Mind and Psychology in Early China

This Element describes early Chinese views of the heart-mind (xin ¿) and its relation to the psychology of a whole person, including the body, affective and cognitive faculties, and the spirit (shén ¿). It argues for a divergence in Warring States thought between 'mind-centered' and 'spirit-centered' approaches to self-cultivation. It surveys the Analects, Mengzi, Guanzi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Huainanzi, the Huangdi neijing, and excavated medical manuscripts from Mawangdui, as well as a brief comparative perspective to ancient Greek views of these topics. It argues for a contrast between post-Cartesian dualism and Chinese and Greek psycho-physicalism.

List of contents

1. Introduction; 2. Mind-centered texts; 3. Spirit-centered perspectives; 4. Medical texts; 5. Perspectives on embodiment; 6. Comparative observations; 7. Conclusions; References.

Product details

• Authors: Raphals Lisa
• Publisher: Cambridge Academic
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Release: 31.01.2026
• EAN: 9781009298322
• ISBN: 978-1-009-29832-2
• Illustrations: Worked examples or Exercises
• Series: Elements in Ancient East Asia
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Psychology > Theoretical psychology; Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Philosophy: antiquity to present day; HISTORY / Asia / General, PHILOSOPHY / History & Surveys / Medieval, comparative religion, RELIGION / Comparative Religion, RELIGION / Psychology of Religion, Mind, body, spirit: meditation & visualisation, Psychological theory, systems, schools and viewpoints, Mind, body, spirit: meditation and visualization, Ancient Greek and Roman philosophy, Western philosophy: Ancient, to c 500, Western philosophy: Medieval & Renaissance, c 500 to c 1600, Medieval Western philosophy