Leibniz and Confucianism: The Search for Accord

In the closing years of the seventeenth century, one of the most brilliant of modern European philosophers became actively involved in the search for intellectual and spiritual accord between Europe and China. In his search, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz entered the “Rites Controversy” on the side of the Jesuits, who had achieved positions of remarkable proximity to the Chinese throne. Yet less than forty years later, the optimism of their cause had dummed. Leibniz died in isolation in Hanover, the papacy ruled against the Jesuits at Rome, and in China there was a growing distrust of the Christian missionaries by the monarchy. In contrast to past neglect of this subject as an intriguing but peripheral area of Leibniz’ philosophy, Leibniz and Confucianism: THe Search for Accord elevates Leibniz’ interest in China to a more central concern of Leibnizian Ism. Leibniz was deeply committed to an ecumenism that included not only the reunion of Roman and Protestant Christendom, but an ecumenism with which the spiritual and intellectual beliefs and practices of non-Westerners, especially the Chinese, could be reconciled. As an investigation into how that commitment was pursued and into some of the reasons why it failed, this book seeks to present Leibniz’ experience a both historical record and contemporary guide. Drawing upon unpublished material in the Leibniz archives in Hanover, Mungello traces the influences upon Leibniz through the Jesuit translators to the Chinese sources. In the process, we have the opportunity to observe the first historical instance of a major Western philosopher interpreting and reacting to Chinese (largely Neo-Confucian) philosophic notions and concepts. The author concludes by explaining how he believes Leibniz' search for accord can assist our own contemporary search for accord

The origins of the Selden map of China: scientific analysis of the painting materials and techniques using a holistic approach

Since the 'rediscovery' of the Selden map of China, an early seventeenth century map of Asia, in the Bodleian Library in Oxford, the importance of the map in our understanding of globalisation in the early seventeenth century has been recognised. One of the unresolved questions is the origin of the map. This paper addresses the question through material evidence provided by a holistic approach using a suite of complementary analytical techniques. The map was examined in situ and non-invasively by a remote spectral imaging instrument (PRISMS) modified for close range imaging, which was followed by a range of complementary techniques applied to a number of detached fragments, though most of the techniques are non-invasive and can be applied to the map directly in the future. The binding medium was found to be a gum, almost certainly gum Arabic, rather than the animal glue commonly used in Chinese paintings. Some of the pigments and their usage were found to be at odds with the common practice in paintings from China. The detection of gum Arabic, a binding medium used by the Europeans, South and West Asians and the use of a mixture of orpiment and indigo, commonly found in European, South and West Asian paintings gives further evidence on the unusual origins of this map. The likely detection of a basic copper chloride, such as atacamite, in the green areas suggests an influence from the South and West Asian rather than the European tradition. Detailed analysis of the various spectral bands of the spectral image cube along with visual inspection of the large scale colour image showed that the map was not fully planned at the beginning but rather painted in stages, at times by trial and error and that it was unfinished. A new hypothesis for the origin of the Selden map in Aceh Sumatra is proposed based on the new evidences

Local Resistance in Early Medieval Chinese Historiography and the Problem of Religious Overinterpretation

Official Chinese historiography is a treasure trove of information on local resistance to the centralised empire in early medieval China (third to sixth century). Sinologists specialised in the study of Chinese religions commonly reconstruct the religious history of the era by interpreting some of these data. In the process, however, the primary purpose of the historiography of local resistance is often overlooked, and historical interpretation easily becomes ‘overinterpretation’—that is, ‘fabricating false intensity’ and ‘seeing intensity everywhere’, as French historian Paul Veyne proposed to define the term. Focusing on a cluster of historical anecdotes collected in the standard histories of the four centuries under consideration, this study discusses the supposedly ‘religious’ nature of some of the data they contain

Gardens of happiness: Sir William Temple, temperance and China

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Taylor & Francis via the DOI in this recordSir William Temple, an English statesman and humanist, wrote “Upon the Gardens of Epicurus” in 1685, taking a neo-epicurean approach to happiness and temperance. In accord with Pierre Gassendi’s epicureanism, “happiness” is characterised as freedom from disturbance and pain in mind and body, whereas “temperance” means following nature (Providence and one’s physiopsychological constitution). For Temple, cultivating fruit trees in his garden was analogous to the threefold cultivation of temperance as a virtue in the humoral body (as food), the mind (as freedom from the passions), and the bodyeconomic (as circulating goods) in order to attain happiness. A regimen that was supposed to cure the malaise of Restoration amidst a crisis of unbridled passions, this threefold cultivation of temperance underlines Temple’s reception of China and Confucianism wherein happiness and temperance are highlighted. Thus Temple’s “gardens of happiness” represent not only a reinterpretation of classical ideas, but also his dialogue with China.European CommissionLeverhulme Trus

Mother teachers living on the edge: idealized conceptions and miserable realities

textThe goal of this feminist research study was to examine expectations held by society for women who concurrently fill the roles of mother and teacher. This study explored the challenges elementary school teachers face in seeking to combine the role of teacher with the role of mother of young children. A qualitative study consisting of interactions via interviews and online journals was completed over a two-year time frame with three mothers of one of more infant or pre-school children who also taught full-time at the elementary level. In recounting their impressions and experiences juggling these two roles, study participants describe drastic contradictions between how they view their lives and how their lives are lived. They depict their lives as ones which flow seamlessly from one set of responsibilities to other, yet the words they use to describe their day to day experiences reveal conflict, guilt and unease. In order to understand these contradictions, I propose that the lives of mother teachers be viewed in terms of a reality continuum. On one end of this continuum are the idealized, wishful lives of the women, which I refer to as Idealized Conceptions. The other end of the continuum is the reality end, the lives as lived out by the mother teachers- I refer to this end as Miserable Realities. The mother teachers in this study are forced by hegemonic expectations to live their lives at either end of the continuum. Wanting to fulfill societal expectations for them as mothers and teachers, they speak about their lives as if they were lived on the Idealized Conceptions end of the continuum. However, unable to meet these unrealistic and conflicting goals they instead dwell in the land of Miserable Realities. This research is an attempt to reveal the full spectrum of possibility in the lives of mother teachers- the space between Idealized Conceptions and Miserable Realities- and provide and encourage these women to use such alternate language and imagery to reject dwelling on either end of this patriarchal dichotomy and instead search out new possibilities for description and interpretation of their lives.Curriculum and Instructio