This is an introductory course in Chinese philosophy. Drawing on the diverse Chinese thinkers from ancient times, including Confucians, Daoist, Legalists, and more, the course demonstrates that early Chinese philosophical is both interesting in its own right and potentially relevant to contemporary philosophical problems. Students will be introduced to some of the major Chinese philosophical ideas and concepts, and with a focus on learning to accurately and critically apply these ideas in real-world contexts. An understanding of the foundations of Chinese thought may also help us rethink some of the radically different assumptions held by Western intellectual traditions. It also provides background knowledge crucial to an informed understanding of developments in modern and contemporary China.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the key concepts and approaches in Chinese philosophy;
- Accurately apply theoretical knowledge to empirical examples drawn from present-day issues;
- Compare philosophical thought developed in Chinese contexts with that of other intellectual traditions;
- Develop the critical skills necessary to contrast different philosophical perspectives on a problem and apply those skills in the context of respectful peer interaction and debate;
- Create an effective and balanced written presentation of a philosophical issue that employs resources from the Chinese philosophical tradition.
Indicative Assessment
- Weekly quizzes x 12 weighted equally (15) [LO 1,2,3]
- Weekly reflective writing x 12 weighted equally (15) [LO 1,2,3,4]
- Oral assessment and reflection, co-weighted (15) [LO 4,5]
- Research proposal and meeting, co-weighted (15) [LO 1,2,3,5]
- In-person final exam, two hours (40) [LO 1,2,3,5]
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Workload
Each week students attend a two hour mixed lecture/discussion class which also includes a weekly in-class reading quiz at some point during the class-time. They also attend a one-hour tutorial, during the last 5-10 minutes of which they complete a brief hand-written reflective writing assignment. Students are responsible for 2-3 hours worth of reading and preparation time per week on a regular basis. The oral assessment in week 4 and research proposal and meeting in week 8 require some additional out of class research and preparation, approximately 2-5 additional hours in each case. Students might also spend an additional 2-5 hours preparing for the final exam. The total workload for the course would then range between 70-90 hours total, including 36 total hours of class-time, 24-36 total hours of regular reading/preparation, and 6-15 hours of additional research or preparation time for the oral assessment, research presentation, and final exam.
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
An anthology of readings compiled by the course lecturer. Supplementary materials may be added and students will also be provided with a bibliography of further useful sources. Readings will be available in English and (where possible) classical Chinese.
Preliminary Reading
This information will be provided on the LMS.
Majors
Minors
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 14
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2026 | $4500 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2026 | $5820 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
Second Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8223 | 27 Jul 2026 | 03 Aug 2026 | 31 Aug 2026 | 30 Oct 2026 | In Person | N/A |