The Defining Character of Chinese Historical Thinking
Resource
History and Theory 46 (2): 180-188
Journal
History and Theory
Journal Volume
46
Journal Issue
2
Pages
180-188
Date Issued
2007-05
Date
2007-05
Author(s)
Abstract
ABSTRACT Imbued with profound historical consciousness, the Chinese people are Homo historiens in every sense of the term. To be human in China, to a very large extent, is to be historical, which means to live up to the paradigmatic past. Therefore, historical thinking in traditional China is moral thinking. The Chinese historico?moral thinking centers around the notion of Dao , a notion that connotes both Heavenly principle and human norm. In view of its practical orientation, Chinese historical thinking is, on the one hand, concrete thinking and, on the other, analogical thinking. Thinking concretely and analogically, the Chinese people are able to communicate with the past and to extrapolate meanings from history. In this way, historical experience in China becomes a library in which modern readers may engage in creative dialogues with the past.
SDGs
Publisher
Blackwell Publishing Ltd
Type
journal article
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