Reconceptualizing Confucian Philosophy in the 21st Century

1. Reexaming Confucian Concepts

   1. The Unarticulated Conception of Equality in Early Confucianism, and Its Relation to Modern Conceptions

      • Ruiquan Gao

      Pages 241-255

   2. Sincerity and the Impasse of the Exemplary Person: An Analysis of the Zhongyong, with Attention to Christian Faith

      • Wenyu Xie

      Pages 257-271

   3. Zhou Dunyi’s Founding Contribution to Neo-confucianism

      • Jinglin Li

      Pages 273-281

   4. The Unity of Form and Function in Zhu Xi’s Theory of Mind

      • Peiyuan Meng

      Pages 283-295

   5. Early Engagements with Buddhism and the Rise of the Neo-confucians

      • Shiling Xiang

      Pages 297-311

2. Reinterpreting Confucian Morality

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 313-313

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   2. The Distinction Between Politics and Morality: An Analysis of What Confucius Actually Said

      • Shuo Dongfang, Hongcheng Li

      Pages 315-325

   3. Modern Moral Confucianism and the Challenge of Modernization: Reflections on Liang Shuming, Xiong Shili, and Mou Zongsan

      • Zhiming Song

      Pages 327-338

   4. Ecological Consciousness and the Conscience in the Writings of Wang Yangming

      • Xuezhi Zhang

      Pages 339-353

   5. Cheng Yi Assesses the Case of Diwu Lun:Viewing the Brother’s Son as One’s Own

      • Xudong Fang

      Pages 355-366

   6. The Value of Reconstructing Confucianism for the Contemporary World

      • Qiyong Guo, Tao Cui

      Pages 367-390

   7. A Genealogical Survey of the Values and Practices of Confucian Courage from Ancient China to the Contemporary World

      • Lisheng Chen

      Pages 391-411

   8. The Confucian Aspiration at the Heart of “Tianren Heyi”: Eco-centrism, Anthropocentrism, and the Anthrocosmic Relationship in Traditional Confucian Thought

      • Xinzhong Yao

      Pages 413-426

   9. A Contemporary Interpretation of Confucian Ritual in the Writings of Xunzi

      • Siufu Tang

      Pages 427-440

   10. On Beauty and the Repositioning of Ethics as Aesthetics: Engaging Confucius and Whitehead

       • Jung-Yeup Kim

       Pages 441-449

3. Back Matter

   Pages 451-460

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This book comprises 30 chapters representing certain new trends in reconcenptualizing Confucian ideas, ideals, values and ways of thinking by scholars from China and abroad. While divergent in approaches, these chapters are converged on conceptualizing and reconceptualizing Confucianism into something philosophically meaningful and valuable to the people of the 21st century. They are grouped into three parts, and each is dedicated to one of the three major themes this book attempts to address. Part one is mainly on scholarly reviews of Confucian doctrines by which new interpretations will be drawn out. Part two is an assembled attempt to reexamine Confucian concepts, in which critiques of traditional views lead to new perspectives for perennial questions. Part three is focused on reinterpreting Confucian virtues and values, in the hope that a new sense of being moral can be gained through old normative forms.

• Confucian Concept
• Confucian Doctrine
• Confucian Ethics
• Early Confucianism
• Human Nature
• Mencius’ Philosophy
• Traditional Chinese Philosophy
• Zhongyong
• Zhu Xi
• Politics and Morality

• Department of Philosophy, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China

  Xinzhong Yao

Professor Yao Xinzhong is the Dean of School of Philosophy, Renmin University of China and the founding director of Lau China Institute of King’s College London. Prior to these appointments, Professor Yao was Professor of Religion and Ethics at the University of Wales, Lampeter, and a senior research fellow at the Ian Ramsey Centre, University of Oxford.Professor Yao has written a number of influential books and articles on the subject of Confucianism, including comparative studies with Christianity. He is the author and editor of the Encyclopaedia of Confucianism. In 1998, in recognition of his work promoting Confucianism in the UK, he was made honorary President of the Confucian Academy in Hong Kong.

Policies and ethics