Philosophy of Water and Water Management in Early China

This international workshop offers a multi-disciplinary exploration of shui 水 (“water,” “river”) in early Chinese philosophical literature. Shui served as a root metaphor for key concepts such as dao 道 (“way”) and wuwei 無為 (“effortless action”), and as a vivid simile for human virtue in Mengzi 孟子. Its dual meaning reflects water’s perpetual motion, valued both as a natural phenomenon and a moral exemplar.

We will examine shui in its philosophical prominence alongside ancient understandings of hydrogeography, meteorology, cosmology, and water management. Bridging philosophy and technical knowledge, the workshop fosters dialogue between scholars of these often-separated traditions. By crossing the boundaries between disciplines, we aim to recover a more complete picture of how the ancients lived with, learned from, and managed water.