Self-Cultivation in Chinese and Greco-Roman Philosophy

In early China and ancient Greece, self-cultivation was considered crucial for leading a flourishing, fulfilled life. In this cross-cultural study, David Machek presents and interprets six influential Greek and Chinese self-cultivation theories advocated by Mengzi, Zhuangzi and Xunzi, as well as Plato, Aristotle and the Stoics, in order to put forward the overarching narrative that self-cultivation amounts to strengthening the best part of the human self – the heart in the Chinese context, and the mind in the Greek context.

Advancing new readings of classic texts, Machek shows that Greek approaches to self-cultivation privilege intellectual pursuits, while Chinese approaches give more weight to non-intellectual activities, such as learning manual crafts and performing rituals. He also demonstrates how both ancient traditions understand the self as a heterogeneous community of organic entities, each needing different provisions to flourish, which aligns the ancient Greek view closer to the early Chinese view. As such, this book reinforces the underlying structural and conceptual similarities between the two traditions and makes an important contribution to diversifying philosophical conversations.