Introduction: Notions of Time in Chinese Historical Thinking

Is there a characteristic Chinese conception of historical time, or perhaps a conception of time with Chinese characteristics? As far as such metahistorical issues are concerned, the title of this volume is noncommittal. It does not claim, for example, that there was a unitary conception of time in Chinese historical thinking, or that notions of time that developed in China differed essentially from those that appeared in other cultures. Nor does it even necessarily indicate that there was a peculiarly Chinese style of historical thinking. However, most of the articles in this volume do adopt a more pronounced position on some of these issues. And, even those that do not do so can be seen to address them indirectly.