2026-01-08
Jana S. Rošker
The first and most renowned representative of the Mohist school, the philosopher Mo Di 墨翟 (479–390 BCE), adopted and adapted numerous ideas from the Confucian doctrine in his theoretical framework, even though the two schools became highly critical of each other after 350 BCE. Both philosophical traditions arose from the cultural and political context of the state of Lu, where a pacifist tradition had, from the very beginning of intellectual discourse, emphasized the moral imperative of humanity, empathy, and the condemnation of aggressive wars. Despite their later divergence, the founders and leading figures of these two schools—Mo Di and Confucius—both valued ethical governance grounded in merit and moral competence. Mo Di’s pacifism, however, is formulated far more systematically and radically than that of Confucius. This essay examines his concept of feigong 非攻 (“against offensive war”), which represents one of the earliest and most explicit rejections of aggressive military expansion in classical Chinese philosophy.
2026-01-08
Thaddée Chantry-Gellens
The Zhuangzi 莊子 often uses its multicoloured characters and imaginative stories to make its points. So much so that one of these characters is, I wish to argue, a stand-in for the text of the Zhuangzi itself. Huzi 壺子, when he meets Jixian 季咸 through the intermediary of his student Liezi 列子, exhibits the kind of emptiness that characterizes the text. This emptiness pertains to his ability to change forms as he wishes, for he is never fixed into one singular shape. He represents the adaptable and flexible behaviour which enables one to use specific schemes of valuation with parsimony, when they are adapted to the context, and never to remain fixed on one single such scheme. Jixian and Liezi are, in my interpretation, two readers of the text who come at it from different yet fixed angles. Their backgrounds and reactions while reading the text teach us the ways one can deal with that emptiness. One could try, like Jixian, to apply one’s own standards to the text, witness its resistance, and leave in frustration. Or one could, like Liezi, realize that the text’s emptiness is an invitation to leave the text behind and to discard fixed and single-minded valuation schemes. In the end, this cautionary tale aptly represents the text’s non-judgmental openness as well as its subtly subversive critique of the attitudes to learning and applying what one has learned prevalent in its time.
2026-01-08
Yuchen Guo
This paper reviews the prevalent interpretative approaches to Mengzi’s political philosophy in contemporary academia, including realism, just war theory, and just war pacifism, and proposes an alternative interpretative framework based on positive-pragmatic pacifism. The main contributions of this study are twofold: First, it introduces an often-overlooked perspective of positive pacifism, arguing that the classification of Mengzian political philosophy should focus not only on his stance on war, but also on the pacifist nature in his theory of benevolent governance. Second, it employs Olaf Müller’s pragmatic pacifism framework to interpret Mengzi’s stance on war, which aligns with the pacifist nature and pragmatic flexibility inherent in Mengzian political philosophy. The paper argues that the essence of Mengzian pacifism lies not in establishing unattainable criteria for just wars, but in his fundamental opposition to violence and his persistent pursuit of a peaceful order in real politics.
2026-01-08
Heiner Roetz
The world is more dominated than ever by a destructive logic of self-assertion ( Selbstbehauptung ) at the expense of global solidarity. Can Chinese philosophy offer an alternative? If philosophy is needed today, then it is a philosophy which is able to break through that logic, instead of itself falling victim to or even supporting it. However, the latter is the case if a philosophy understands itself as an expression of a specific cultural identity as distinct from others, as for example in today’s China. Even what is currently being discussed under the term “global philosophy” is influenced by that logic, insofar as it presents itself as a panopticon of juxtaposed worldviews that rest in themselves and not as something that points beyond them. However, only by critiquing “its own” ( das Eigene ), and not by affirming it, can philosophy be truly global and develop alternatives to self-assertion. This corresponds to its origins, be it in Greece or China, as globality is originally inherent in philosophy, inasmuch as it emerges as a criticism of the given culture due to a crisis of its tradition that made human existence problematic. It is just that it has repeatedly fallen behind. Recalling philosophy’s origin might help to revive its culture-critical, culture-transcending core and enable it to join forces with its likes against the powers that are plunging the world into disaster.
2026-01-08
Jana S. Rošker
Just over a week ago, we passed the anniversary of a year in which we commemorated the 50th anniversary of the International Society for Chinese Philosophy (ISCP). This means that exactly half a century has passed since the late Professor Cheng Chung-ying founded this society, which stands as the oldest and largest academic association in the world dedicated to building bridges between Chinese and global philosophies. The 50th anniversary is, of course, a significant milestone in the history of this association—especially so because we live in a world burdened by a range of global crises. It is precisely for this reason that such bridges, connecting diverse traditions and systems of thought, are more important than ever before. We marked this important milestone in past June at the 24th biennial conference of the society, held under the title “Addressing Global Crises and Reimagining Solutions through Chinese Philosophy”. Although today’s most pressing crises are deeply interconnected and can therefore only be addressed on a global level, it is worth noting that the core issues underlying these predicaments—ranging from ecological catastrophe, large-scale migration, and the threat of viral pandemics to the unjust distribution of global wealth, resources, and goods—have, over the past year, increasingly culminated in the growing threat of armed conflicts and wars of aggression. For this reason, we have chosen to dedicate this issue of Asian Studies , which commemorates the 50th anniversary of the ISCP and includes selected contributions from the 24th, i.e., the jubilee, conference of the society, to the culture of peace and pacifism within the Chinese philosophical tradition. We regard this theme as especially significant precisely because of the aforementioned culmination of global crises into violent conflict.
2026-01-08
Kevin James Turner
Our world is increasingly chaotic. It is important to draw on philosophical resources to help in navigating the coming turbulence. As a philosophical tradition born of troubled times, Confucianism is one such resource. Confucianism is not necessarily pacificist but is characterized by a consciousness for the well-being of others and society. This article looks to the Confucian relational self, social ontology, and the political significance of the family. It is guided by Confucius’ statement that when the way fails in the world one should conceal themselves and his claim that governing is to be found in the family rather than being employed in government. When contextualized within Confucian social philosophy, we are afforded a perspective that shows how the ontological structure of the self-other relationship makes the family a public rather than private institution and informs possible avenues of political action when the way fails in the world.
2025-08-31
Jana S. Rošker
The philosophical definition of the relationship between nothingness and emptiness continues to spark academic debates and controversies. In this article, we aim to clarify this relationship by examining some Chinese discourses relevant to the topic. The concept of absolute nothingness, as it was established in the Neo-Daoist philosophy of the Wei-Jin period in China—and reaching perhaps its most sophisticated form in the philosophy of Nishida Kitarō within the Kyoto School—must be distinguished from emptiness in the sense of the absence of substance, which forms the basis of various philosophical discussions in Sinicized Buddhism and continues to resonate in certain epistemological theories of contemporary Chinese scholars. In this paper, I will first provide a brief introduction to these theories of knowledge, with a particular focus on the contributions of the modern Chinese philosopher Zhang Dongsun, whose work was shaped by the classical Chinese paradigm of structural interrelations on the one hand, and the principles of Sinicized Buddhism on the other. In conclusion, I will juxtapose the theoretical foundations of these epistemologies with the aforementioned conceptualizations of nothingness, thereby attempting to elucidate the relationship between these two seemingly related concepts.
2025-08-31
B.V.E. Hyde
Matthieu Felt aims to show that the Japanese myth of the creation of the nation ( kuniumi ) does not exist outside of history but is instead a product of history, and that its interpretation has changed as the times changed. His argument is that Japanese myths are alive and continually adapting to the context in which they live, and he narrates these changes in meaning over time.
2025-08-31
Yue Wu
Slavoj Žižek’s reception in China, shaped by the country's distinct political, academic, and cultural context, varies across philosophical, humanities, and public spheres. In philosophy, his ideas engage with local Marxist discourses, while humanities scholars draw on his theories to navigate global intellectual trends. Among the public, Žižek’s provocative style resonates widely. This multifaceted reception serves as a lens, revealing China’s ideological tensions, global aspirations, and cultural dynamics. By examining these diverse responses, this study illuminates how Žižek’s influence in China, marked by “Chinese characteristics” of selective reception and adaptation, reflects broader truths about contemporary China’s intellectual and social landscape.
2025-05-08
Jana S. Rošker
2025-03-16
Nataša Visočnik Gerželj
The present special issue of Asian Studies examines the growth and diversification of the Korean diaspora in recent years, with communities emerging in various parts of the world, particularly in the United States, Canada, Japan, and Australia. This expansion has been driven by factors such as globalization, economic opportunities, and educational pursuits. Researchers have focused on understanding the cultural, social, and economic impacts of these communities in their host countries, as well as their connections to South Korea. In addition to the conventional migratory narratives, recent studies have emphasized the experiences of second-, third-, and even fourth-generation Korean immigrants. These individuals often grapple with multifaceted identities, attempting to reconcile their Korean heritage with the cultural norms of their host countries. Research suggests that these generations play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Korean communities abroad, often engaging in cultural preservation while also integrating into broader societal frameworks.