On the afternoon of May 14, Professor Zhang Guangbao, doctoral supervisor at Peking University, delivered an academic lecture titled “The Genealogy of Daoist Thought and the Way of Inner Sageliness and Outer Kingliness” at the invitation of the School of Humanities. Dean Luo Zhengming chaired the event, which was attended by faculty and students from the School of Humanities and the Institute of Hehe Culture.

Professor Zhang Guangbao lecturing

Professor Zhang began with the “genealogy of Daoist thought,” systematically tracing the origins and development of pre-Qin Daoism. Starting from the core philosophical concept of Dao, he explored the roots of Laozi’s thought, compared the intellectual characteristics of different schools such as Laoism and Zhuangism, and clearly presented the complete trajectory of Daoism from inception to maturation. Addressing current research challenges, Zhang pointed out that interpretations often suffer from vague genealogies and overgeneralization, and urged a return to textual and intellectual sources. Drawing on classics such as Dao De Jing and Zhuangzi, he revised conventional understandings of the “Axial Age” and further revealed the core qualities of Daoist thought that permeate the Hundred Schools. Finally, he focused on the “inner sageliness and outer kingliness” ideal, elucidating its philosophical implications through historical practices and cross-civilizational comparisons.

In the interactive session, faculty and students posed questions on the connections between Daoism and other schools, and the divergent developmental paths of Confucianism and Daoism. Professor Zhang offered detailed responses, providing clear guidance for traditional culture research.

Faculty and students attending the lecture

Dean Luo Zhengming concluded that the lecture was both systematic and profound, offering significant inspiration for the study of traditional culture. He encouraged faculty and students to use the lecture as a starting point to draw beneficial insights from Daoist classics, applying ancient wisdom to contemporary needs.