Comparing Ancient Worlds: Greece and China

Thursday, 24 January 2013 to Saturday, 26 January 2013

Main Location: The Needham Research Institute (NRI)

8 Sylvester Road, Cambridge CB3 9AF

With two public talks at CRASSH

Alison Richard Building, 7 West Road, Cambridge CB3 9DT

Greece and China: Why Some Comparisons Make More Difference than Others

Thursday, 24 Jan 2013
Public talk related to the conference 'Comparing Ancient Worlds: Greece and China'

Greece and China: Some Comparative Experiences

Saturday, 26 Jan 2013
Public talk related to the conference 'Comparing Ancient Worlds: Greece and China'

Conveners

Qiaosheng Dong ( Faculty of Classics / Needham Research Institute)

Jenny Zhao (Faculty of Classics)

Summary

Right across the spectrum of Greek and Chinese studies there is an increasing realisation of the benefits to be gained by adopting a comparative approach. Only by using such an approach can the distinctive features and commonalities between these two civilisations be identified.

The focus will be on the perio before the rise of Christianity in the west and of Buddhism in China. Among the fundamental questions to be addressed in this path-breaking conference are:

(1) Why did 'philosophy', 'science' and 'medicine' develop differently in these two civilisations? (In each case the nature of the philosophy, science and medicine, in question must of course be problematised).

(2) While both civilisations have sophisticated historiographical traditions, what were their contrasting aims and how do these reflect the institutions (or lack of them) within which the historians worked?

(3) Can we account for the development of different literary genres in the two cultures and what were the differing roles of literary learning in education and the rise of a literate elite in either case?

Talks will be 20-minute summaries of pre-circulated papers, followed by commentary and discussion in one-hour slots in such a way as to promote dialogue and critical engagement between fields and approaches.

Notice

Entrance to the whole event will be free. The two public lectures at CRASSH are open to all; no pre-booking is necessary. However, due to the limited capacity of the venue at the Needham Research Institute, the number of participants at the NRI will be limited to those who will have read the pre-circulated papers. If you have a strong interest in attending the whole conference, please send an email to the conference conveners Qiaosheng Dong (qd206@cam.ac.uk) and Jenny Zhao (jz292@cam.ac.uk) by 31 October.