Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey

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CHNS 6661

The Quest for Spontaneity

The Quest for Spontaneity in Ancient Chinese Thought
This course examines a fascinating issue that attracts the attention of all the major Chinese thinkers in ancient times, that is, the freedom of acting without calculation or conscious effort—a state of being that can be best summarized as ziran 自然 (self-so) in Chinese, or “spontaneity” in English. Through close readings of selected passages from the original texts by such big names as Confucius, Mencius, Mozi, Xunzi, Liezi, and especially Laozi and Zhuangzi, students will learn to detect and analyze the differences—and similarities, if any—between the varied understandings and interpretations of this “spontaneity” from the perspectives of different schools of thought.
Subject:
Chinese
Department:
Chinese
Division:
Language School
Requirements Fulfilled:
Civ Cul & Soc

Sections in Summer 2022 Language Schools, LS 3 Week Session II

Summer 2022 Language Schools, LS 6 Week Session

CHNS6661A-L22 Lecture (Lian)