An introduction to ancient and modern environmental thought in China that challenges standard narratives.

Michael Nylan and Thomas Hahn open up new vistas for thinking ecologically in this introduction to ancient and modern thought in China.

Together they explore the environment in the Chinese philosophical tradition and contemporary China through the lens of intergenerational justice. Nylan’s analysis of lesser known texts from ancient China changes our thinking of Chinese political philosophy and legal antiquity codes. Hahn’s comprehensive overview of recent data from China offers a response to the present crisis. Their original approach underscores why environmentalism is always more than a Western issue.

By applying ancient ideas to an urgent topic with a unique emphasis on East Asia, this one-of-a-kind guide to environmental thought challenges standard narratives. It is essential reading for anyone looking to understand how classical Chinese concepts can provide the necessary tools to improve how we think about the world we live in.

"'Environmental Equity in China and Beyond is a compelling work on planetary care. Through a deft interweaving of philosophical critique and legal insight, Nylan and Hahn reveal the limits of legal architectures rooted in short-sighted possessive individualism—frameworks that have long shaped our relationship to the earth. In their place, they evoke traditions—especially Chinese cosmologies and Confucian ethics—that embrace continuity, interdependence, and cultivation across generations. This book is a call for systemic change, an invitation to reimagine governance as a practice of collective stewardship, where autonomy is tempered by responsibility and the future is held with reverence. It is a work of urgent wisdom for an age of ecological peril—demanding human maturity and offering essential insight for scholars, practitioners, and policymakers committed to forging a livable future.'" - Professor of Philosophy, Grand Valley State University, USA