China and the art of cunning

The Chinese word for "wisdom" (pronunciation: zhi) can also mean "cunning". In contrast to Europe, where cunning is equated with lies and deception and therefore appears in a rather negative light, cunning in China is generally bathed in the glow of wisdom. Cunning has therefore been cultivated in China for thousands of years. Around 500 years ago, a text was written in which 36 cunning techniques were compiled and illustrated with examples of their application. As far as we know, no other civilization has a comparable cunning primer. In the lecture, the different significance of cunning in Europe and China, the resulting cunning competence gap between "list-blind" Europeans and listsensitive Chinese and the resulting consequences in Chinese-Western interpersonal, political and economic relations will be shown.

Course director: Dr. Senger, Harro von. The lecturer Prof. Dr. Dr. Harro von Senger is Professor Emeritus of Sinology at the University of Freiburg im Breisgau and is regarded as a leading Western "stratagem researcher". More at www.china-outofthebox.ch