This book is based on a series of in-depth dialogues between the famous scholar Zhou Guoping and Master Ji Qun, aiming to help the readers to grow self-awareness and establish a foundation in today’s complex and complicated world. A unique Eastern philosophical wisdom of the Chinese can be found in the dialogues between the two wise men, helping readers to find a way to maintain their naive introspection and return to inner peace.

Ever since the beginning of human civilization, mankind has always been exploring the world and pursuing selfhood. Thus, we have disciplines such as philosophy and science etc. However, is the world known through rationale the truth? Kant and Nietzsche noticed the limitation of the cognitive ability, which was undoubtedly a metaphysical revolution of the western philosophy. Meanwhile, it brought the inevitable reality to wester philosophy: the limited rationality cannot understand the unlimited, and the proficiency in phenomena does not mean the penetration of their essence.

Prof. Zhou Guoping has been dedicated to the research on Nietzsche for years and has translated many Nietzsche's works. He is one of the representatives in China in studying western philosophy. How to seek the truth? How to understand the self? What is the home to return to for life? What is the purpose of life? With decades of his philosophical speculation and life experience, he posed these questions to Master Jiqun with the spirit of seeking truth.

Buddhism, an ancient wisdom from the oriental world, is extensive and profound. It has also been named as the study of the mind since ancient times, offering a penetrating understanding of mind nature. The Buddhist Chan meditation offers us the specific wisdom beyond rationality to understand the essence of the world, to enable the pure intuition and provide solutions to the eternal confusion of life. It has a systematic and complete theory and proof of the universe and life. Buddhism provides unique solutions to the perplexity of western philosophy. As one of the most well-known contemporary Buddhist teachers, Master Jiqun combines ancient wisdom with real life and makes modernized interpretations, to reveal the truth of the world for us and let us see the ultimate purpose of life.

Wisdom and the love of wisdom, Buddhism and philosophy in the dialogue between the two wise men, human’s exploration of the world and life has never ceased to continue.

About the Authors:

Zhou Guoping is a modern Chinese author, poet, scholar, translator, philosopher, and research fellow at the Institute of Philosophy of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Zhou was among the first group of scholars who began to study Friedrich Nietzsche after Chinese economic reform. He was first known for his dissertation Nietzsche: on the Turning Point of the Century and his translated work of Nietzsche’s the Birth of Tragedy.

Dharma Master Ji Qun (济群) is a renowned contemporary Master in China who teaches Monks in the Buddhist Academy, Xiyuan Temple, in Suzhou. He graduated from the Chinese Buddhist Academy in 1984. He is the author of many books. Contents Age And Responsibility Philosophy And Religion Noumenon And Emptiness The Self And No Self Freedom And Fate Life, Death, And Samsara Life, Joy, And Suffering Morality And Cultivation Awakening And Liberation

《我们误解了这个世界》（英文版）以著名学者周国平与济群法师的一系列深度对谈，旨在引导海内外读者持有正确的自我认知，在当今纷繁复杂的世界环境下，树立中华民族自信，唤起民族归属感，以中华民族独有的东方哲学智慧，凝聚民族力量。两位智者的对话，为读者指引出一条保持天真自省、归于内心和平的途径。