Confucianism And The Modernization Of China

This book is part of a broad examination of Confucianism and its implications for modernization of the Confucian regions (covering mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, and Singapore). It is mainly concerned with the industrialization and modernization of Taiwan. To help readers understand the process of modernization, the book provides an introduction to the history of Taiwan and to Confucianism and its modern implications. As far as social and economic principles are concerned, Taiwan's modernization is, according to the author, characterized by Americanization and modernizing Confucian manifestations. The book demonstrates that Taiwan has actually provided an important case study not only for the capitalist spirit of overseas Chinese, but also for possible implications of Confucianism for modernization. The unique character of this book is that in explaining Taiwan's modernization, it deals not only with economic and social issues, but also examines the philosophical foundations, an endeavor which no other author has systematically made before.

This book examines how Confucian traditions have shaped modernity in East Asia. Ambrose Y. C. King discusses how China and East Asia developed a model of modern civilization distinct from the Western model of modernization, which involves not only a process of deconstructing the cultural tradition but also a process of reconstructing it. He shows how the experience of modernization diverges within different Chinese societies, namely Hong Kong, Mainland China, and Taiwan. By highlighting the impact of Confucianism, he argues that Confucianism contains the seeds of modernization and transformation, and that in the right institutional settings these seeds influence the course of development. King focuses on how Confucian ideas and values underpinning the foundation of East Asian societies, including social civility, political governance, the role of the family, and moral regulation, matter to the modern social and political transformations of Chinese societies today.

Confucianism has influenced Chinese societies for more than 2,000 years, and such influence is likely to continue in the future. However, during the preceding centuries, the nature of what was understood to be Confucianism has changed, and this process will also continue. Today, the scholarly tradition is adapting both to the modernization of Chinese societies—mainland China, Singapore, and Taiwan—and to the emergence of global society. Tamney and Chiang focus on current social changes, their implications for the Chinese scholarly tradition, and the responses of Confucianists to these changes. Special topics include the response of Confucian scholars to the democracy movement, how politicians are using Confucian beliefs and values, the role of the scholarly tradition in contemporary Chinese popular culture, the challenges to Confucianism resulting from the changing role of women, and how competition with world religions is affecting the scholarly tradition. Throughout the book two themes are explored: the division of Confucianism into traditionalist and modernist forms and the nature of ideological convergence in the contemporary world. Scholars, students, and researchers interested in the ways Confucianism is becoming more similar to Western beliefs and values and in the ways Confucianism is likely to remain distinctive will find the volume invaluable.

The Confucian revival which manifests itself in the Modern Confucian current, belongs to the most important streams of thought in contemporary Chinese philosophy. The Rebirth of the Moral Self introduces this stream of thought by focusing on the second generation Modern Confucians— Mou Zongsan, Tang Junyi, Xu Fuguan and Fang Dongmei. These scholars argue that traditional Confucianism, as a specifically Chinese social, political, and moral system of thought can, if adapted to the modern era, serve as the foundation for an ethically meaningful modern life.

Confucianism and Reflexive Modernity criticizes the paradigm of Asian Value Debate and defends a balance between individual empowerment and flourishing community for human rights in the context of global risk society from an enlightened post-Confucianism perspective.

Confucianism has influenced Chinese societies for more than 2,000 years, and such influence is likely to continue in the future. However, during the preceding centuries, the nature of what was understood to be Confucianism has changed, and this process will also continue. Today, the scholarly tradition is adapting both to the modernization of Chinese societies—mainland China, Singapore, and Taiwan—and to the emergence of global society. Tamney and Chiang focus on current social changes, their implications for the Chinese scholarly tradition, and the responses of Confucianists to these changes. Special topics include the response of Confucian scholars to the democracy movement, how politicians are using Confucian beliefs and values, the role of the scholarly tradition in contemporary Chinese popular culture, the challenges to Confucianism resulting from the changing role of women, and how competition with world religions is affecting the scholarly tradition. Throughout the book two themes are explored: the division of Confucianism into traditionalist and modernist forms and the nature of ideological convergence in the contemporary world. Scholars, students, and researchers interested in the ways Confucianism is becoming more similar to Western beliefs and values and in the ways Confucianism is likely to remain distinctive will find the volume invaluable.

Wei-Bin Zhang offers an authoritative guide to the philosophy of Confucianism and its impact in the Confucian regions, covering mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Vietnam and Singapore. All, except Singapore, employed Confucianism as the state ideology before the West came to East Asia. The differences and similarities between the variety of Confucian schools are examined. The author concludes that the philosophical and ethical principles of Confucianism will assist in the industrialization and democratization of the region.