Bokun Zhu

This glossary offers a comprehensive, alphabetically arranged survey of the vast landscape of Chinese philosophy and intellectual history. It encompasses concepts, schools of thought, seminal texts, and influential figures from ancient times to the modern era.

The scope includes classical traditions such as Confucianism, Daoism, Legalism, and Buddhism, alongside later developments, scholarly discussions, and cultural movements. The entries cover essential terms related to ethics, metaphysics, and politics, referencing relevant schools, debates, and interpretations. To aid readers, many entries provide alternative names, transliterations, and historical context, highlighting the diversity and evolution of Chinese thought.

The glossary is presented in Pinyin transcription, with a mixed ordering of Chinese and Western terms. Umlauted vowels are treated as their base letters for alphabetization. Where available, Chinese terms are presented with simplified and traditional characters, along with their Pinyin transliteration, aiming for clarity and accessibility for those exploring Chinese philosophy, religion, and scholarship.

This glossary serves as an alphabetically organized resource detailing the concepts, schools, texts, and individuals central to Chinese intellectual, philosophical, and spiritual traditions from antiquity to the present day. It addresses classical Confucian, Daoist, Legalist, and Buddhist thought, as well as subsequent philosophical advancements, scholarly debates, and political and cultural shifts. The entries are structured alphabetically, mixing Chinese terms (in Pinyin) with Western ones, and do not strictly follow conventional Chinese vocabulary order. Umlauted vowels are alphabetized as if the umlauts were absent. When possible, Chinese terms are provided with simplified characters, traditional characters, and Pinyin transliteration.

The glossary covers a wide array of subjects, including key philosophical concepts, canonical texts, historical figures, philosophers, scholars, and international interpreters of Chinese thought. It defines terms related to ethical, metaphysical, and political ideas, linking them to pertinent schools, debates, and interpretations. The resource aims to showcase the rich diversity, evolution, and interconnectedness of Chinese intellectual history by including both widely recognized doctrines and lesser-known figures and traditions. Entries are designed to assist readers in navigating the complex field of Chinese philosophy, religion, and scholarship by offering alternate names and historical context.

The glossary features numerous scholars and thinkers who have shaped Chinese philosophy and its study. Among them are figures like Ai Siqi, a Marxist philosopher; the Cheng brothers (Cheng Hao and Cheng Yi), key Neo-Confucian thinkers; and Cai Yuanpei, an influential educator. It also includes scholars from outside China, such as French sinologists Jean-Pierre Abel-Rémusat and Joseph-Marie Amiot, Russian sinologists like Vasily Mikhaylovich Alekseyev, and Japanese scholars like Akatsuka Kiyoshi. The entries touch upon various schools of thought, including Confucianism, Daoism, Legalism, Buddhism, and specific branches like Chan (Zen) Buddhism, as well as movements like the White Lotus School (Bailianjiao) and the Cheng-Zhu school of Neo-Confucianism.