Neo-Confucianism : [electronic resource] a philosophical introduction / Stephen C. Angle; Justin Tiwald.

Introduction -- Pattern and vital stuff -- Nature -- Heartmind -- Emotions -- Knowing -- Self-cultivation -- Virtues -- Governance and institutions -- The enduring significance of Neo-Confucianism -- Teaching Neo-Confucianism topically -- Table of Neo-Confucians.

Neo-Confucianism is a philosophically sophisticated tradition weaving classical Confucianism together with themes from Buddhism and Daoism. It began in China around the eleventh century CE, played a leading role in East Asian cultures over the last millennium, and has had a profound influence on modern Chinese society. Based on the latest scholarship but presented in accessible language, Neo-Confucianism: A Philosophical Introduction is organized around themes that are central in Neo-Confucian philosophy, including the structure of the cosmos, human nature, ways of knowing, personal cultivation, and approaches to governance. The authors thus accomplish two things at once: they present the Neo-Confucians in their own, distinctive terms; and they enable contemporary readers to grasp what is at stake in the great Neo-Confucian debates. This novel structure gives both students and scholars in philosophy, religion, history, and cultural studies a new window into one of the world's most important philosophical traditions.