The Virtue of Harmony (2025)

Harmony as an Ethical and Political Idea

Asian Studies

Although the idea of harmony is one of the basic Confucian ideas, two of its key classic authors, Mengzi and Xunzi, emphasised either the ethical-personal or socio-political aspects, respectively, and this contrast was only maintained and deepened in later Chinese history. The socio-political considerations of harmony often considers an ideal state of community to be static, with social and ethical states being preserved, rather than dynamic. On the other hand, personal and spiritual harmony was valued by artists and autonomous thinkers, which often found themselves in conflict with the state. However, an open conflict between these two lines of thought very seldom if at all appeared in traditional China, and thus the differences often remained implicit. A self-cultivated individual without external social support was condemned to social isolation and personal defeat. Even among contemporary Chinese Marxist politicians and theorists, the idea of a “harmonious society” follows Xunzi’...

Harmony as Virtue in Buddhist Ethics

Harmony as Virtue in Buddhist Ethics, in: C. Li, D. Dürig, The Virtue of Harmony, Oxford: OUP 2022, https://oxford.universitypressscholarship.com/view/10.1093/oso/9780197598481.001.0001/oso-9780197598481-chapter-5

Introduction to The Virtue of Harmony

The Virtue of Harmony, 2022

Introduction to The Virtue of Harmony, Chenyang Li and Dascha During (eds.), Oxford University Press

Harmony: East and West

2020

This is a special issue of the Journal of East-West Thought guest-edited by Chenyang Li an Dascha During, including the following articles: 1. Introduction by C Li and D. Düring 2. Itay Shani, The Lure of Beauty: Harmony as a Conduit of Self- transcendence 3. Jörg Löschke, Harmony, Organic Unity, and Intrinsic Value 4. Dascha Düring, Harmony and Justice 5. Tak-lap Yeung, Two Conceptions of Harmony 6. Shuchen Xiang, Race and Harmony 7. Alice Simionato, Harmony and Li (Coherence) 8. Olivier Malherbe, Gestalt, Harmony and human Action in Roman Ingarden’s Thought Book Review by Han Shu-an: Comprehensive Harmony Thomé H. Fang’s Philosophy

Principles of Harmony

Harmony and peace go hand in hand. When peace comes after chaos and bloodshed, there is the need for harmony. Peace is the process for perfection whereas harmony is a perfect relationship. Peace may be experienced alone by a person whereas harmony is a systematic character between two or more persons or parties; harmony is always a plural condition. Peace may be enjoyed alone; harmony is living together peacefully. Peace implies calmness; harmony requires unity.  Confucianism: Harmony is the humanistic philosophy of good virtue that is adhered with an essential code of conduct to be followed by a person, a group of people, and the society in all worldly matters. Human beings are imperfect and ever prone to make mistakes, but they also are teachable, improvable, and perfectible through self-cultivation and self-creation. There is a possibility for human error for which a person may be punished for not pursuing the rules. Our society is a community of human beings; the parents have the authority over their children and the employers have the authority over their employees.

Harmony of Nations

Harmony of Nations, 2012

This novel creates a superb background upon which modern world affairs have been placed and sometimes juxtaposed in order to discover the nature of the modern life and the fate of mankind. The novel touches on almost all aspects of human life. It views life from the central point – at least as history has shown us: that the entire panorama of life is taking place in a kaleidoscope colored by the horrors of war. His graphic description and lively metaphors have made the novel not only readable but also a thing of beauty. Often the imageries seem to be of a spiritual nature and reflect the inner reality of life. Many of the imageries can be considered modern symbols of the ongoing stream of life. His philanthropic attitude to life and the diversity of cults has given him a vision as well as a viewpoint that has made his work unique. Rather than attempting to create an instance of cheap entertainment, he has pointed to the central problem of humankind. He has shown alternative ways of ...

Harmony and the art of living together

Harmony in Diversity. Collection of papers from the Harmony in Diversity National Conference, Sofia, 10. 12. 2018, 2018

In “Harmony, or the art of living together: a music metaphor”, the author maps from a musician’s standpoint the Merriam-Webster dictionary’s definition of the word “harmony” to different types of societies and societal arrangements, focusing on Canadian multiculturalism. With occasional humour, Fol traces the increasingly sophisticated notion of harmony until she compares the “interweaving of different accounts into a single narrative” to the contemporary Canadian projet de société. Whereas a little bit of musical education would help the reader to better understand the metaphor, the article can hopefully be enjoyed by everyone.

Morals and Inter-subjectivity | True Harmonious Community

An essay where I investigate aspects of individual behaviour for the construct of a true harmonious community. The word community comes from the Latin ‘commūnitās’, which mean ‘common’ so it relates to the group of people who have common goals or principles to coexist; to be together as a whole. But also, from a different perspective, the word community incorporates the words ‘com’ which in Latin means ‘with’, and the word ‘unity’ which all together signifies ‘with unity’. So it is clear that the signification of the word ‘Unity’ is inherently present to what a community is. Further to this I comment on the terms 'acting out' and 'act of knowing' to bring light on our conducts of right and wrong.

Religious Harmony as The Gateway To Social Harmony and Peace: An Approach From Lord Buddha And Swami Vivekananda

Philosophy and Progress

This short paper argues that interreligious and intra-religious harmony is a necessary condition for social harmony, peace and progress. It is an attempt to develop arguments in favour of the above thesis with special reference to the teachings of Buddha and Vivekananda. Buddha taught human beings to be rational, analytical and moral in way of life. Buddha, therefore, taught openness, interdependence and middle path. Vivekananda also argues for universal religion which is based on scientific, rational and compassionate human relations. He considers that the service of human beings is the service of God. It seems to be a direct impact of the compassionate teachings of Buddha upon Vivekananda. Both of them have indirectly contributed to what is called today the philosophical doctrine of Religious Pluralism which rests on the principle of ‘live and let live’. Both of them were against all kinds of ‘dogmatism, fanaticism and bigotry’. The proposed form of religious harmony is one of the...

This essay explores the relevance of this wonderful concept of Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda in the light of the present developments in the world.