A Comparative Study of the Christian Mysticism of John Ruusbroec and the Chinese Mysticism of Zhuangzi

During the last few decades, more and more Christian scholars have been interested in the comparative study of mysticism. With ecumenical zeal, they have started to dialogue with other religious traditions. They believe that it can enhance a deeper sharing of religious faith on the level of religious experience. There have been rich traditions and various forms of Chinese and Christian mysticism. Throughout history, there have been many misunderstandings and conflicts between Christianity and Chinese religions. As a Chinese Christian, I would like to make a comparative study of Chinese and Christian mysticism in order to explore an appropriate theological framework for integrating both traditions in developing Chinese spirituality within the overall Chinese Christian context. In this thesis, I will focus on two mystical authors, namely Zhuangzi (370-290 B.C.E.) and Jan van Ruusbroec (1293-1381), who are both regarded as the exemplary representatives of the mystical authors in the respective areas of Chinese and Christian mysticism.