This course elucidates the contemporary significance of early Confucian and Daoist philosophies through critically reflecting on contemporary issues from the perspective of major concepts and arguments found in the Analects, Mencius, Xunzi, Laozi, and Zhuangzi.

The “contemporary issues” or “contemporary significance” we wish to highlight revolves mainly around thinking about the importance of individualism and authenticity. We find discourse related to these conceptions dominant in both philosophical and non-philosophical discussions of persons and agency. In everything from advertising and social media through political debates and discussion of AI, authenticity and associated notions are key for how we think about ourselves, interact with others, and make sense of much of the world. The goal of this course is then to develop a critical perspective on authenticity from the perspective of early Confucian and Daoist philosophies.

Led by: Michael Puett, Harvard University, and Paul J. D’Ambrosio, East China Normal University

This class will meet on Tuesdays at 9:00 pm Beijing time. It will begin on March 11th. https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81496809160

This is a joint course, hosted by the University of Iceland and East China Normal University. During this second semester we will focus on Daoism and Neo-Daoism (Xuanxue).

Some of the main questions that will be explored are: What are some of the Daoist alternatives to major motifs in Confucian education? Can education happen without role models? Or, does Daoist thought also promote role models? How can learning happen when “daily decrease” is praised?
We will also explore more Neo-Daoist themes, such as Wang Bi’s ethical understanding of Dao and Guo Xiang’s idea of forgetting “footprints” of the past, including one’s own understandings, and criticisms of knowledge, might play a role in thinking about education.

We will largely draw on the Laozi, Zhuangzi, and the works of He Yan, Wang Bi, and Guo Xiang.

Led by: Geir Sigurðsson, University of Iceland, and Paul J. D’Ambrosio, East China Normal University

This class will meet on Tuesdays at 6:00 pm Beijing time. It will begin on February 18th. (Zoom link: https://eu01web.zoom.us/j/65942843763)

This is a joint course, hosted by the University of Iceland and East China Normal University.
Some of the main questions that will be raised (and possibly answered) are: How is education understood in early Chinese culture? What are its primary aims? What happens when education fails? Can education be bad or dangerous? What social and what “individualist” aspects do education and personal cultivation entail? How does one’s education influence others? What role do others play in education? Are role models necessary? What sort of roles do tradition and emulation play as methods of learning in Confucianism? And, can tradition and emulation be overemphasized? What status does education generally play in Confucian philosophy?

We will mainly focus on the primary texts, namely, Analects, Zhongyong (Doctrine of the Mean), Daxue (The Great Learning), the Xueji (Records of Learning), the Mengzi and the Xunzi.

Led by: Geir Sigurðsson, University of Iceland, and Paul J. D’Ambrosio, East China Normal University

This class will meet on Tuesdays at 6:00 pm Beijing time. It will begin on September 24th. Join anytime:

This seminar will focus on political aspects of the Laozi 《老子》or Daodejing 《道德经》. There will also be discussions of the Jie Lao and Yu Lao sections of the Hanfeizi 《韩非子·解老》《韩非子·喻老》, as well as Wang Bi’s 王弼 commentary. During the first part of the seminar we will read passages from the Laozi which are commonly associated with political issues. The focus here will be twofold: First students will be asked to share their translations of the section being considered; and second we will discuss the political philosophy contained within the section. The second part of the seminar will consist of readings of the relevant sections in the Hanfeizi and/or Wang Bi. These will be presented by designated readers, although everyone will be encouraged to look at those sections as well.

Everyone is welcome to join this seminar, including those who have never read the Laozi or are generally not familiar with Chinese thought.

Led by: Paul J. D’Ambrosio (East China Normal University), Dimitra Amarantidou (University of Macau), and John Lombardini (College of William and Mary)

This class will meet on Tuesdays at 7:45 pm Beijing time. It will begin on September 24th. Join anytime:

In this seminar we do a close reading of selected passages from the original texts of the Laozi 老子 (or Daodejing 道德经) and Heraclitus’s Fragments with a special focus on the shared images and themes of: the way, the infant, the bow, change, harmony, and reversal. The seminar is open to anyone interested in Greek and/or Chinese philosophy, and no prior knowledge of classical Chinese and Greek or familiarity with the texts is required. Each time we will read two selected passages (one from each text), and discuss interpretations drawing primarily on evidence from within the texts and from the respective commentarial traditions. In our discussions we will also include some contemporary Chinese and Western scholarly works. We will discuss cosmological, epistemological, ethical, and political questions addressed in the Laozi and Heraclitus’s work, exploring compatibilities and points of divergence between the Laozi’s and Heraclitus’s philosophical proposals.

Led by: Dimitra Amarantidou, University of Macau, and Fabian Heubel, Academia Sinica

+++Postponed until autumn 2025+++

Join anytime: (Skype link: https://join.skype.com/uHBXTeRzKqVh)

In the history of Chinese thought the Sunzi Bingfa plays many different roles. It has influenced ways of thinking about politics and warfare, but also efficacy in many arenas, and even environmental issues. The Sunzi Bingfa is also written in a way that provides a great introduction to reading classical Chinese, making it a useful text for students to read for many different reasons. In this course we will do a close reading of the Sunzi Bingfa.

Led by: Dimitra Amarantidou, University of Macau, and Paul J. D’Ambrosio, East China Normal University

Finished

In this seminar we will read major works of the concrete humanist strand of Confucian tradition, with a focus on the post-Ming development of that tradition. The main figures we look at are Dai Zhen, Liang Shuming, Xu Fuguan, and Li Zehou. Each of these, in their own way, argues against interpretations of Confucian ethics that posit a transcendent, metaphysical, or otherwise non-empirical basis for right and wrong. Each also offers a unique set of arguments for an alternative vision of Confucian ethics that understands right and wrong as constituted and shaped by the situated, lived and felt relations among particular humans in society. For each thinker we will seek to compassionately interpret their views and then to evaluate them. Throughout we will maintain a consistent eye to questions such as: Does morality need a metaphysical foundation? How can we reliably make judgements about right and wrong? What are the roles of culture and emotion in ethics?

Led by: Robert A. Carleo III, East China Normal University
Finished

This seminar provides a critical look at the category of Legalism and some of its representative thinkers. Session 1 provides an Overview of classical descriptions of Legalism (fa jia 法家) and critically appraises the traditional placement of thinkers in the category. Session 2 is an examination of the ethical considerations implicit in the Hanfeizi 韩非子, such as concern for the well-being of the people and social harmony. Session 3 is a close reading and discussion of “Da ti 大體,” Chapter 29 of the Hanfeizi, which describes the rule of the ancients, the principles that guided them, and a Legalist utopia. Session 4 uses the work of Maurice Blanchot’s Unavowable Community as a comparison to shows how the “Baixin 白心” chapter of the Guanzi 管子is paradoxically critical of politics while offering a positive political project. Session 5 shows how the Shenzi 慎子treats administrative methods (fa 法) as a means to establish “publicness” (gong 公) and eradicate “private” (si 私) interests. The sixth and final session is a Q&A and Open Discussion.

Led by: Rory O’Neill (East China Normal University); Bobby McCullough (University of Hawaii at Manoa); Ruel Mannette (University of Hawai’i at Manoa); Krischan Reese (East China Normal University)

Finished

We would not easily turn to Confucianism and its leading figure Kongzi (or Confucius) for a defense of feminist positions. Viewed by many as the codifier of male superiority and injustice against women, Confucianism has taken the brunt of much of feminist critique, and Kongzi’s rare references to women have been read as outright negative or at best neutral. In recent years though, scholars have questioned the idea that Kongzi’s moral project is inherently sexist, offering refreshing perspectives on his teachings and shedding new light on the image of the Master himself. In this seminar we will closely read passages from the Lunyu 论语 (or Analects of Confucius) and traditional commentaries that are open to such readings. We aim to explore the possibility of taking the “feminist” Kongzi seriously.

Led by: Dimitra Amarantidou, Shanghai Normal University (Finished)

The Huainanzi’s writers not only present a fascinating reconstruction of their received intellectual heritage—comparing different schools of thought to specialists in need of jobs from generalists—they also concretize the political ideas of the Laozi and Zhuangzi traditions, yielding a plain and systematic Daoist approach to social and governmental problems. In this seminar we’ll read and discuss as much as we can of the Huainanzi’s opening chapter, which uses close analysis and visionary poetry to help us understand what “the infinite source of things” could possibly mean. Dao, as these writers tend to call it, admits less of description and conceptualization than of demonstration in the flexible, intuitive responses of the people we admire.

Led by: Stephen Walker, University of Chicago (Finished)

The aim of this seminar is to guide participants in reading classical Chinese, with a focus on the Warring States period Legalist text, the Hanfeizi 韩非子. The lucid prose of the Hanfeizi makes it a relatively approachable early Chinese text. This seminar aims to bring participants from the daunting experience of facing blocks of classical Chinese to the satisfaction of grasping entire passages and chapters. In contrast to focusing on accurate translations of individual sentences (also important), this seminar looks at patterns that occur at a macro level, which in turn help to inform understanding of small chunks. Such patterns include parallel sentences, repeated or related terms, patterns in punctuation inserted by editors, etc. An interactive, cooperative mode of learning and teaching is employed, so all levels of Chinese ability are welcome from total beginner to native speaker!

Led by: Rory O’Neill, East China Normal University (Finished)

This seminar is a collaborative effort to read the classical Chinese text the Xunzi 荀子. Ideas found in the Xunzi bear relevance to a wide range of early Chinese philosophy. It is a key text in the transmission of the Confucian tradition, and expands on the philosophical and political significance of notions like “ritual propriety” (li 礼). Its advocacy of “stillness” (jing 静) and “emptiness” (xu 虚) point also towards a Daoist influence. And the historical Xunzi was thought to be a teacher of the Legalist thinker Han Fei 韩非. The focus of this seminar is on reading passages of the classical Chinese together. All language levels are welcome. Even if some participants are playing more the role of teacher, and others more the role of learner, we aim to give equal attention to how each participant interprets the text. The ensuing enriching discussions of philosophical ideas in the text are well earned by working through the nuts and bolts of the classical Chinese together.

Led by: Rory O’Neill, East China Normal University (Finished)

回到经典本身，倾听经典的声音。本门课程将从以下经典中选择精读文献：《论语》《孟子》《老子》《庄子》，兼及 魏晋玄学和天台宗。从西方哲学的先见出发，以此理解中国传统典籍，中外“现代”学者无不采用这一做法。这一研究法固然有其长处，但“以西解中”的弊端也是显而易见的。本门课程注重逐字逐句的文献精读，鼓励学生尝试运用文献自身的术语、概念和逻辑理解文献。比如，阅读《论语》，不是从中找出柏拉图、亚里士多德所讨论的“good”或“virtue”，而是讨论“仁”“义”“立”“道”“直”，等等《论语》及中国先秦思想家通用的概念。

Led by: Brook Ziporyn (University of Chicago) and Paul J. D’Ambrosio (East China Normal University)

One of the ideas central to Han Dynasty cosmological discussions was the belief that human actions could move the heavens themselves. The actions of a well-cultivated monarch could bring about cosmic harmony and auspicious signs, while immoral governance could lead to disaster both in the social and natural worlds. This belief in the resonance between humans and heaven (天人感應) was central to cosmological and political explorations of Han Dynasty thinkers.
How did thinkers argue for the existence of such a worldview? This seminar will focus on kinds of arguments used as evidence for or against the philosophical belief that humans were able to influence the heavens through their actions. The discussion will focus on particular passages, hoping to lead readers to reflect on how we understand the arguments of Han thinkers. What descriptions, analogies, and arguments did thinkers from these periods use, and how did such arguments relate to other philosophical problems of the time? What did they wish to prove through their arguments? How do these problems intersect with modern literature on early Chinese cosmology? How can placing specific arguments in a particular historical and intellectual milieu aid us in gaining new perspectives on how we approach early Chinese philosophy?
The seminar will draw from several texts, including Lu Jia’s XInyu 新語 the Chunqiu Fanlu 春秋繁露 and Wang Chong’s Lunheng 論衡. In addition, the seminar will attempt to draw attention to and discuss lesser-read passages from these texts while trying to understand better how the arguments of different figures fit into a larger philosophical milieu.

Led by: Jordan Davis, East China Normal University (Finished)

Kongzi 孔子is a complex figure, inviting competing readings since antiquity. We can distinguish between the dominant figure of the Master as the immaculate sage and the unsuccessful, limited, and dubious Kongzi. In this seminar, we focus on the latter Kongzi. We will look at passages from the Lunyu 论语 and commentaries where the Master is viewed as incapable of living up to his own teachings. In other words, instances where he is “bad.” There are at least four areas where Kongzi’s conduct is seemingly incorrect or bad: lying and pretense, sarcasm, lack of restraint, and self-importance. We will take these behaviors in the broader context of Confucian morality, which is highly context-sensitive, tolerant of contradiction, appreciative of complexity and spontaneity, and on the whole unconcerned with the attainment of absolute moral perfection. In this way we can see Kongzi’s misbehaviors not as deviations from an otherwise immaculate behavior, but as expressions of moral behavior in and of themselves. The bad Kongzi is not the negative counterpart of the utmost sage of the Confucian tradition—being “bad” is part of the Confucian path.

Led by: Dimitra Amarantidou, University of Macau (Finished)

Applied Confucian theorizing—the application of Confucian philosophy to social and ethical questions underlying institutions, policies, and codes of practice—has flourished in recent decades. As this has occurred across distinct contexts in addressing disparate sets of societal concerns, the interpretations of Confucianism deployed have accordingly proven quite diverse. This seminar investigates how these various Confucian outlooks and frameworks can be fruitfully applied to more universal issues emerging from technological developments today.
The three weeks will cover three topics. First, we review the state of Confucian discourse today, how it got here, and where is may be heading—that is, Confucianism past, present and future. At the heart of this survey we find diverse conceptions of the relations between individual and community, that is, between the person and its persons. This survey of contemporary Confucianisms will serve as the framework for the following two weeks, when we consider diverse potential Confucian views on the ethics of specific emergent technologies. We will focus on two sets of questions: what it means to be human (new human possibilities in the medical and life sciences) and what human meaning is (non-human possibilities in culture and knowledge creation).

Led by: Robert A. Carleo III, East China Normal University (Finished)