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Chinese Culture
of Intelligence
Keping Wang
Chinese Culture of Intelligence
Keping Wang
Chinese Culture
of Intelligence
Keping Wang
Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
Beijing, China
Jointly published with Foreign Language Teaching and Research Publishing Co., Ltd.,
Beijing, China
The edition is not for sale in the mainland of China. Customers from the mainland of China
please order the print book from: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Publishing
Co., Ltd.
© Foreign Language Teaching and Research Publishing Co., Ltd. This international
edition is exclusively licensed to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. for worldwide
distribution outside of China 2019
This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the
Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights
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on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and
retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology
now known or hereafter developed.
The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this
publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are
exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.
The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and
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Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied,
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189721, Singapore
Preface
v
vi Preface
I would first of all like to express my great appreciation to all the col-
leagues at home and abroad who have encouraged me to write more in
English about Chinese thoughts related to the theoretical and practi-
cal spheres from a transcultural perspective. An offhanded list of them
includes, for instance, Li Zehou, Ru Xin, and Yao Jiehou from China,
Roger Aims, Rick Benitez, Nicholas Bunnin, David Cooper, Stephen
Halliwell, Richard Lynn, Karl-Heinz Pohl, Joseph Margolis, Wolfgang
Welsch, Robert Wilkinson, late Professor Herbert Mainusch, and Dr.
Sonja Servomaa, among many others from overseas. Meanwhile, I am
feeling so grateful to their advices and observations from which I have
gained so much.
I would also like to extend my gratitude to the postgraduates and
other participants in the seminars and presentations I have offered at
Beijing International Studies University, Graduate School of Chinese
Academy of Social Sciences, the Bureau of Foreign Languages on
behalf of the Publicity Office of the State Council, University of Sydney,
Sciences Politiques Bordeaux et al. Some of the participants are either
government officials or professional journalists from many countries over
Asia, Africa and, Europe and South America. Their active engagement
and critical reflection have motivated me to make more efforts to recon-
sider some topics as part of my research.
Finally, my deepest thanks go to my wife, Professor Li Zhongze, and
my daughter, Lindsey, for their devoted support and timely help. They
have managed to let me concentrate on the project alone in an amiable
ix
x Acknowledgements
“Since the days of Lin Yutang and his wonderful books My Country and
My People and The Importance of Living (1935 and 1937), there seems
to be a lack of comprehensive interpretations of Chinese culture for the
Westerner. Keping Wang’s Chinese Culture of Intelligence can be seen as
an attempt to fill this lacuna. His inspiring book highlights some Chinese
cultural ideals and their relevance to the human condition from a mod-
ern transcultural perspective. It reconsiders such fundamentals as the
human-nature relationship, the ideal of harmony, character cultivation,
the role of poetry and music, Zen Buddhist views and many more of the
intriguing aspects of Chinese culture that have not lost their relevance
today. Keping Wang’s book provides insights into what really matters
behind the Chinese mode of thinking and doing from the past to the
present. And so we discover that Chinese culture, yet so little understood
in the West, still can teach us a lot—as way of life.”
—Karl-Heinz Pohl, Professor, Sinology Department, Trier University,
Germany
xi
xii PRAISE FOR CHINESE CULTURE OF INTELLIGENCE
xiii
xiv Contents
xvii
CHAPTER 1
1 Cf. Zhuangzi, “On the Equality of Things,” in A Taoist Classic: Chuang-tzu (trans.
Zhuangzi jinzhu jinyi [Zhuangzi Newly Annotated and Paraphrased] (Beijing: Zhonghua
shuju, 1983), p. 563.
4 K. WANG
and right conduct is able to nourish his body by means of this beauty.3
In a rather affectionate tone, Dong assumes that Nature is the “grand-
father of man,” making man as man as it bears the virtue of humane-
ness or benevolence (ren).4 It follows that Nature and man share a strong
resemblance. For example, Nature has the sun and the moon, man has
the left and right eye; Nature has four seasons, and man has four limbs;
and Nature has four kinds of emotional power such as joy revealed in
spring, happiness in summer, anger in autumn, sorrow in winter, and so
is the case with man. Nature and man are therefore one in a classificatory
sense. Accordingly, there arises a harmonious order when man identifies
himself with Nature. There arises terrible disorder when man separates
himself from Nature.5 The above comparison is ostensibly far-fetched and
logically ridiculous. But, it aims to remind humankind of their depend-
ent position and inborn connection with Nature. The emphasis on the
strong resemblance between Nature and man is not meaningless at all
since it serves at least to let man attend to Nature as much as he attends
to himself. This is hopefully conducive to necessary respect and emo-
tional caring for Nature. Historically, Dong is the first to coin the con-
cept of heaven-human oneness that is seen as a milestone regarding the
relations between Nature and humankind in Chinese thought. Somewhat
like Zhuangzi, Dong acknowledges the natural beauty underlined by
the principle of proper harmony. But, he finds such beauty beneficial in
a number of ways. It is not merely aesthetically satisfying, but physically
rewarding and morally generating. In other words, it satisfies aesthetic
needs, nurtures the body, and facilitates the becoming of man as man by
its rich resources and varied functions. However, Dong’s preoccupation
like this represents a mystical naturalism. For his approach to the oneness
is essentially based on the school of Yin and Yang, his personification of
Heaven exemplifies a kind of mystification instead of divination, and like-
wise, his contemplation of natural beauty reveals some mystical rapture.
3 Dong Zhongshu, Xun tian zhi dao [Act Upon the Dao of Heaven], in Chunqiu fanlu
[Exuberant Dew of the Spring and Autumn] (Shanghai: Shanghai Guji Press, 1989),
pp. 91–93.
4 Dong Zhongshu, Wei ren zhe tian [Heaven Serves Man], and Wangdao tong san [The
6 Mencius, The Book of Mencius, in The Four Books (trans. James Legge, Changsha: Hunan
8 Ibid., 1.4.
6 K. WANG
9 Cf. Book of Changes (trans. James Legge, Changsha: Hunan Press, 1993), Qian (The
Creative), p. 15. Also see The Classic of Changes (trans. Richard John Lynn, New York:
Columbia University Press, 1994), Hexagram 1: Qian, p. 138. The citation is modified
herein.
1 A REDISCOVERY OF HEAVEN-HUMAN ONENESS 7
and Humankind. In reality, the key message is hidden in the human vir-
tue and consistency with Heaven and Earth. As noticed in the commen-
tary on the first two hexagrams—the symbol of Heaven (qian) and the
symbol of Earth (kun)—the human virtue is expected to assimilate the
counterpart of both Heaven and Earth. It says in the Great Symbolism,
“The action of Heaven is strong and dynamic. In the same manner, the
noble man never ceases to strengthen himself.”10 “The disposition of
Earth bears sustaining power. The noble man, in accordance with this,
supports all beings with his generous virtue.”11 Observably, the dynamic
action of Heaven is demonstrated through the ceaseless cycle of the four
seasons, and the sustaining power of Earth through the carrying capacity
of mountains, waters, and all other beings. Such doings suggest respec-
tive virtues of Heaven and Earth (tian di zhi de). These virtues come
together to form as the Way of Heaven and Earth (tian di zhi dao), which
is shortened into the Heavenly Way (tiandao). The nobleman as an ideal-
ized personality becomes what he is by learning from the Heavenly Way.
He strives to develop himself persistently like Heaven, and similarly like
Earth, he tries to achieve the generous virtue to help all other beings
grow properly. His deed of this kind works to establish rendao as the
Human Way for moral accomplishment.
This line of thought has been extended throughout the Chinese his-
tory of ideas. Mencius, for instance, pushes it further as a moral require-
ment on character training. “Wherever the noble man passes through,”
as he says, “transformation of others follows; wherever he abides, his
instructive influence is too subtle and great to be measured; his virtuous
achievement flows above and beneath, like that of Heaven and Earth.”12
The Human Way is embodied in what the nobleman does, and the
Heavenly Way represented by “that of Heaven and Earth.” The former
is supposed to reach the corresponding level of the latter. It is on this
point that the heaven-human oneness is accomplished, and so is the ide-
alized personality of the nobleman. The similar idea is also found in The
Doctrine of the Mean (Zhong yong). The nobleman is assumed to be a
person with the most complete sincerity that exists under Heaven. When
10 Cf. Book of Changes (trans. James Legge), Qian (The Creative). Also see The Classic of
he can give its full development to his own nature, he can do the same
to the nature of other men. When he can give its full development to the
nature of other men, he can give their full development to the nature
of animals and things. When he can do this job, he can help the trans-
forming and nourishing powers of Heaven and Earth. When he can help
this way, he may with Heaven and Earth form a ternion.13 The process
demonstrates a hypothesized sequence about how the Human Way min-
gles with the Heavenly Way. It commences with the virtue of sincerity
that is capable of transforming oneself and others for the better; it goes
through a number of stages by virtue of applying altruism to other men,
animals, and things, etc. Finally, it arrives at the highest possible state of
forming a ternion. The ternion in this context involves the union among
the three components, that is, Heaven, Earth, and Mankind. Actually, it
indicates again the heaven-human oneness and a sense of mission on the
part of human as human. In order to fulfill this oneness and mission, it
calls for a gradual transcendence and self-development from low to high.
Confucianism pays more attention to the reciprocal interaction
between the Heavenly Way and the Human Way. This tradition has been
carried onward by Confucianists from the past to the present. Among
the Neo-Confucianists in the Song Dynasty, there is a general agreement
on canceling out the distinction between the Heavenly Way and the
Human Way. That is to say, they tend to identify the former with the lat-
ter and ascertain the oneness between the two. For example, Zhang Zai
(1020–1077 A.D.) argues that the Heavenly Way and the Human Way
seem to be different in size, but remain the same in essence because it is
through human to know and experience Heaven.14 Cheng Hao (1032–
1085 A.D.) simply refuses to distinguish one from another. For he thinks
that Heaven and humankind are originally not two but one, it is there-
fore needless to ponder over their synthesis at all.15 Cheng Yi (1033–
1107 A.D.) goes even further to define the relationship in such concise
terms as follows: The Way (dao) is freed from any distinction between
13 Cf.
The Doctrine of the Mean, in The Four Books (trans. James Legge), p. 22.
14 WangFuzhi, Zhangzi zhengmeng zhu [Commentary on Zhang Zai’s Works] (Beijing:
Zhonghua Book Company, 1975), p. 94.
15 Cheng Hao and Cheng Yi, Yu lu [Collected Sayings], Vols. 2, 11, in Institute of
Philosophy of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (ed.), Zhongguo zhexueshi ziliao xuanji
[Selected Sources of the History of Chinese Philosophy: Part 1 of Song, Yuan and Ming
Dynasties] (Beijing: Zhonghua Book Company, 1982), p. 220.
1 A REDISCOVERY OF HEAVEN-HUMAN ONENESS 9
Heaven and human. Yet, it is called the Heavenly Way when it is with
Heaven, the Earthly Way when it is with Earth, and the Human Way
when it is with human. The Way is one only. It is shared by Heaven,
Earth, and humankind altogether.16
In recent decades, modern Confucianists attempt to revive the
thoughtway of Neo-Confucianism for the sake of moral reconstruc-
tion. Mou Zongsan (1909–1995), for example, has made tremendous
endeavors to reinterpret the moral expectation of heaven-human one-
ness. He places much emphasis on integrating the virtue of Heaven
with its human counterpart. In his mind, the individual life ought to be
completely in conciliation with the cosmic life. He thus affirms that the
attainment of this conciliation leads to the accomplishment not merely
of moral being but also inward sageliness. In order to fulfill this telos,
one must follow the Heavenly Way and model his own nature upon
it. How is that possible then? Mou’s illustration gives rise to a circle of
development. The circle is consisted of four components. Down below
is the becoming of individual life filled with possibilities. High above is
the working of the Heavenly Way that is both religiously “transcend-
ent” (chaoyue) and morally “immanent” (neizai). On the right-hand side
stands the process of moral praxis relating to the virtues of humaneness
and truth. On the left-hand side stands the mandate of Heaven in con-
stant movement. It is reckoned that the process of moral praxis and the
movement of the mandate make possible the transformational interaction
between the individual life and the Heavenly Way. On this occasion, the
individual life will rise up to combine itself with the Heavenly Way as a
result of praxis of the virtues of humaneness and truth. It has nourished
a moral mind and transformed itself into a “real life,” “real subject,” or
“real self.” Meanwhile, the Heavenly Way has turned itself into a “meta-
physical substance” and penetrated into the human nature, thus breaking
the estrangement and causing the conciliation between the individual life
and the Heavenly Way.17 In plain language, the individual life of human-
kind below will ascend upward to meet the Heavenly Way through moral
praxis, whereas the Heavenly Way will descend downward to meet the
individual life of humankind through constant movement. They create
the conciliation or heaven-human oneness in which the Heavenly Way
16 Ibid.,
Vols. 2, 18.
17 Mou Zongsan, Zhongguo zhexue de tezhi [The Characteristics of Chinese Philosophy]
(Shanghai: Shanghai Guji Press, 1997), pp. 20–32, 74–81, 114–117.
10 K. WANG
will transform itself into a “metaphysical reality” while the individual life
into a moral being or “real self.” The key to this idealized outcome lies
in sincere and persistent praxis of such virtues as humaneness and truth.
Otherwise, there is no chance for the Heavenly Way to become a “met-
aphysical reality” but to remain as an abstract vision hanging in the air,
and similarly, the individual life will not be able to become a moral per-
son but to remain as a physical being down to the earth.
In the final analysis, the Confucianists of whatever type do use such
terms as the Heavenly Way (tiandao) and the Human Way (rendao) in dis-
course. But, very often they identify them with one another by illustrat-
ing the Heavenly Way in light of the Human Way for a moral purpose.
As a matter of fact, this line of thought is derived from a learning strategy
recommended by Confucius. When talking about himself with Zi Gong,
Confucius confesses, “I do not complain against Heaven, nor do I grumble
against Man. My learning start from what is down below and get through
to what is up above. If I am understood at all, it is perhaps by Heaven.”18
This confession reflects Confucius’ learning attitude, strategy, and objective
altogether. He concentrates on what he is learning and what progress he
is making disregarding what others may say about him. The most impor-
tant message of the remark is xiaxue er shangda, say, “My learning start
from what is down below and get through to what is up above.” Here by
“what is down below” is meant human affairs or social commitment, and
by “what is up above” is meant such virtues as humaneness and righteous-
ness (ren yi). According to Confucius, learning is both a cognitive and prac-
tical process. It begins with knowing human affairs and social deeds, but
its penetration must rise high; it thus continues to facilitate the attainment
and praxis of “what is up above” in terms of the virtues aforementioned.
Eventually, the learning process comes up with a transformation of what
is learned into the virtues expected. Such virtues as humaneness and right-
eousness are all symbolized in the Heavenly Way and practically exercised
by human beings. A synthesis to be made in this regard exemplifies the
highest form of achievement of which human as human is capable in one
sense, and in the other, it advises people to be realistic in pragmatic learn-
ing but idealistic in moral cultivation. This, of course, calls for a pursuit of
moral transcendence as an elementary part of character building.
18 Confucius, The Analects (trans. D. C. Lau, London: Penguin Books, 1979), pp. XIV,
35. Also see Confucius, The Confucian Analects, in The Four Books (trans. James Legge),
p. 14.35.
1 A REDISCOVERY OF HEAVEN-HUMAN ONENESS 11
The Dao of great learning is to manifest the illustrious virtue, renovate the
people, and to achieve the highest excellence…. The ancients who man-
ifested the illustrious virtue to the world first governed well their states.
Wishing to govern well their states, they first regulated their families.
Wishing to regulate their families, they first cultivated their personalities.
Wishing to cultivate their personalities, they first rectified their minds.
Wishing to rectify their minds, they first sought to be sincere in their
thoughts. Wishing to be sincere in their thoughts, they first extended to
the utmost their knowledge. Such extension of knowledge lay in the inves-
tigation of things. Things being investigated, knowledge was extended.
Their knowledge being extended, their thoughts were sincere. Their
thoughts being sincere, their minds were then rectified. Their minds being
rectified, their personalities were cultivated. Their personalities being culti-
vated, their families were rightly regulated. Their families being regulated,
their states were well governed. Their states being governed, the whole
world was kept in peace. From the son of Heaven [emperor] down to the
mass of the people, all must consider the cultivation of the personality the
root of everything besides.19
19 The Great Learning, in The Four Books (trans. James Legge), p. 1. The English version
is offered here with some minor modifications according to the original text. For instance,
James Legge rendered tianxia in “empire,” and I changed it into “the world.” He trans-
lated tianxia ping into “the whole empire was made tranquil and happy,” and I revised
it as “the world was kept in peace.” Some translators prefer to say “the whole world was
brought into peace.”
12 K. WANG
SUGAR
It’s here just to help SALT
you to be a Prize
Fine white granulated Cook! Cooking salt in cloth
sugar, unless otherwise sacks. It is cheaper and
specified in recipe. stronger than table salt.
GOLD
MEDAL
FLOUR
Gold Medal
“Kitchen-
CHOCOLATE EGGS
tested”
Unsweetened Enriched Flour—the Large fresh eggs
baking chocolate. country’s most popular (2 oz.) or
If sweet chocolate brand of all-purpose equivalent
or bits or pieces flour. Recipes in this amounts from
are required, book have been smaller eggs.
recipe will so perfected for Gold Medal
state. only.
MOLASSES
MILK BUTTERMILK and Dark molasses. If
SOUR MILK black New
Fresh, sweet milk,
Orleans molasses
unless otherwise
is specified, ask
indicated. May be used grocer for “black
interchangeably. Too old strap.”
milk has disagreeable
flavor!
WHEATIE
S
The
crispy,
SPICES and whole-
FLAVORINGS wheat ROLLED OATS
flakes
High quality nationally Either quick-
always, for flavor cooking or regular
known as the “Breakfast
and dependability. of Champions.” (uncooked).
BAKING
POWDER
MOIST
Any of the
SHREDDED
well-
COCONUT
known
Shredded nationally COFFEE
coconut that’s distribute
moist ... either d brands The beverage—
from a can or a of baking not uncooked
package ... or powder ground coffee.
shredded from a give good results with
fresh coconut. the recipes in this book.
SHORTENING
Any fresh, mild-flavored
solid fat ... animal or
vegetable, such as those
at right. Butter is indicated in certain recipes for flavor.
HOW TO PREPARE some special
ingredients the quick, easy way!
Remove melted
Place it on waxed Place it in a small bowl set
chocolate from bowl or
paper set in bowl or in a wire strainer over
paper with rubber
over boiling water. boiling water.
scraper.
PREPARING NUTS
Some foods look and taste their best if the nuts in them are in big
chunks. In others, the nuts should be in smaller pieces. The recipes
tell you just how.
Broken Nuts: It’s quick Cut-Up Nuts: Cut with Coarsely Chopped
and easy to break nuts scissors (works better Nuts: Chop with long,
with fingers into about than knife) into about ¼- straight knife. Hold point
⅓-inch chunks. inch pieces. against cutting board,
chop crisply through
spread out nuts—
TOAST NUTS: to be sure they will taste fresh. Heat swinging handle around
through in moderate oven. in quarter circle.
E Q U I VA L E N T W E I G H T S A N D M E A S U R E S
= = = =
1 CUP coarsely
finely
WHOLE chopped
broken cut-up chopped
SHELLED minus 1
⅞ CUP
NUTS tbsp.
FINELY
WHOLE PITTED CUT-UP
CUT
1 lb. = 2¼
DATES 2 cups 1¾ cups 1½ cups
cups
1 lb. = 2¾
FIGS —— 2⅔ cups 2½ cups
cups
15-oz. pkg. =
RAISINS —— 2¾ cups 2½ cups
2¾ cups
Some of the sweetest memories of Home are bound up
with Mother’s Cooky Jar. Long after the spicy fragrance of
her ginger cookies baking has faded into the years ... the
thought of that ample cooky jar on the shelf will bring back
vividly the old-time peace ... and comfort ... and security of
Home. Every Home should have a cooky jar!