Overview

"Chinese culture, to readers of English, is somewhat veiled in mystery. Fundamentals of Chinese Culture, a classic of great insight and profundity by noted Chinese thinker, educator and social reformist Liang Shuming, takes readers on an intellectual journey into the five-thousand-year-old culture of China, the world’s oldest continuous civilization. With a set of ""Chinese-style"" cultural theories, the book well serves as a platform for Westerners' better understanding of the distinctive worldview of the Chinese people, who value family life and social stability, and for further mutual understanding and greater mutual consolidation among humanities scholars in different contexts, dismantling common misconceptions about China and bridging the gap between Chinese culture and Western culture. As a translation of Liang Shuming’s original text, this book pulls back the curtain to reveal to Westerners a highly complex and nuanced picture of a fascinating people."

Full Product Details

Author:   Liang Shuming ,  Li Ming
Publisher:   Amsterdam University Press
Imprint:   Amsterdam University Press
ISBN:  

9789463729659

ISBN 10:   9463729658
Pages:   416
Publication Date:   06 July 2021
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

"About Liang Shuming and The Fundamentals of Chinese Culture Acknowledgements Profile of the Translator Contents Preface to this Translation Liang's Preface Chapter One Introduction 1.1 Definition of Chinese Culture 1.2 Specifics of Chinese Culture 1.3 Features of Chinese Culture 1.4 Referential and Supporting Evidence Chapter Two ""Family"" to Chinese People 2.1 Fung Yu-lan's Interpretation 2.2 Partiality of Fung's Interpretation 2.3 Formation of Culture and its Characteristics 2.4 A Ladder-like Progress View versus a School-based View 2.5 Additional Remarks Chapter Three Westerners Living as a Group 3.1 Contrasting Chinese Society and Western Society 3.2 Divide between Chinese Culture and Western Culture 3.3 Christianity and Group-centered Life 3.4 Medieval Society in Europe 3.5 The Seeds of Modern Society Chapter Four Chinese People's Lack of Group-centered Life 4.1 Westerners' Merits and Our Demerits 4.2 Chinese People's Lack of Group-centered Life 4.3 Incompatibility between Group-centered Life and Family Life Chapter Five China as an Ethics-Oriented Society 5.1 Definition of Ethics-Orientedness 5.2 Ethics in Economic Life 5.3 Ethics in Political Life 5.4 Ethics as a Religion 5.5 The Ultimate Outcome Chapter Six Morality as Religion 6.1 Definition of Religion 6.2 Religion in China 6.3 Non-Religious Nature of the Moral Cultivation of the Duke of Zhou and Confucius 6.4 Morality in Place of Religion in China 6.5 Rites of the Duke of Zhou and Confucius 6.6 Organizing Society through Morality Chapter Seven Rationality - A Human Characteristic 7.1 Definition of Rationality 7.2 Two Inclinations and Two Misconceptions 7.3 Chinese People's National Spirit Chapter Eight Class Divisions and Professional Distinction 8.1 Definition of Class 8.2 Are There Classes in China? 8.3 Definition of Professional Distinction Chapter Nine China: A Nation or Not? 9.1 China: Unlike a Nation 9.2 A Nation Derived from Class Rule 9.3 The Collapse of Feudalism in China 9.4 Uniqueness of China's Politics 9.5 Reasons for the Progress of Western Politics Chapter Ten Governance and Times of Peace and Prosperity 10.1 Chinese Social Structure 10.2 A Life of Inner Discipline 10.3 Splendor in Chinese Civilization 10.4 The Function of Scholars in Chinese Civilization 10.5 Governance versus Times of Peace and Prosperity Chapter Eleven A Cycle of Times of Peace and Prosperity and Periods of Chaos 11.1 Recurring Periods of Chaos in China 11.2 Lack of Revolutions in China 11.3 Absence of an Industrial Revolution in China Chapter Twelve Human Cultural Precocity 12.1 Lack of Democracy in China 12.2 Lack of Human Rights and Freedom in China 12.3 Lack of Government by the People 12.4 Human Cultural Precocity Chapter Thirteen China after Cultural Precocity 13.1 Lack of Science as a Result of Cultural Precocity 13.2 Good at Rationality but Bad at Reason 13.3 Stagnation of Progress in China 13.4 Five Maladies in Chinese Culture Chapter Fourteen Conclusion 14.1 Summary of Previously Discussed Characteristics 14.2 Shaping of National Character Select Bibliography Index"

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Author Information

Liang Shuming (1893-1988) was a noted thinker, educator and social reformist in 20th century China. Liang devoted his lifetime to meditating and exploring two issues: problems in life and problems in China. His books – Oriental and Occidental Cultures and Their Philosophies, An Outline of Indian Philosophy, Theories on Village Construction, Fundamentals of Chinese Culture and Heart and Life – boast a huge audience since their publication.

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