• The integration of the pre-Qin Confucian concept of righteousness and profit into primary education theory

  Da Deng; Chunshan Deng (Universidade Estadual Paulista, 2024-10-01)

  The current moral education component in primary schools faces significant challenges. Many elementary students’ everyday behavior appears excessively self-centered and pragmatic, potentially negatively impacting their future growth and character development. This could further influence the societal atmosphere for decades to come. Therefore, summarizing and reflecting on theories and methods in primary education, altering teaching approaches and enhancing moral education quality are crucial issues. This transformation requires a foundational philosophical theory. Research suggests that drawing from the concept of “righteousness and profit” rooted in pre-Qin Confucianism is a valuable reference. The pre-Qin Confucian perspective on righteousness and profit stands at the core of pre-Qin Confucian thought and has profoundly influenced Chinese history for millennia. Its contemplation on “righteousness” and “profit” continues to have a far-reaching impact in contemporary times. To provide a philosophical basis for primary education theory, the study examines the essence of the pre-Qin Confucian concept of “righteousness and profit.” Additionally, tracing its historical development provides insights. In terms of current educational theories, the review focuses on human-centric educational theories in primary education. Finally, a proposal is made to integrate the pre-Qin Confucian concept of “righteousness and profit” with human-centric theories in primary education, accompanied by corresponding teaching strategies. According to research findings, the concepts of righteousness and profit were completely mutually exclusive in their initial stages. However, during the evolution of several dynasties, the two concepts gradually gained mutually supportive elements. This research aims to improve the moral education level of current primary education and promote the inheritance of excellent traditional Chinese culture through the integration of the pre-Qin Confucian view of righteousness and profit and the people-oriented primary education theory.
• Study on Mencius’ theory of human nature and moral concepts

  Jiafu Deng (Universidade Estadual Paulista, 2024-06-01)

  The concept of morality is an essential aspect of moral education and cultivation, which has been the focus of attention for philosophers throughout history. As the culmination of Confucian thought, Mencius contributed significantly to the moral concepts that form an integral part of Confucianism and traditional Chinese culture. This article focuses on Mencius’ moral philosophy, explicitly examining his theory of human nature and the concept of an ideal personality. By exploring these ideas, the paper aims to elucidate the contemporary relevance of Mencius’ moral philosophy.
• Multiple reflections on the monarch-subject relationship of Confucianism during the Ming and Qing Dynasties

  Jinbei Zong (Universidade Estadual Paulista, 2024-01-01)

  The Ming and Qing dynasties marked a period of great change in Chinese political and cultural thought. During this period, the monarch-subject relationship was a central theme in the study of Confucianism and a central component of traditional Chinese culture, which has long been the focus of interest among scholars in various fields. This paper examines the development of ancient Chinese monarch-subject relations from the perspective of historical factors and the development of Confucianism. In addition, the relationship of the monarch-subject relationship in Ming and Qing Confucianism is analyzed and discussed based on the influential thinkers’ theories, such as Gu Yanwu, Huang Zongxi and Wang Fuzhi. This analysis offers valuable insights into the comprehensive innovation of Confucianism in the new historical context.
• Confucian thought of “harmony between man and nature” and contemporary society construction

  Yanling Liu; Yan Wu (Universidade Estadual Paulista, 2024-01-01)

  In the ancient Confucian philosophy, the thought of “Harmony between Man and Nature” occupies a paramount position. The Confucian notion has a deep-rooted and extensive history, evolving and deepening over successive generations. Its contents are profound and intricate, encompassing a harmonious and integrated perspective on nature, a prioritization of righteousness over personal interest, and a sustainable development outlook. These ideas hold significant value as a point of reference for the establishment and advancement of contemporary social systems. This article aims to explore the origins and development of the concept of “Harmony between Man and Nature” while analyzing and reflecting on how this ideology influences the construction of present-day society.
• Differences and integration of political thought between ancient Chinese Confucianism and legalism

  Dongwang Liu (Universidade Estadual Paulista, 2024-01-01)

  Confucianism and Legalism are not only the two most influential ideological schools in pre-Qin China but also the main schools of thought in ancient Chinese intellectual history. This is due to their respective social nature and contrasting political values. In Pre-Qin Confucianism, rooted in the belief in the innate goodness of human nature, there is a strong emphasis on the significance of historical traditions. It promotes values such as benevolence, righteousness, propriety and wisdom, and seeks to redefine “Rite” by incorporating new values. It places great importance on the rule of virtue and aspires to achieve a state of Universal Harmony. Pre-Qin Legalism, driven by the inherent human inclination towards self-interest and personal gain, formulates a governance philosophy grounded in utilitarianism. It prioritizes the present and advocates for profound transformations through the implementation of strict “law” to attain national prosperity and military strength. As a result, ancient China formed different traditions of the rule of virtue and law, laying the foundation for the complementary nature of Confucianism and Legalism. This article analyzes the factors of differentiation and the process of integration in Confucian and legalist political philosophy, aiming to provide insights into the construction of contemporary political philosophical systems.
• Educational Philosophy and Educational Practice in Confucianism

  Yushu Xu; Chao Chen (Universidade Estadual Paulista, 2024-05-01)

  Confucian educational thought is a complete educational theoretical system based on Confucius’ ethical thought, which is increasingly enriched and perfected in the later Confucian thinkers’ continuous inheritance and development. Confucian educational thought is different from Western educational theory. It takes moral education as the core, and ethics as the feature, with strong Chinese humanistic color. In modern education, the excellent educational thought of Confucianism is still talked about by people. From the perspective of philosophical analysis, this paper makes an in-depth study of the main purpose, content and method of Confucian educational thought, probes into the philosophical idea behind Confucian educational thought and summarizes its important enlightenment to contemporary education.
• Confucian heresy and religious imagination: a study of the renderings of Mozi by Protestantism missionaries in 19th century

  Jiaxin Lin; Zihan Yu; Honghui Hu (Universidade Estadual Paulista, 2024-01-01)

  Mozi first came to the English missionary Joseph Edkins’ attention in 1858 as a Confucian heretic. Subsequently, the Dutch missionary Johann Jakob Maria de Groot translated Mozi’s Funerary Doctrine, which has strong religious overtones. Protestantism missionaries were represented by Joseph and Groot, whose renderings of Mozi were replete with theological interpretations. Mozi was imagined as a religious canon, containing Christian doctrine, by the two missionaries who were keen to find commonalities between Mozi and Christianity. They also used Mozi’s status as a Confucian heretic to criticize Confucianism, the archenemy of Christianity. Through this religious imagination of Mozi, more missionaries and sinologists joined Mozi’s translation, and the journey of the canon’s transmission to the West started.
• Chinese and Western sports philosophy and their differences

  Yuanjiao Zhu; Rui Du (Universidade Estadual Paulista, 2024-05-01)

  Chinese and Western sports are in two different social systems. Because of the difference in their origin, cognition and value trend, two kinds of sports cultures of different natures have been created. Each of which interprets the characteristics of human civilization in different forms. In Chinese culture, sports are often closely associated with Taoist and Confucian philosophies. Taoism emphasizes “letting nature take its course”, and physical exercise is regarded as a means of harmonizing body and mind, and achieving unity of body and mind. Confucianism believes that sports are to cultivate people’s morality and etiquette, not just to pursue physical limits. In contrast, Western sports philosophy usually emphasizes competition, challenge and self-transcendence. This idea can be traced back to ancient Greece’s Olympic spirit, which is to demonstrate individual honor, strength and courage through physical exercise. In general, although Chinese and Western sports philosophies both believe that sports are an exercise for the human body and spirit, they differ in values, goals and methods. This study takes the comparison between traditional Chinese sports culture and Western sports culture as the starting point and attempts to analyze the commonalities and differences between the two. This has important practical significance for enriching world sports culture and promoting the development of world sports culture.
• The enlightenment of Chinese philosophy to the construction of contemporary ecological civilization

  Ziyu Zhang; Xinyue Xu (Universidade Estadual Paulista, 2024-01-01)

  Chinese philosophy is a philosophy of ecology. The basic problem of Chinese philosophy is the relationship between heaven and man, that is, the relationship between nature and man. This is evident in the main schools of Chinese philosophy, such as Confucianism and Taoism. A correct understanding and evaluation of Chinese ecological philosophy has important practical significance for us to reflect on the ecological imbalance and environmental deterioration caused by the industrial civilization, created under the guidance of the mechanical concept of nature and anthropocentrism, and to re-examine the way of human existence, development, thinking and values. This paper aims to explore the elements of eco-philosophy in Chinese philosophy and analyze its influence on the concept, value and practice of ecological civilization.
• The Cosmological Archetype of War in Sun-zi Treatise “Bing fa”

  Vladimir P. Abramenko (Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), 2024-10-01)

  The proposed research analyzes for the first time the text of the ancient Chinese treatise “The Art of War” (兵法 bing fa ) from the point of view of the presence in it of archetypal constructions designed to tame chaos in such a phenomenon of human society as war. This written work of the Chinese strategist and thinker Sun-zi has been thoroughly analyzed into phrases and words by specialists of various disciplines, but all in one key - in the key of war. In this paper, other research goals of this treatise are formulated, consisting in tracking the process of embedding elements of military affairs into the cosmological archetype of Tao. It is particularly noted that, in essence, by creating the “Bing Fa”, Sun-zi accomplished what no theorist of the art of war could do. He presented the cosmological archetype of war in the form of a sequential set of five archetypal elements, relying in its construction on the Taoist model of the cosmological archetype of Tao. In the world triad of Heaven - Man - Earth, the central place of Sun-zi is occupied by a military subject: a Warlord - Commander-in-Chief, a Warrior. From now on, a commander who knows the military craft must be responsible for the fate of his people, ensure the security of the state, its power and invulnerability. It can be traced that, in essence, civilization acts as a breeding ground for warriors and war, and Taoism together with Confucianism can be incorporated into the civilizational space only with their support of the prevailing state ideology.
• Confucianism Embodied: An “Interdisciplinary” Approach to Comparative Political Philosophy

  JING, Qi (SJSU ScholarWorks, 2024-08-27)

  This article articulates and defends an “interdisciplinary” approach to Confucian political theory and presents Confucianism as a living, dynamic entity rather than merely a reservoir of ideas contained within a set of texts. It argues for a methodology that transcends traditional textual analysis, advocating for an intersectional approach that melds normative, emancipatory, and practical dimensions. This approach seeks to capture the evolving essence of Confucianism as influenced by cultural, institutional, and individual interactions. It also promotes a “distant reading” to examine not only texts and historical debates but also institutional changes, power dynamics, and guiding principles within Confucianized societies. The study highlights the need to recognize how Confucian ideals are manifested in real history and politics and emphasizes the importance of studying the social embodiment of the political ideas in comparative political theory.
• Japanese Philosophy as the Result of History of the National Spiritual Tradition

  Skvortsova Elena Lvovna (Perkumpulan Alumni dan Santri Mahyajatul Qurro', 2024-07-01)

  This article explores the essence of Japanese philosophy, which has evolved through the convergence of various intellectual traditions, including Shintoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism. These spiritual foundations have deeply influenced Japanese self-perceptions, societal relations, and governance structures. Employing a dialectical method combined with the principle of complementarity, this study examined the development of Japanese philosophy, particularly during the Meiji (1868-1912) and Taisho (1912-1925) periods, highlighting the integration of Western philosophical ideas. Key contributions from thinkers such as Nishida Kitaro, who sought to merge Western concepts with Eastern traditions, are discussed. This study also emphasizes the importance of traditional Japanese arts and bodily synthesis in shaping philosophical thought. The unique ability of Japanese philosophy to adapt and transform diverse intellectual traditions is a central theme, illustrating its capacity to generate new meanings and approaches. The continuous influence of medieval categories and modern developments showcases a holistic approach that integrates both old and new perspectives. This adaptability is crucial in addressing contemporary issues such as the interaction between information culture and historical spiritual traditions. The study concludes that the flexibility and integrative nature of Japanese philosophy, exemplified by figures such as Nishida Kitaro and Imamichi Tomonobu, remain vital for contemporary philosophical discourse.
• LEARNING TO BE HUMAN: THE IMPLICATIONS OF CONFUCIAN PERCEPTIONS ON ENDS AND MEANS FOR THE PRACTICE OF MODERN ADULT EDUCATION

  Sun, Qi (2005-10-13)

  Modern adult education philosophies during the 20th century have many perceptions on ends and means. Efforts to create means to reach personal, business, and social needs, resolving various kinds of problems have become the ends of most formal schooling, including adult education. Consequently, we are losing our mind in understanding what the ultimate end is. Moreover, the traditional wisdom emphasized on quality of true human beings is often overlooked. Confucian perceptions on end and means, from a perennial perspective, invite us to reconsider the ends and means issue of modern adult education. They help us consciously understand how a global society is now ruled by predatory corporations and dominated by a "technocratic" or "instrumental" rationality (Welton, 1995). They assist us to reunify and reconstruct the broken selves and worlds. As such, regression to Confucius' learning to be human is a way to progress toward an effective result for a global civilization and the adult education movement of the third millenium.
• Bergsono 'intuicija' kinijoje ir jos konfucinė plėtotė (1915-1923) : keletas pastabų apie zhijue moderniojoje Kinijos filosofijoje

  Ciaudo, Joseph (2016)

  This paper investigates the translation of Henri Bergson's philosophical writings in relation to the development of the concept of "intuition" (zhijue) in contemporary Chinese philosophy. As Bergson's intuition was very soon associated with "the knowledge of/as virtue" (dexing zhi zhi), it turned into one of the basic Chinese modern concepts to think about ethical and moral issues. However, Chinese philosophers used Bergson's intuition as a device of moral philosophy sooner than the philosopher himself even started to write his moral philosophy. This paper decrypts the moralization of intuition in Chinese context, and questions the issue related to the formation of the concept of zhijue. The key documents put under light in this paper are Chinese translations of 'An introduction to metaphysics" (1903) and several articles related to Bergson published around 1921.
• Confucianized rationality: some reflections on East Asia, wisdom, and science

  Dessein, Bart (Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2015)

  This publication discusses the origin of European tradition of rational inquiry, and contrasts it with the Chinese tradition. It argues that both the European and Greek cultural contexts were favorable for the development of 'philosophy', but that historical developments in China starting in the 3rd century BCE have made the Chinese tradition increasingly different from the European. The article also discusses the 19th and 20th century Chinese attempts to link up with the European tradition.
• Confucian Zhongyong, religious commitment, church identification, and church commitment : a moderated mediation model

  Li, Jianfeng; Liu, Hongping; Van der Heijden, Beatrice; Guo, Zhiwen (2021)

  Although Confucian zhongyong (the doctrine of the mean) has an important influence on Chinese Christians' religious affections, due to the sensitivity of matters related to religion in China, there is a serious lack of empirical knowledge on this topic. To fill this gap, we have developed and tested a moderated mediation model based on Allport and Ross's religious motivation theory and Meyer et al.'s organizational commitment theory, linking Confucian zhongyong to Christians' religious affections (i.e., religious commitment and church commitment). Overall, using data from 387 Protestants in China, we found support for our moderated mediation model. In particular, our findings indicate that church identification partially mediates the relationship between religious commitment and church commitment. Furthermore, Confucian zhongyong appears to moderate the relationship between religious commitment and church commitment as well as between church identification and church commitment. The article concludes with a discussion of the findings, recommendations for future work, and practical implications.
• Kongzhai Shrine of the Robe and Cap of Confucius in Shanghai

  Hamm, Matthew; Julia K Murray (Zenodo, 2024-06-27)

  A place called Kongzhai (Kong Residence), located in a once-rural area that is now within the borders of metropolitan Shanghai, formerly had a shrine for venerating Confucius (Kongzi / Master Kong) that was premised on the belief that a much later descendant had buried the ancient master's robe, cap, and jade ornaments there. Far from the region in North China where Confucius had lived or traveled and over 1000 years after his death, the alleged burial of these relics inspired local late Ming literati to construct a temple complex, centered on an above-ground "Tomb of the Robe and Cap" and a sacrificial hall with sculptural icons. At its height in the early Qing period, Kongzhai's structures, assorted visual images, and ritual artifacts supported its claim to be "Little Queli," a surrogate for the primordial temple, cemetery, and mansion of Confucius's Kong descendants in Qufu, Shandong. Scholars gathered there to experience his beneficent aura, and sacrifices to Confucius were performed with the same liturgy as in the official Confucian temples attached to government schools. Ambitious officials and local literati used their patronage and interactions with Kongzhai to enhance their own prestige and that of the humble locality. Eventually a line of Kong descendants was designated to take charge of sacrifices, as at other places where descendants had settled. Kongzhai's fortunes declined in the 19th century, and the fall of the Qing dynasty delegitimized Confucian ritualism. In the 20th century, Kongzhai became a target of Maoist campaigns against feudalism, superstition, and undesirable social classes, and it was conclusively destroyed in the Cultural Revolution. One building was later reconstructed in a park several miles away. All that remains on the former site itself are two very old ginkgo trees.
• Tang Junyi 唐君毅

  Hamm, Matthew; King Pong Chiu (Zenodo, 2024-06-27)

  Tang Junyi (唐君毅,1909 – 1978) was one of the most influential thinkers in modern Chinese society, especially in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Widely considered a member of 'Contemporary Neo-Confucianism', Tang employed Buddhist ideas, Huayan thought in particular, to develop his philosophical system, which tried to harmonize different valuable thoughts so that they could co-exist without conflict. Within this harmonization, one could, on the one hand, choose his or her faith, while on the other hand, would not reject others'. Tang clearly stated that he believed in Confucianism, an intellectual tradition which pays attention to the existence of consciousness or benevolence, as he considered the thought most relevant to his own moral experience. There were some examples that Tang stressed throughout his writings: while once seeing the land split due to drought in his childhood, he worried that the earth would soon end; while watching a movie about Sun Yat-sen (孫逸仙,1866 – 1925), the founder of the Republic of China, he wondered, compared with the whole universe, how little a human being was but how great a human being could achieve; while separating from his parents, he genuinely felt sadness. As Tang said, all of his philosophical thought derived from such moral experience and, therefore, his thought could be understood as his explanation of the existence of consciousness, how it worked and what would be achieved if it was fully utilized. Tang's complete works were initially published in Taiwan in 1991, and a revised edition was released in mainland China in 2016. Despite Tang's obscure writing style, many of his works are considered modern classics in the field of Chinese philosophy. The Experience of Life 人生之體驗, for example, suggests different moral experiences a human may face in his or her life, in which Tang reflected on the moral ability a human could have and the function of such ability. The Formation of Moral Self 道德自我之建立, tries to explain the existence of the moral ability from a philosophical perspective, claiming that moral ability is not only an experience felt by individual persons but a universal faculty that is owned by all people. The Reconstruction of Humanistic Spirit 人文精神之重建 mentions Tang's ultimate ideal, which is to make the world full of humanistic values by means of fully utilizing the moral abilities of all persons. The Existence of Life and Horizons of Mind 生命存在與心靈境界, his last and probably most important work, explains that the real humanistic value is exactly not to reject any valuable thoughts and how moral ability helps harmonize different values so that a humanistic world could be achieved. As Tang always emphasized the importance of self-transformation and his works tend to encourage and inspire others to transform, some scholars considered that the nature of Tang's thought is like a kind of religion, though his faith is not in an external god, but in the internal goodness of humanity.
• Le signe cultuel : existence de l’intangible, l’exemple xunzien

  Fredette-Lussier, Arnaud (Institut d’études religieuses de l’Université de MontréalÉrudit, 2023)

  Grâce à un bref survol de la notion xunzienne de lǐ 禮, « rite » ou « ritualité », nous entrouvrirons des pistes de recherche qui tendent à suggérer qu’une approche qui tâcherait d’appréhender la croyance sans passer par l’observation des manifestions concrètes de cette dernière, tenterait d’apercevoir les principes d’une chose sans s’attacher à ses surgissements manifestes, qui l’animent et la créent à la fois. Nous suggérons qu’envisager une croyance sans pour autant concevoir au même instant la manifestation rituelle de cette croyance, reviendrait à nier le fait que la mise en pratique de l’une serait la source de l’existence de l’autre.
• Zigao 子羔

  Hamm, Matthew; Matthew Hamm (Zenodo, 2024-06-27)

  The Zigao 子羔 is a short text written on fourteen bamboo strips that was part of a collection of such texts purchased by the Shanghai Museum in three batches in Hong Kong in 1994. The texts were looted from a tomb by grave robbers and their exact provenance is thus unknown. Similarities with the collection of texts excavated near the village of Guodian 郭店 in Hubei province in 1993, suggest that the Shanghai texts may have come from Guojiagang 郭家崗 Tomb One near the village of Guodian, though there is no way to confirm this. The Shanghai texts likely date from around the same period as the Guodian texts (between 300 and 278 BCE) and the text of the Zigao itself was likely written in the 4th century BCE. The text itself features clear calligraphy but is partially damaged, with one fragment of the text currently housed in the collection of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. The Zigao is written as a dialogue between Confucius (Kongzi 孔子) and his disciple, Zigao 子羔, and in its own time would likely have been considered a ru 儒 text. The term ru refers to a group of teachers and students who defined themselves by their adherence to the figure of Confucius, whom they took as their master. However, this group did not have a consistent philosophy and instead occupied a spectrum of intellectual positions based on shared ideas such as ren 仁 ("humanness") and yi 義 ("righteousness") as well as shared traditions such as the shi 詩 ("songs"), shu 書 ("documents"), and li 禮 ("rites"). In particular, the Zigao seems to have been part of an early debate over whether rulers should pass on the throne to their descendants or abdicate in favour of a worthy individual. The Zigao does not make an explicit statement regarding this issue, but focuses on comparing the sage-king Shun 舜 (who, according to legend, received the throne when the sage-king Yao 堯 abdicated) to the three figures of Yu 禹, Xie 契, and Hou Ji 后稷. These three figures were the progenitors of the Xia 夏, Shang 商, and Zhou 周 dynasties, respectively. According to the Zigao, they were also all "sons of Heaven" (tianzi 天子) because they were engendered through divine conception and born through miraculous births. While the text suggests that it was this divine origin that established the three dynasties as legitimate, it also states that, in ancient times, good rulers abdicated in favour of other worthy individuals and that none of the three dynastic progenitors were comparable to the fully human Shun (who had no divine provenance). The text, thus, advocates abdication and lays the foundation for future claims that Confucius was the "uncrowned king" (suwang 素王) by implying that he was the fully human sage most deserving of the position of king.

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