Chenyang Li is a contemporary philosopher specializing in Chinese philosophy, comparative ethics, and Confucian thought. He is best known for his systematic treatment of harmony (he) as a central concept in Chinese philosophy and his comparative work bridging classical Confucian thinkers with Western philosophical frameworks. He holds a professorial appointment at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.
Developed a systematic philosophical account of the Confucian concept of harmony in 'The Confucian Philosophy of Harmony' (2014)
Advanced comparative analysis of Mencius and Xunzi on human nature, including critiques of the water-metaphor interpretation of Mencius
Contributed to cross-cultural ethics by situating Confucian moral philosophy in dialogue with Western analytic and continental traditions
Edited and co-edited major anthologies bringing Chinese philosophical texts to English-language academic audiences
Helped establish comparative philosophy as a rigorous discipline through sustained methodological reflection