By Professor Cheng Songliu
In his book The Origin and Goal of History , German philosopher Karl Jaspers introduced the concept of the “Axial Age”, which has gained widespread recognition in global academia. Jaspers argued that between 800 and 300 BCE, ancient civilisations – including Greece, China, India, and Israel – produced great thinkers whose philosophical principles shaped the foundations of distinct cultural traditions, influencing human life to this day.
