Articles and Chapters

1. Wong, DB, Metaphors in the Mèngzǐ for Moral Cultivation and Governance, in Metaphor and Analogy in Chinese Thought Governance within the Person State and Society (January, 2025), pp. 5-46 [doi].
   (last updated on 2026/01/09)

   Abstract:
   Metaphor and analogy are not merely poetic devices but are fundamental to human thought, shaping how we perceive the world. In the Chinese tradition, metaphors are especially vivid and sustained, playing a crucial role in expressing complex ideas. Metaphors involve comparing two unrelated things to highlight shared characteristics, while analogies explain something unfamiliar through its similarity to something familiar. Metaphors often guide analogical thinking by using familiar concepts (source domain) to understand unfamiliar ones (target domain). However, the process of using metaphors and analogies is more dynamic than commonly recognized, often involving a two-way interaction between the source and target domains. If an initial metaphor fails to fully explain the target, alternative implications from the source may be explored, enhancing understanding of both domains. This back and forth between the source and target can lead to revisions and deeper insights into both. The lecture uses the metaphor of plant growth to explore moral development, aligning with empirical theories about inborn dispositions. It also examines early Confucian texts, such as the Mèngzǐ and Xúnzǐ, where metaphors for societal organization are applied to personal and moral organization, illustrating the complex, interactive nature of metaphorical and analogical reasoning.