In this volume we use “beyond comparison” to indicate a scholar who draws expertly on various traditions and explores new ideas. The subtitle, “Four Exemplars of Ru,” speaks to that person being a philosopher–not simply an academic philosopher who writes papers and analyzes texts, but someone who actually lives and practices their philosophy. In her piece on Li Zehou, Jinhua Jia introduces him as such a philosopher—which includes being a mentor and practitioner. This is exactly what we mean by a “ru.” Jia’s paper outlines who Li was as a person. She provides a brief biographical sketch of his life and works, emphasizing how he embodied his ideas, and how he became an exemplar and supporter of many. As anyone who met him can attest to, Li engaged others with uncommon seriousness and sincerity. And as many PhD students come to realize, the character of such a mentor is perhaps even more important than their quality of thought. Truly being a philosopher, or a ru, means living with a certain attitude—as Li Zehou expertly did.