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The Routledge Companion to Chinese Philosophy

Brook Ziporyn editor Stephen C Walker editor

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Taylor & Francis Ltd

Published:20th Oct '25

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

The Routledge Companion to Chinese Philosophy cover

The Routledge Companion to Chinese Philosophy features more than 40 chapter-length introductions to the concepts, claims, and arguments that animate the Chinese philosophical tradition. Taking a topic-by-topic rather than text-by-text approach, this Companion aims at helping contemporary Anglophone readers access the philosophical riches of the Chinese tradition by balancing close analysis with broad contextualization.

The book is divided into four “Acts” that reflect system-level changes in how the Chinese philosophical conversation has been conducted:

  • Act I draws primarily on pre-imperial texts, foregrounding competition among persuaders in the absence of a geographical or canonical center of gravity.
  • Act II focuses on the early imperial centralization of intellectual culture around the corpus of Confucian classics.
  • Act III restructures the conversation space according to the radically innovative priorities of Buddhism.
  • Act IV focuses on Neo-Confucianism, which combines some of the priorities of Act II with the ongoing legacy of Act III.

Within each Act, contributors focus on topics like religious and political thought, ethics and self-cultivation, philosophical anthropology and theory of agency, language, epistemology, metaphysics, hermeneutics, and debate. This volume is essential reading for students, academics, and philosophers with an interest in Chinese philosophy.

“Edited by Brook Ziporyn and Stephen C. Walker, this book is an exceptional guide through the vast landscape of Chinese philosophy. Both editors are leading figures in the field, and the book brings together an outstanding group of well-known scholars. Its unique structure in four Acts gives the volume the feel of a philosophical theater – each act offering a new scene, a new mood, a new conversation. This is not just a reference book, but a true companion: one that walks with the reader, offering insight, challenge, and orientation across different times, traditions, and transformations.”

-- Jana S. Rošker, Professor of Chinese Philosophy, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia

“This ambitious volume covers a wide range of topics that bear some resemblance to philosophical questions familiar to those trained in Anglophone academia, but its framing and content challenge the categories of mainstream Western philosophy and offer alternative perspectives. The overlaps and diversities among the authors – from top scholars to promising new talents in philosophy and related fields of history, sinology, religion and Asian studies – testify to the lack of rigid disciplinary boundaries in the Chinese intellectual tradition and enrich its discourse.”

-- Sor-hoon Tan, Professor of Philosophy, School of Social Sciences, Singapore Management University

“In their TheRoutledge Companion to Chinese Philosophy, Brook Ziporyn and Stephen C. Walker have gathered a colloquy of distinguished voices to each speak on behalf of a particular topic that has brought them standing in the wide-ranging field of Chinese philosophy and culture. Having convened this symposium, they are inviting their readers to a conversation among professional friends that will provide them access, coverage, and authoritative insight into a world of thought that in our time needs to be better understood.”

-- Roger T. Ames, Humanities Chair Professor, Peking University, China

TheRoutledgeCompanion to Chinese Philosophy masterfully puts together a broad range of brilliant essays by leading scholars in the field. It stands out in terms of its comprehensive coverage, thematic focus, and balance between history and philosophy. One striking feature of this anthology is its in-depth engagement of Chinese Buddhist philosophy as an integral part of the Chinese intellectual tradition. As a result, the Companion has managed to foreground the integrity of Chinese philosophical deliberation, its amazing diversity and richness, as well as its contribution to the contemporary global philosophical discourse. A tour de force!”

-- Tao Jiang, Director of Rutgers Center for Chinese Studies, Rutgers University, USA

“This Companion will be my trusted guide to Chinese philosophy. Distinguished by its approach and the stellar cast it has assembled, it maps out the landmark topics and issues in Chinese philosophy, enabling a deep exploration of its rich terrain. While you may not be able to read all 42 chapters uninterrupted, you will appreciate the integral world of Chinese thought even more so if you do!”

-- Alan Chan, Provostand Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple Chair Professor of Inter-Religious Studies, Singapore Management University

ISBN: 9781041111559

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: 1060g

472 pages