A dialogue between Confucian hehe and African ubuntu

Abstract

This article is based on an interview conducted by China Africa Talk between Shuchen Xiang, an expert in Chinese philosophy, and Edwin Etieyibo, an expert in African philosophy. The dialogue that follows focuses on the Chinese concept of hehe or “harmony” and the African concept of ubuntu. The two philosophers discuss the characteristics of each concept and how they structure their respective world views. Also discussed are the striking similarities that the two concepts share as a normative and social ideal. In so doing, both Xiang and Etieyibo highlight the potential of hehe and ubuntu as universal concepts that can better serve the project of humanity. This article extends the conversation of the interview and discusses the concepts of ubuntu and hehe from the perspective of philosophical concepts, metaphysics, politics and how they are reflected in daily life and on the macro-level of international relations.