Body-soul monism is the dominant concept in traditional Chinese philosophy, dominating the Chinese people’s cognition of the relationship between body and soul; the immortality of the soul is also a concept that is difficult to find in Chinese philosophy. The Jesuits who came to China in the late Ming Dynasty, such as Matteo Ricci, brought a new concept: the dualism of the soul as the form and the body as the material, and the soul is immortal. Based on this concept, Matteo Ricci and other Jesuits had the earliest but far-reaching dialogue between Chinese and Western philosophy with Chinese philosophers.

Dr. Liu (School of Philosophy, Wuhan University) is a scholar from one of the leading philosophy departments in China. He is an expert on the relationship between Western and Chinese thought, especially exchanges between Chinese and Christian thinkers in the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Sponsored by the Chinese and Japanese Department and co-sponsored by the Asian Studies Program, the Philosophy Department, and the Office of the Dean of the Faculty.

Campus community only, please.