Cultivating Wisdom through Ancient Chinese Philosophy

Abstract This research aims to determine the specifics of the reflection of the theme of the environment in Chinese mythology on the example of the myth of ‘Battling the Flood’. The study employs a dialectical approach, historical materialism, historical analysis, philosophical hermeneutics and the comparative method. The study examined the similarities between the Eastern and Western traditions of philosophy: it was determined that Eastern philosophy meets all the criteria of philosophical knowledge and even uses scientific approaches, but often describes their results in metaphorical terms. The ‘Battling the Flood’ myth itself was analysed and the following key features of its content were highlighted: the idea of the unity of man and nature, the ideal of human-centred philosophy and politics, and the idea of fighting chaos through scientific innovation.