The relationship between heaven and humans has been essential in Chinese thought since ancient times. This lecture will first provide an overview of the various theories of the Pre-Qin, two Hans, and Song-Ming periods, and then analyze how contemporary Neo-Confucianism has offered creative interpretations of this by drawing on the intellectual resources of Song-Ming Confucianism to respond the challenges of modernity.

Chung-yi Cheng is a professor at the Department of Philosophy, the director of the Research Center for Chinese Philosophy and Culture, and the editor of the Journal of Chinese Philosophy and Culture at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. His research areas include Confucian philosophy, East-West comparative philosophy, and the history of Chinese philosophy. He has published two books in Chinese: The Transformation of Confucianism during the Transitional Period of Ming-Qing (2000, 2009 revised edition) and Confucianism, Philosophy, and the Modern World (2010), and edited several books, including Contemporary Confucians of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (2006) and New Directions in Chinese Philosophy (2014).