On-cho Ng: "History and Individual: The Making of Humanistic Historiography in Traditional China"

The Confucius Institude presents:

Dr. On-cho Ng is Professor of History, Asian Studies and Philosophy, at Pennsylvania State University.

Traditional Chinese historiography seemed fixated on the individual, seemingly often reducible to obituaries, eulogies and dirges. Ng believes this attention to the individual and heroic deeds (or perfidious acts) should be understood as a distinct humanism, and a moral philosophy. When reading the great Chinese historical works, all ranges of human possibilities and conditions are covered. In that sense, history, as the mirror that reflects things as they are, instills virtues, teaches statecraft, inculcates morals, honors righteousness, condemns evil and disdains wickedness. It is, in short, a moral compass and practical guide.