This book is intended to expose some aspects of Chinese way of thinking in particular, but it follows neither any historical line nor systematic scheme available in some other writings. Instead, it attempts to demonstrate how the Chinese way of thinking operates practically and synthetically in the living experiences and political affairs. However, one may detect the employment of comparative analogy and intercultural reference in the process of the exposition and reconsideration herein.

Preface  Li Zehou

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Section I Nature and Human Existence

1 A Rediscovery of Heaven-and-Human Oneness

 The Three-fold Significance

 The Two-dimensional Orientation

 A Pragmatic Alternative

2 Laozi on the Dao of Human Existence

 Frame of Reference: The Dao of Man, Heaven and the Sage

 Pursuit of Sageliness: Practical and Sagely Wisdom

 Path to Freedom: Attitudes toward Life and Death

3 Zhuangzi's Way of Thinking through Fables

 The Peng and Happy Excursion to the Infinite

 The Butterfly and Self-emancipation

4 Poetic Wisdom in Zen Enlightenment

 Revelations from Natural Scenes

 Natural Spontaneity as a Psychical Path

 A Poetic Way of Zen Enlightenment

 The Realm of Sunyaa~ as Beauty

Section II Harmony, Governance, and Warfare

5 Harmonization without Being Patternized

 The Meeting of East and West as a Good-natured Hypothesis

 Harmony and Uniformity in Perspective

 The Need of a New Philosophos Poiesis

6 Humane Governance and Pragmatic-Reason

 Rule of Law as the Fundamental Basis

 Wise Leadership of Crucial Necessity

 The Pragmatic Reason in Question

7 No More Hiroshimas and Sharp Weapons

 A Poetic Reflection after Hiroshima

 A Philosophical Pondering over Sharp Weapons

Section III Morality, Art, and Aesthetics

8 Confucius' Expectation of Poetry

 Poetry as a Social Discourse Sui Generis

 Poetry as an Aesthetic Discourse Sui Generis

  Poetry as a Moral Discourse Sui Generis

9 Aesthetic Criticism of Transculturality

 Beyond East and West: A Transcultural Transformation

 Aesthetic Education as a Critical Necessity （Meiyu Shuo）

 Art as a Refuge from Suffering （Jietuo Shuo）

 Art as Aesthetic Play for Freedom （Youxi Shuo）

 The Artist as Creative Genius （Tiancai Shuo）

 The Refined as the Second Form （Guya Shuo）

 The Theory of Poetic State par Excellence （Jingjie Shuo）

10 The Theory of Art as Sedimentation

 Art as Sedimentation

 A Critical Consideration

 A Methodological Reflection

11 Appreciating Nature in View of Practical Aesthetics

 Three Levels of Aesthetic Experience

 Aesthetic Effects of Heaven-and-Human Oneness

Selected Bibliography

Glossary