Ignorance is Bliss: The Chinese Art of Not Knowing

This book examines the popular, yet puzzling, Chinese saying Nande hutu 难得糊涂 to uncover how the ancient Chinese wisdom of not knowing is constructed, interpreted, practiced and valued in contemporary society.

Originating in the calligraphy of Qing-dynasty scholar Zheng Banqiao, Nande hutu translates literally as: “hard to attain muddle-headedness”. Mieke Matthyssen traces the historical development...