History of Chinese Philosophy Through Its Key Terms 1st ed. 2020 Edition

This book provides a conceptual overview of the evolution of Chinese philosophy from its earliest beginnings to the end of the imperial era, highlighting 38 of the most essential terms in the Chinese philosophical tradition. Written by prominent contemporary scholars from Mainland China, the respective chapters cover topics ranging from cosmology, benti metaphysics, human nature, self-cultivation, and methodology, to views on history and politics. Each chapter addresses one of the constitutive terms of the Chinese philosophical tradition and provides clear historical information on how it was used and developed during the key periods of Chinese philosophy.

Highlighting both central concepts and essential structures of Chinese philosophy, the book allows readers to view the history of Chinese philosophy from the perspective of the Chinese themselves. Offering content that is both academically rigorous and accessible for a wider audience, this book is an indispensable reference guide for all students of Chinese philosophy.

Qinggang Bao is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Marxism and Traditional Chinese Culture Research Center. His main areas of research are Confucian philosophy, Daoist philosophy, and Wei-Jin neo-Daoism. He has authored the works Reflection and Reconstruction: Researches in Guo Xiang’s Commentaries to the Zhuangzi and Wandering Far and Unfettered Through the Ages: Zhuangzi, and has co-authored several books, including Classics of Traditional Chinese Philosophy, Ten Influential Classics of Chinese Culture and Ten Influential Philosophers of Chinese Culture (all in Chinese).