Culture Through Chinese Theorising: Human Transforming and Transforming Human

Abstract

This chapter seeks to understand culture from the perspective of Chinese scholars of culture as complementary to Western dominant culture theories and theorising. Notions and concepts of culture developed in and by Chinese local cultural theorists may be advantageous analytical tools when addressing Chinese cultural phenomena. This chapter thus presents the theories and theorising of Chinese culture developed by oriental scholars. Specifically, it introduces the key frameworks for understanding Chinese culture (Liang, The substance of Chinese culture. Shanghai Renmin Publisher, Shanghai, 2005; Li, Studies on Cultural Soft Power 1, 11–18, 2016; Qian, Substance of cultural studies. Jiuzhou Publisher, Beijing, 2011), key concepts of the core Chinese culture, and examines these concepts in relation to some fundamental Western categorisations of knowledge. Based on the theoretical review of Chinese scholars’ work, the argument being made is that Chinese theorisation acknowledges culture development that has followed universal laws and the objective principles of the world, and as such the elements of culture itself are not as random, subjective or solely based in individuality as some have assumed.