ABSTRACT
From the very beginning, Chinese thinkers conceived the notion of harmony as “deep harmony,” as harmony with difference and creative tension, and without a pre-set order. In this chapter, I first investigate the etymological development of the primary Chinese word for harmony, he, and the formulation of the notion of harmony in early Chinese philosophies, as such a study should shed light on the meanings and the characteristics of the concept. I then compare the Chinese notion of harmony with that of ancient Greece in order to provide a cross-cultural context for better understanding of the Chinese idea. Finally, through a comparison with the Daoist and Mohist notions of harmony, I highlight some important features of Confucian harmony.
