Teaching Chinese Philosophy: From a “Skill-Based” to a “Thinking Through Early Chinese Philosophy” Approach

This article proposes two different approaches to teaching Classical Chinese philosophy based on the epistemic position of the students. One is a “ skill-based approach ” and the other is what I call the “ thinking through early Chinese philosophy approach .” The first approach is suggested for the students of Sinology, and it requires basic knowledge of Old Chinese. The emphasis is on reading philosophical texts in Old Chinese where a student enters into ancient Chinese thought by access to the medium through which it was written. This approach highlights the relationship between language and thought; the interplay between content and form; and involves the philological (or textual) and philosophical reconstruction of the text. By using the skill-based approach, students can critically analyze and interpret Chinese traditional texts on their own terms and appreciate the aesthetic dimensions of philosophical works. The interplay between content and form is an important aspect of early Chinese texts. The aesthetical dimension of the work is not only the exterior form of the argument shaped to make it more beautiful, but it is also the building part of the argument. The second approach (“thinking through early Chinese philosophy”) is discussion-oriented. In that approach, the focus is on exchanging and developing insights and ideas. This approach is advised to students without prior knowledge of Classical Chinese. Here, a special challenge is represented when a heterogeneous group of students, composed of students of Sinology and students with varying academic backgrounds attend the Chinese philosophy class together. In that case, a balanced approach that combines the two above approaches is suggested. These types of teaching I have used in the Free Study of Sinology at the University of Zagreb.