Virtue and Self-Transcendence

This chapter investigates spiritual practices for attainment of virtue through self-transcendence in Emerson’s transcendentalism and Chinese philosophy, focusing on how these practices foster a virtuous self. Emerson’s practices involve contemplative engagement with nature. In Confucianism, spiritual practices center on moral cultivation through rituals, education, and interpersonal relationships. Daoism promotes practices like meditation and living in natural settings to embody wuwei, aligning with the Dao’s spontaneity. The chapter makes comparative studies between Emerson’s God-centric, individualistic practices with the human-centered and  relational approaches of practice in Confucianism and Daoism. Their practices have deep impact on sense of place. By comparing these practices, the chapter proposes a modern environmental virtue that integrates Emerson’s aesthetic engagement with Chinese moral and natural alignment, fostering an ecological aesthetic self that supports wilderness conservation and enriches spiritual connections to diverse places in contemporary contexts.