Music and Philosophy Studies in Contemporary China

Session convenor
Professor Luna Sun

sunyue@shcmusic.edu.cn

In recent decades, the field of music and philosophy has undergone significant expansion worldwide, and China has become an increasingly dynamic participant in these conversations. The session “Music and Philosophy Studies in Contemporary China: Dialogue between West and East” seeks to explore the distinctive approaches, methodologies, and theoretical frameworks emerging from Chinese scholarship, as well as the interactions between global traditionsand local intellectual resources.

Music and philosophy in China today unfold across multiple dimensions: the re-reading of classical Chinese thought (Confucian, Daoist,Buddhist) in relation to aesthetics of sound and musical practice; the reception and transformation of Western philosophical perspectives (from Kant and Hegel to Nietzsche, Adorno, and contemporary theorists); and the interdisciplinary dialogues between philosophy, musicology, cultural studies,and aesthetics. By addressing these areas, the session aims to highlight both the continuities with Chinese intellectual traditions and the creative innovations arising from the country’s rapidly changing cultural and academic environment. We are enthusiastically expecting dialogues between East and West on music and philosophy.

We invite papers that address, but are not limited to, the following themes:

• Reinterpretations of Chinese classical philosophy in relation to music and sound.
• Engagement with Western philosophical thought in Chinese music scholarship.
• Comparative studies of aesthetics, ethics, and ontology of music in Chinese and international contexts.
• Contemporary Chinese contributions to global debates in philosophy of music.
• Reflections on the institutional and disciplinary conditions of music-philosophy research in present-day China.

Submission guidelines: Abstracts must be submitted in English. Contributions from scholars based in China and abroad are equally welcome. The MPSG committee and the session convenors invite proposals for 20-minute (in person) papers.

To propose a paper, please send the following to the session convenor Professor Luna Sun sunyue@shcmusic.edu.cn

• paper title
• abstract (350 words maximum)
• short biographical note (100 words maximum)

Deadline: Friday 31st October

The decision regarding the acceptance of proposals will be communicated in December.