Chinese ecological discourse

A Confucian-Daoist inquiry

Bibliographic Data

ID5852052
AuthorsWenjuan Zhou (0000-0002-5256-4137, Mongolian University of Science and Technology, corresponding author), Guowen Huang (South China Agricultural University)
Year2017
Volume12
Issue3
Pages272-289
Publication date2017-07-03
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Multicultural Discourses (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1744-7143 • E-ISSN: 1747-6615
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/17447143.2017.1348505
OpenAlexW2736001686
LanguageEN
Citations received19
References cited28

Ecological discourse, as object of ecolinguistics and cultural discourse studies, has far-reaching implications for fostering human beings' ecological consciousness. However, European ecological discourse is inapt for promoting ecological consciousness due to its roots in critical discourse, Eurocentralization and Cartesianism. This paper aims to pursue a Confucian-Daoist inquiry to Chinese ecological discourse concerning its Confucian-Daoist dimensions in Chinese discursive, cultural and philosophical traditions. This Confucian-Daoist inquiry can be conducted in three parts: a conceptual inquiry into Chinese ecological discourse, a comparative inquiry into Sino-European ecological discourses and a constructive inquiry into a harmonious discourse based on harmosophy. This approach has an important twofold role: first, it can offer profound discursive and spiritual recourses for fostering ecological consciousness in addressing the global ecological crisis. Second, and more importantly, it can help European ecological discourse transcend the negative influences from its roots, which may underplay its role in ecological consciousness. By so doing, an intercultural dialogue for a harmonious world can arise for mutually dealing with ecological problems

Anthropocentrism · Constructive · Environmental Philosophy and Ethics