Comparison of Chinese and Western Cultures

Author: Xu Xingyan, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-09-01
Features:
Chapter 1 Introduction
Section 1 Cultural Choice in the Context of Globalization
Section 2 Culture—A Pair of Terminological Origins
Section 3 Defining "Culture"
Section 4 The Nature and Characteristics of Culture
Section 5 Methodology for Cross-Cultural Comparison
Section 6 Our Perspective on Comparison
Section 7 The Approach and Structure of This Book
Chapter 2 The Dawn of Human Civilization—Roots of Eastern and Western Cultures
Section 1 The Gift of Rivers and the Struggle of the Sea
Section 2 Agrarian and Commercial Civilizations
Section 3 Nation-State and City-State
Chapter 3 Two Different Cultural Choices—The Basic Spirit of Eastern and Western Cultures
Section 1 Explorations of the Differences in Eastern and Western Cultural Spirits Throughout History
Section 2 Humanistic Tradition and Scientific Spirit
Section 3 Group Identity and Individualism
Section 4 Moderation and Peace vs. Reverence for Power and Competition
Section 5 Introspection and Openness
Chapter 4 Unity of Heaven and Man vs. Duality of Nature and Self—Comparison of Eastern and Western Ways of Thinking
Section 1 From Cosmic Observation to Epistemology
Section 2 Intuitive Thinking and Logical Reasoning
Section 3 Practical Rationality and Speculative Rationality
Chapter 5 The Mysterious Circle—Comparison of Eastern and Western Linguistic and Cultural Aspects
Section 1 Language, Thinking, and Culture
Section 2 "Fleeting as a Gazelle's Hoofprint" vs. "Nailed to a Board"
Section 3 "Chinese Box" vs. "Western Chain"
Section 4 "Seeing Through the Fog" vs. "Clear Sky and Bright Moon"
Chapter 6 This Shore and the Other Shore—Comparison of Eastern and Western Religious Cultures
Section 1 The Interface Between Heaven and Humanity and the Separation of Spirit and Flesh—Two Different Religious Attitudes
Section 2 Pluralism and Monism—Two Different Religious Beliefs
Section 3 Freedom and Salvation—Two Different Religious Experiences
Section 4 Royal Power and Clerical Power
Chapter 7 Ritual and Rule of Law—Comparison of Eastern and Western Social Norm Systems
Section 1 Self-Restraint and Ritual vs. Protecting Rights and Upholding Law
Section 2 The Value Foundations of Eastern and Western Social Norms
Section 3 Social Practice of Moral Governance and Rule of Law
Chapter 8 Impressionistic vs. Realistic—Comparison of Eastern and Western Arts
Section 1 Heart-Mind Resonance and Imitating Reality
Section 2 Harmony and Subtlety vs. Vigor and Exuberance
Section 3 The Formation and Structure of Eastern and Western Arts
Chapter 9 Subjective Poetry and Objective Poetry—Comparison of Eastern and Western Cultures
Section 1 Divinity and Humanity in Eastern and Western Myths
Chapter 10 Building a Modern Culture with Local Characteristics—From Cultural Comparison to Cultural Renewal
Postscript