Key Concepts in Chinese Thought and Culture

Follow the Examples of Recent Kings

Fa houwang (法后王), as opposed to fa xianwang (法先王), literally means “to follow the examples of recent kings.” It represents a particular attitude towards history and tradition. Houwang (后王) refers to the contemporary monarchs known for noble virtue and remarkable political achievements. The notion of fa houwang is not only about revering th…

Combine Toughness with Softness

Gang (刚) and rou (柔) are two mutually complementary measures. They refer to two opposite properties or qualities that objects and human beings possess. In the realm of governance, gang means being tough and stern, while rou means being soft and lenient, and the term means to combine tough management with gentle care. Gang and rou are considered to…

Human Heart / Human Desires

The “human heart” here refers to human awareness of outside attractions and desires for such attractions. It is in contrast with consciousness of moral principles, and was used in classics such as the “Old Text” version of The Book of History, and Xunzi. Confucian scholars in the Song Dynasty attached great importance to both concepts, and had i…

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: The purposes of the Project are to select the concepts in Chinese culture and thought that reflect the characteristics of the country's traditional culture and the Chinese people's way of thinking, and that embody the core values of China.
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