This book is intended to expose some aspects of Chinese way of thinking in particular, but it follows neither any historical line nor systematic scheme available in some other writings. Instead, it attempts to demonstrate how the Chinese way of thinking operates practically and synthetically in the living experiences and political affairs. However, one may detect the employment of comparative analogy and intercultural reference in the process of the exposition and reconsideration herein.
Preface Li Zehou
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Section I Nature and Human Existence
1 A Rediscovery of Heaven-and-Human Oneness
The Three-fold Significance
The Two-dimensional Orientation
A Pragmatic Alternative
2 Laozi on the Dao of Human Existence
Frame of Reference: The Dao of Man, Heaven and the Sage
Pursuit of Sageliness: Practical and Sagely Wisdom
Path to Freedom: Attitudes toward Life and Death
3 Zhuangzi's Way of Thinking through Fables
The Peng and Happy Excursion to the Infinite
The Butterfly and Self-emancipation
4 Poetic Wisdom in Zen Enlightenment
Revelations from Natural Scenes
Natural Spontaneity as a Psychical Path
A Poetic Way of Zen Enlightenment
The Realm of Sunyaa~ as Beauty
Section II Harmony, Governance, and Warfare
5 Harmonization without Being Patternized
The Meeting of East and West as a Good-natured Hypothesis
Harmony and Uniformity in Perspective
The Need of a New Philosophos Poiesis
6 Humane Governance and Pragmatic-Reason
Rule of Law as the Fundamental Basis
Wise Leadership of Crucial Necessity
The Pragmatic Reason in Question
7 No More Hiroshimas and Sharp Weapons
A Poetic Reflection after Hiroshima
A Philosophical Pondering over Sharp Weapons
Section III Morality, Art, and Aesthetics
8 Confucius' Expectation of Poetry
Poetry as a Social Discourse Sui Generis
Poetry as an Aesthetic Discourse Sui Generis
Poetry as a Moral Discourse Sui Generis
9 Aesthetic Criticism of Transculturality
Beyond East and West: A Transcultural Transformation
Aesthetic Education as a Critical Necessity (Meiyu Shuo)
Art as a Refuge from Suffering (Jietuo Shuo)
Art as Aesthetic Play for Freedom (Youxi Shuo)
The Artist as Creative Genius (Tiancai Shuo)
The Refined as the Second Form (Guya Shuo)
The Theory of Poetic State par Excellence (Jingjie Shuo)
10 The Theory of Art as Sedimentation
Art as Sedimentation
A Critical Consideration
A Methodological Reflection
11 Appreciating Nature in View of Practical Aesthetics
Three Levels of Aesthetic Experience
Aesthetic Effects of Heaven-and-Human Oneness
Selected Bibliography
Glossary