Bring back Kungfuzi
Maureen Fan, writing in the Washington Post, describes the apparent revival of a modern version of the teachings of Kungfuzi (Confucius)."Confucianism is enjoying a resurgence in this country, as more and more Chinese... seek ways to adapt to a culture in which corruption has spread and materialism has become a driving value. For many Chinese, a system of ethical teachings that stresses the importance of avoiding conflict and respecting hierarchy makes perfect sense, even if it was first in vogue centuries ago.
"State-supported commemorations of Confucius have become more common...
"Because Confucianism has only recently regained its popularity -- it was seen as an obstacle to modernization during the anti-intellectual Cultural Revolution of 1966-76 -- many Chinese today are hard-pressed to fully describe the philosophy. It has become a grab bag of ideas that people are tailoring to their own needs as they search for a new belief system.
"For the government, Confucianism is a way to encourage order and bring more legitimacy to its rule -- the philosophy's emphasis on respect for authority, for example, is appealing to Communist Party leaders...
"For parents, Confucianism is a way to raise obedient children who won't forget their own culture. In an age of conspicuous consumption, the philosophy is also appealing to a growing middle class whose members often say they can finally afford to consider spiritual matters...
"'China has made great economic achievements in the past 30 years, and this has brought back a confidence that we lost. With this confidence comes a return to being proud of Chinese culture,' said Kang Xiaogang, a professor at People's University and one of China's top proponents of Confucian education. 'Another important reason for the growing popularity of Confucianism is that the effectiveness of Marxist ideology has decreased. That's why the government needs to look for new ideologies.'...
"Already, a debate has begun over whether Confucianism can really solve problems that China's fast-paced modernization and current education system have failed to address...
"Last year, a bestseller called Wolf Totem, written by a dissident, was debated among intellectuals and business leaders. One of its central points, some said, was that Confucianism had taught China's Han Chinese majority to behave like obedient sheep, accepting any leadership, as opposed to the more independent, predatory and successful Mongolian wolves in the book..."
Labels: China, political culture
posted by Ken Wedding @ 7:45 AM
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