Reading Primary Sources in Chinese Philosophy

A practical and succinct reading guide to Classic texts in Chinese philosophy.

This introduction to thinkers, texts, and themes in Chinese philosophy covers sources ranging across roughly 2,000 years.

The guide helps readers engage with one of the world’s earliest philosophical traditions: it discusses texts by the influential philosophers Confucius, Mencius, and Zhuangzi. And it goes beyond them, introducing thinkers well-known in the tradition but less commonly taught in modern Western classrooms: Zhu Xi, Wang Yangming, and Fang Yizhi. The focus throughout the guide is on how to read texts philosophically.

Tackling complex ideas and philosophical concepts, each chapter follows the same format. The historical context appears before the central themes and arguments are discussed. Textual excerpts accompany both close readings and explanation of philosophical reading practices, teaching readers to unpack arguments with textual sensitivity. A glossary and further reading suggestions give additional support.
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