In contrast to the Western ontological tradition, which primarily focuses on asking questions about the “being” of things, traditional Confucian philosophy in China placed greater emphasis on asking questions about the “zhong” of situations. Numerous fundamental ideas in early Confucian philosophy can be understood as embodiments of the principle of “zhong”: the “Dao” is a “zhong” (unity) between Heaven and man, “xing性” is a “zhong” (integration) of nature and nurture, “ren仁” is a “zhong” (bond) between self and others, “yi义” represents a “zhong” (suitable degree) of behavior in society, as well as a combination of emotion and reason; “li礼” presents the “zhong” (balance) between personal desire and social constraint, “zhi 知” is a “zhong” (combination) between knowing and doing. Therefore, Confucian philosophy is hence referred to as “zhongdaology”.