Plato Goes to China

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Do the ancient Greek classics of politics and philosophy resonate with the Chinese? Shadi Bartsch asserts a strong affirmative. Works by Plato, Aristotle, Thucydides, and, to a lesser extent, Cicero and Vergil, previously unknown in China during its dynastic history, have become vital for contemporary Chinese thought during crises, revolutions, and periods of nationalism. While classical studies decline in Europe and America, they are viewed in China as essential for understanding Western culture. Initially relevant to modernization issues, these classics are now invoked in discussions about the perceived moral decline in contemporary Europe and the U.S., treated with more significance than the Confucian tradition has received in the West. This book, based on Bartsch's 2018 Martin Lectures at Oberlin College, traces the long history of the reception of these classics in China, from the mid-16th century Jesuit introductions to the tumultuous 20th century and the present. While rooted in history, the focus is on contemporary China, examining intellectual responses to Athenian democracy, Plato's "noble lie," Socratic rationality, and the reinterpretation of Western heritage in light of China's current governance. These studies offer insights into how a different culture perceives the value of ancient wisdom while expressing skepticism toward the modern West.