A History of Chinese Political Thought

An authoritative, deeply learned, and comprehensive overview of Chinese political thought from the earliest times up to the present day. This book is invaluable in helping to locate the complexity of Chinese thought, and the hybrid roots from which it has grown. At the centre of this is Kim's powerful argument for how there was never historically one China, but many - and a world of though that grew from this. Utterly indispensable. Kerry Brown, Lau China Institute, King's College London I am so happy that a book like this now exists. For too long, the presentation of Chinese political philosophy in Anglophone publishing has been dominated by discussion of a reified, essentialized 'Confucianism' with no connection to historical reality. In this volume, Kim strikes exactly the right balance between historical contextualization and philosophical acumen, going beyond study of classical texts to include the entire history of Chinese political thought. The book is written with the thoroughness and lucidity of a textbook, while maintaining the nuance and innovation of a research monograph. It will stand as one of those rare books that makes a major intervention to scholarly literature while also remaining accessible to the general reader interested in how Chinese political thought developed, and the continuing relevance it holds for today. Leigh Jenco, London School of Economics and Political Science This is a remarkable book, effortlessly blending incisive theoretical innovations and historical narrative. It challenges much conventional wisdom to produce a novel, balanced overview of Chinese political thought that should be the new point of departure for all students of the subject. Stephen C. Angle, Wesleyan University