Feng Shui & Qi Energy Flows: The Spatial Geomancy of Wind and Water
Executive Briefing: Harmonizing Human Dwelling with Telluric Energy Feng Shui (Wind and Water) is the classical Taoist art of spatial orientation, balancing …
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The Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove: Counter-Cultural Rebellion and Eccentric Taoist Freedom
Executive Briefing: The Beat Poets of Ancient China In 3rd-century Jin Dynasty China, a circle of poets, musicians, and philosophers (including Ji Kang and R…
Ren and Li: The Internal Benevolence and External Ritual Propriety in the Analects of Confucius
Executive Briefing: Cultivating the Exemplary Person Confucius (Kongzi) sought to restore social harmony through the interplay of Ren (human-hearted benevole…
The Junzi (Noble Person): Moral Exemplarism vs. Aristocratic Birth in Confucian Ethics
Executive Briefing: The Meritocracy of Character Confucius subverted the feudal term Junzi (originally meaning “son of a lord”), redefining nobility not as h…
Filial Piety (Xiao) & The Five Relationships: The Kinship Bedrock of East Asian Society
Executive Briefing: The Concentric Circles of Affection Xiao (Filial Piety) is the root of all virtues: by learning love and deference within the biological …
Mencius vs. Xunzi: The Great Debate on Human Nature (Innate Goodness vs. Innate Evil)
Executive Briefing: The Battle Over the Human Soul Mencius argued that human nature is innately good (*Xingshan*), like water flowing downward; Xunzi counter…
The Mandate of Heaven (Tianming): Moral Legitimacy and the Right to Rebel in Chinese History
Executive Briefing: Sovereignty Contingent on Justice The Zhou Dynasty established Tianming (The Mandate of Heaven): imperial sovereignty is not an unconditi…
The Imperial Examination System (Keju): The World’s First Meritocratic Bureaucracy
Executive Briefing: The Literati Elite Instituted in the Sui and Tang dynasties and perfected in the Song, the Keju examination system selected state adminis…
Neo-Confucianism: Zhu Xi’s Li (Principle) and Qi (Material Force) Metaphysical Architecture
Executive Briefing: The Metaphysical Revival Responding to the metaphysical challenges of Buddhism and Taoism, Song Dynasty master Zhu Xi (1130–1200) synth…
Wang Yangming & The School of Mind: The Unity of Knowing and Acting (Zhi Xing He Yi)
Executive Briefing: Innate Knowing Ming Dynasty general-philosopher Wang Yangming (1472–1529) broke with Zhu Xi, asserting that principle (*Li*) is not fou…