Western Civilizations with Chinese Comparisons (review)

Weighing in at 1,067 pages, Western Civilization with Chinese Comparisons (WCwCC) lives up to its title. Although it is not possible to give a complete account of these civilizations in anything short of an encyclopedia, WCwCC is a benchmark sourcebook for cross-cultural, comparative studies. The authors thematically assemble excerpts from canonical Chinese and Western texts: Plato, Xunzi, Confucius, Rousseau, Hobbes, and Zhu Xi, to name a few. Nonetheless, "WCwCC is not presented as a history course but as an exercise in comparative civilization studies" (p. 9). Beyond the classical works, the authors stress "modernity as a touchstone concept in WCwCC." They use the term "modernity" to denote "the process of challenging traditional and inherited authorities" (pp. 13, 70-73). With this in mind, they methodically present more recent works, which are definitive of modern worldviews (paradigms). In terms of their expressed philosophy, they make use of modern philosophical models, such as cultural relativism and American pragmatism, to challenge conceptions of truth and value as objective and universal.

This text is intended to be used as an introduction to themes in Western civilization: the target audience is Chinese university students. More than an anthology, WCwCC provides all of the textual resources-including abundant lexical entries, internet hyperlinks, and visual aids-needed for a two-semester course of extensive study. The introduction presents a veritable treatise on method for comparative cultural or civilization studies (CCS). The authors provide critical introductions and commentaries throughout the course of the book. Every topic (module) is preceded by snapshots of art from both China and Western civilization (e.g., Classical Greek and European Renaissance painting and sculpture), which serve as visual aids for discussion, research, and reflection. Furthermore, each reading selection is followed by insightful writing prompts. For example, in lesson (module) 8, "Governance," readers are provided with an excerpt from Niccolò Machiavelli's The Prince. This selection is immediately followed by a series of prompts, such as, "Compare and contrast Machiavelli here with Mengzi when he says: 'A great man need not keep his word nor does he necessarily see his action through to the end. He aims all only at what is right'" (p. 665). Students are encouraged to place texts and traditions in argumentative dialogue with one another. The book can be used as a valuable resource in any university (inside or outside of China) to introduce topics and methodologies in Western, Chinese, and comparative humanistic studies. Because of the English prerequisite, the content, and the intentions for the course, this text should be reserved for upperclassmen (cf. pp. 15, 27).

The working language of WCwCC is English, but English translations of all Chinese texts are directly followed by the original Chinese (in simplified Chinese characters, jiantizi 简体字). The bilingual presentation of Chinese texts not only is important for Chinese students studying English, but it also provides resources for English-speaking students studying Chinese language. The authors focus much of their attention on introducing Western academic methods of argument and composition (pp. 29-39). These important skills (such as proper citation, avoiding plagiarism, and argumentative fallacies) are acutely needed by students in China who declare English, international affairs, or related disciplines as their major. They are crucial for students who intend to study abroad or publish work in English journals. In sum, WCwCC is reading and writing intensive; as such, it fulfills an important niche in the Chinese Academy's College of English. The book demonstrates a balance between an extensive survey course and an intensive research seminar.

WCwCC presents "comparisons between the two civilizations taking place within a series of categories representing important cultural domains" (p. 17). The authors' method for civilization studies is based on liberal arts education. This approach results in an interdisciplinary study of pervasive trends and defining concepts of Western and Chinese civilizations. Adopting the structure (taxonomy) of liberal arts education, the authors divide the text thematically into thirteen main modules. In addition to the...