Quest for Spontaneity in Ancient Chinese Thought

This course explores a central concern that captivated many of the major thinkers of ancient China: the ideal of acting freely without calculation or conscious effort. This mode of being is best captured by the Chinese concept ziran (“self-so”), which can be rendered “spontaneity” in English. Through close readings of selected passages from primary texts by influential figures such as Confucius, Mencius, Mozi, Xunzi, Liezi, and especially Laozi and Zhuangzi, students will learn to identify and analyze both the differences and similarities among the diverse interpretations of spontaneity advanced by various philosophical schools.