ABSTRACT
Harmony is a difficult concept to define. This is particularly true in the context of this volume, which seeks to explore the notion of ‘harmony’ by bridging Confucian and non-Confucian viewpoints. Experts on Confucianism disagree on the meaning of harmony and, understandably, tend to be reluctant to accept Western readings of this concept. This problem locks us non-experts into a difficult situation. How can we talk about harmony, trying to connect East and West, without having to defend a Confucian concept that can easily cease being ‘Confucian’?
