中国文化

Contents

Preface

WHAT IS THE NATURE OF THE WORLD?

The Birth of Beliefs

Shen, the Religious Source of Chinese Philosophical Ideas

Atheism

The Formation of Concepts about Nature

Yin and Yang and the Five Elements: the Intellectual Source of Chinese Philosophical Ideas

Vestiges of Magic

Observation and Thinking about Phenomena

The Concept of Difference or Diversity

The Concept of Change or Changeability

Sameness and Difference, Constancy and Change

The Quest for Essence and Laws

Dao

Li

Qi

WHAT ARE THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THINGS?

The Relationship Between Heaven and the Human, and its Religious and Intellectual Background

The Religious Approach to the Heaven- Human Relationship

The Intellectual Approach to the Heaven- human Relationship

The Dialectical Outlook

Opposition

Mutual Reliance

Transformation

Relativity

The Holistic Outlook

The Golden Mean

Consideration of Both Sides

Synthesis

Association

WHAT ARE SOCIAL NORMS?

Moral Consciousness and the Establishment of Confucian Moral Principles

The Zhou Dynasty: the Origin of the Sense of Morality

Confucius: the Tradition of Rites and the Spirit of Benevolence

The Development of Confucian Social Norms

Mencius’ Idea of Benevolent Rule and Xun Zi’s Idea of “Propriety and Law”

Edification and the Ethical Tradition of Chinese Civilization

The Confucian View on “Righteousness vs. Profit” and “Heavenly Principle vs. Human Desire”

Reflections on Social Issues in Other Schools of Thought

The Taoist Idea of Non-action

The Legalist Idea of Rule by Law

Views on History

Various Views on History

The Circulatory Theory of History

WHAT IS THE PROPER ORIENTATION OF LIFE?

The Ideal Confucian Character and its Cultivation

The Ideal Confucian Character Established by Confucius

The Cultivation of the Ideal Character

Music and Character Building

Completion through Music

Equilibrium and Harmony

The Confucian Theory of Human Nature

Mencius’ Doctrine of the Goodness of Human Nature

Xun Zi’s Doctrine of the Evil of Human Nature

The Development of Theories on Human Nature

The Taoist Outlook on Life

Lao Tzu’s Outlook on Life

Chuang Tzu’s Outlook on Life

WHAT IS THE STRUCTURE OF KNOWLEDGE?

The Source and Ability of Knowledge

Knowing and Not Knowing

Mind and Object

Name and Substance

Language and Meaning

The Structure or Form of Knowledge

Information and Thinking

Gradual Study and Epiphany

Investigating Things and Gaining Knowledge

Removing Obstructions

Receptiveness and Serenity

Views on Knowledge and Action

The Foundation of Early Views on Knowledge and Action

Word and Action, Knowledge and Practice

Zhu Xi’s View on Knowledge and Action

Wang Yangming’s View on Knowledge and Action

Wang Fuzhi’s View on Knowledge and Action

Appendix

《中国文化系列丛书：中国文化·哲学思想（英文版）》不是以历史的线索而是以专题的线索来叙述中国哲学。全书共分五个专题，分别是：世界的性质是怎样的；事物的关系是怎样的；社会的准则是怎样的；人生的取向是怎样的；认识的结构是怎样的。其中前两部分是关于自然或世界的看法，第三、四部分是关于社会和人生的看法，第五部分则是对认识与智慧本身的看法。本书的目的在于使读者对中国博大精深的哲学思想有一个最基本的了解，也即对古代中国那些最优秀、最伟大的智者和智慧有一个最基本的了解。

中国哲学博大精深。儒家的仁爱之心呈现了厚德载物的博大胸怀，是中华民族最优秀的品质，其崇高的精神已经融入我们整个民族的血液之中。道家的智慧无穷如天地，不竭如江河，为中华民族的生存发展提供了生生不息、周行不殆的深厚源泉和恒久动力。事实上，以儒道思想为核心的中国哲学也是整个人类最重要、最宝贵的精神遗产，这里的品德与智慧堪与人类任何伟大的传统相媲美。《中国文化系列丛书：中国文化·哲学思想（英文版）》采用观念、概念、范畴与思想、理论、学说相结合的叙述方式，力求比较完整地呈现中国哲学的问题与面貌。