While comparing with the west, which is excelled in using logical and analytical thinking modes and utilizing rational cognition, China is far better at using dialectical and holistic thinking modes and applying intuitive comprehension.Īs globalization deepens and new technologies flourish, humanity faces brilliant opportunities and equally formative challenges, such as economic crises, environmental pollution, resource shortages, the risks of artificial intelligence, and the most recent event, COVID-19 pandemic (Li et al., 2019).
Thirdly, both China and the West highlight the comprehensive application of multiple thinking modes. improving the individual realm to solve the contradictions inside oneself. However, Chinese philosophers focus on internal spiritual problems, i.e. reconciling conflicts between people and the world through understanding and changing the environment. Western thinkers focus on practical problems in the material world, i.e. Secondly, both Chinese and the Western philosophy advocate using wisdom to solve real-life problems. Modern Chinese and western wisdom psychologists are inclined to accept the wisdom meta-theory of “integration of intelligence and virtue”. Whereas, from the Enlightenment to the Piagetian school, the western concept of wisdom has then shifted to the role of cognition and knowledge By contrast, the traditional Chinese wisdom concept has been treating wisdom as a virtue. Some results are found by comparing the wisdom concepts in Chinese and Western cultures: Firstly, the early wisdom concepts, both in China and the West, contain the elements of intelligence and virtue. Control of emotions, restraint, obedience to authority, conforming and “face” are highly valued and important.Wisdom views in different cultural contexts are closely connected with the corresponding culture’s worldview. “Li”, the “proper way” or “propriety”, includes a set of rules for interaction with others and the role system. In pre-modern China, the act of suicide was not necessarily deviant behavior if it was associated with duty or loyalty to the family. With regard to filial piety (“xiao”), sons, especially the oldest son, have specific obligations toward the family and are expected to respect and care for parents (McLaughlin & Braun, 1998). The father is the undisputed head of the family. The family is the center and comes before the individual. There are five cardinal relations (“wu lun”): It is best explicated by Confucius in the following statement: “ Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself.” This ethical principle is further strengthened by the Buddhist tradition that merit is accumulated by doing merciful acts, which leads to a better next life through reincarnation. “Ren” is the central ethical principle, and is equivalent to the concepts love, mercy, and humanity.
This is achieved by everyone having well defined roles and acting towards others in a proper way. (Eliot 20) Its primary purpose is to achieve harmony, the most important social value. Confucianism, the teachings of Confucius during 500 BC, has played an important role in forming Chinese character, behavior and way of living.