Dao Companion to the Philosophy of Xunzi

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xxiii

   PDF

2. Style and Poetic Diction in the Xunzi

   • Martin Kern

   Pages 1-33

3. Xunzi on Self-Cultivation

   • Aaron Stalnaker

   Pages 35-65

4. Ethics in the Xunzi

   • Eric L. Hutton

   Pages 67-93

5. Xunzi’s Political Philosophy

   • Eirik Lang Harris

   Pages 95-138

6. Xunzi’s Metaethics

   • David B. Wong

   Pages 139-164

7. Xing and Xunzi’s Understanding of Our Nature

   • Siufu Tang

   Pages 165-200

8. Xunzi on Moral Psychology

   • Eric L. Hutton

   Pages 201-227

9. Xunzi as a Theorist and Defender of Ritual

   • Mark Berkson

   Pages 229-267

10. Xunzi on Music

    • Eric L. Hutton, James Harold

    Pages 269-289

11. Language and Logic in the Xunzi

    • Chris Fraser

    Pages 291-321

12. Religion in the Xunzi: What Does Tian 天 Have to Do with It?

    • John H. Berthrong

    Pages 323-351

13. Xunzi Contra Mozi

    • Hui-chieh Loy

    Pages 353-375

14. What Did Xunzi Learn from the Daoists?

    • Paul Kjellberg

    Pages 377-394

15. Xunzi: An Early Reception History, Han Through Tang

    • Michael Nylan

    Pages 395-433

16. Xunzi Among the Chinese Neo-Confucians

    • Justin Tiwald

    Pages 435-473

17. The Xunzi in Edo Japan

    • Hung-Yueh Lan

    Pages 475-501

18. Xunzi and Pre-Modern Korean Thinkers

    • Jaesang Jung

    Pages 503-534

19. Back Matter

    Pages 535-565

    PDF

This volume presents a comprehensive analysis of the Confucian thinker Xunzi and his work, which shares the same name. It features a variety of disciplinary perspectives and offers divergent interpretations. The disagreements reveal that, as with any other classic, the Xunzi provides fertile ground for readers. It is a source from which they have drawn—and will continue to draw—different lessons.

In more than 15 essays, the contributors examine Xunzi’s views on topics such as human nature, ritual, music, ethics, and politics. They also look at his relations with other thinkers in early China and consider his influence in East Asian intellectual history.

A number of important Chinese scholars in the Song dynasty (960–1279 CE) sought to censor the Xunzi. They thought that it offered a heretical and impure version of Confuciansim. As a result, they directed study away from the Xunzi. This has diminished the popularity of the work.

However, the essays presented here help to change this situation. They open the text’s riches to Western students and scholars. The book also highlights the substantial impact the Xunzi has had on thinkers throughout history, even on those who were critical of it. Overall, readers will gain new insights and a deeper understanding of this important, but often neglected, thinker.

• Ancient Confucianism
• Virtue Ethics
• Moral Philosophy
• Political Philosophy
• Human Nature
• Moral Psychology
• Ritual Practice
• Self Cultivation
• Chinese History

“It is the first English-language anthology that examines a wide range of philosophical themes and issues in Xunzi’s thought. … This Companion is a significant contribution to Xunzi studies. It should be of interest to anyone who is interested in Xunzi’s thought, regardless of the stages of their research. … I have no doubt that this Companion will be a key reference and research book in Xunzi scholarship.” (Winnie Sung, Dao, Vol. 16, 2017)

• Department of Philosophy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, USA

  Eric L. Hutton