Additional information
by Esther C. Su (Translator), Mou Zongsan (Author)
Chinese philosophy is often dismissed as either too underdeveloped or too mystical in comparison to the well-developed philosophies of the West. However, Mou Zongsan, arguably the most important Chinese philosopher of the twentieth century, devoted the majority of his more than sixty-year career to establishing and fostering a dialogue between Western and Eastern philosophy. To achieve this, he produced volumes of original work that detailed how Chinese philosophy addresses many of the same universal issues as Western philosophy and how, when combined with Western thought, it has much to contribute toward producing a universal value system.
In 1978, Mou Zongsan delivered a series of lectures to graduate students outlining his unique East-West comparative approach. Published in Chinese in 1983, the transcription of those lectures has been a primary resource for learning about Chinese philosophy. In Nineteen Lectures on Chinese Philosophy, these public addresses are presented in English for the very first time. Rigorously researched and cross-referenced with Mou's previous works, this meticulous translation also includes synopses and key concepts that further enhance this essential resource for anyone interested in a deeper study of Chinese philosophy.
Author Biography
Mou Zongsan was born in 1909 in Shandong Province, China. He studied philosophy at Peking University from 1929 to 1933 and went on to teach philosophy in universities in China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong until his passing in 1995. His original works, consisting of thirty-three volumes, were published in 2003 in The Complete Works of Mou Zongsan. He is widely considered a leading figure of New Confucianism, but he also contributed greatly to the field of philosophy, moving far beyond the confines of a single label.
