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The Genius of China
An Overview
Ancient China
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Geography and environment
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“The oldest continuous civilization….”
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a succession of dynasties, but….
The Middle Kingdom
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“hydraulic civilization”
cf. Matteo Ricci
The Great Tradition
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and its competitors
Ancient China (cont.)
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The Mandate of Heaven
The role of language
Concepts of space and time
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Why wouldn’t Plato’s Allegory of the Cave resonate
in this culture?
The place of the “great man”
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cf. Rome