature Citizenry : the role of the common people Best man and best laws Bureaucracy Secrecy, power, and the control of knowledge Government and human development The Yijing and its place in Chinese philosophy The text and commentaries Comprehensive synthesis and correlative thinking during the Han Correlative thinking : the spirit of the Yijing (1) The primacy of observation (2) A holistic, all-encompassing perspective (3) A dialectical and complementary approach to dualisms (4) Correlative thinking and resonance (5) An interpretive approach to the meanings of the hexagrams and correspondences (6) Constant movement marked by the inevitability of change (7) The action-guiding nature of the judgments The impact of the Yijing Chinese Buddhism Basic tenets of Buddhist thought The introduction of Buddhism into China Chinese Buddhist doctrines during the fifth and sixth centuries C.E. Treatise (San Lun) Buddhism Consciousness-only (Wei Shi) Buddhism Tian Tai Buddhism Flower garland (Hua Yan) Buddhism Chan Buddhism Chinese Buddhism. This comprehensive introduction to early Chinese philosophy covers a range of philosophical traditions which arose during the Spring and Autumn (722-476 BCE) and Warring States (475-221 BCE) periods in China, including Confucianism, Mohism, Daoism and Legalism. It considers concepts, themes and argumentative methods of early Chinese philosophy and follows the development of some ideas in subsequent periods, including the introduction of Buddhism into China. The book examines key issues and debates in early Chinese philosophy, cross-influences between its traditions, and interpretations by scholars up to the present day. The discussion draws upon both primary texts and secondary sources, and there are suggestions for further reading. This will be an invaluable guide for all who are interested in the foundations of Chinese philosophy and its richness and continuing relevance.