Introducing Chinese Philosophy: From the Warring States to the 21st Century

This book presents an introductory survey of the major themes, thinkers and texts, philosophical genres and profound insights of the Chinese philosophical tradition.Its coverage ranges from the foundational history of Chinese thought in the 6th-5th centuries BCE up to the present day. The first two chapters provide an overview of the broad history of Chinese philosophy, identifying its major texts and thinkers, and offer examples of the different literary styles in which philosophy was written throughout the ages.The remaining chapters explore major and ever-pervasive themes of Chinese philosophical reflection, from a holistic portrayal of the natural order and the relational nature of human beings to debates about ethics and personhood that span the entire development of the heritage. The major questions addressed by the volume are as follows:What are the most important texts and who are the most influential figures of the history of Chinese philosophy, and what were their historical