History of Chinese Ethics

Author: Cai Yuanpei
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-07-01
Features: This book is one of China's first monographs on the history of ethics. The author begins by clarifying concepts such as ethics and the history of ethics, systematically exploring Chinese ethics from ancient times to the Song and Ming dynasties. It not only describes the general characteristics of each era but also provides a detailed analysis of the major schools of thought in each period. Professor Cai Yuanpei was one of the pioneers of the Xinhai Revolution, a renowned educator, social activist, and scholar. As early as the late Qing Dynasty, he believed that "our country has always placed great importance on ethics, yet to this day, there is still no history of ethics. In the current era of doubt in the field of ethics, foreign doctrines have been introduced like a storm, nearly colliding with each other. Without the benchmark of our nation's inherent ideological system, we will only be more lost in confusion. The urgency of this matter is great." However, he was also aware that "contemporary scholars seem too busy to tackle it." Therefore, he "wrote this treatise in the gaps of his academic duties," which led to the birth of China's modern first monograph on the history of ethics—A History of Chinese Ethics. The book is divided into four parts and thirty-three chapters: Conclusion, the Founding Era of Pre-Qin, the Inheriting Era of Han and Tang, and the Neo-Confucian Era of Song and Ming. It systematically introduces the important schools of thought and key figures in ancient Chinese ethics, explaining the core ideas, origins, and developments of each doctrine, making it the essential monograph for studying the history of Chinese ethics. For this publication, approximately 180 illustrations have been included to help readers better understand the master's work.