Abstract
This chapter investigates and assesses the applicability of the resources for promoting interreligious peacebuilding from the Confucian tradition, paying close attention to the vision of he, harmony, as developed by Neo-Confucian scholars. It examines the historical context of Neo-Confucians and critically explores the applicability of their teachings to our contemporary contexts regarding the issues of religious conflicts and peacebuilding. Discussing the socio-political and religious/philosophical scene of China from the birth of Neo-Confucianism in the Tang dynasty and its development in the Southern Song, the chapter pays close attention to how Confucians interacted with Daoism and Chan Buddhism. This context allows for a better understanding of the meaning of the Neo-Confucian vision of harmonious society, and suggests that the distinctively Neo-Confucian vision of harmony could challenge, stretch, or shed fresh light on modern strivings for interreligious peacebuilding.
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Notes
- 1.
Appleby (2000), p. 7.
- 2.
Coward and Smith (2004), p. 5.
- 3.
Ibid., p. 2.
- 4.
In this chapter, I use the term “syncretism,” “multiple religious belonging,” and “hybridization” interchangeably, despite the subtle difference of how these terms have been used in religious studies, given that they all describe the religious phenomenon of drawing multiple resources in one’s religious life. For a detailed discussion of types of syncretism and how it can be understood in diverse settings, see Hedges (2010), pp. 237–243. Also, Schreiter (1985), pp. 144–158.
- 5.
Religious pluralism, used in a normative way, may refer to strong affirmation of the positive value of religious heterogeneity in a society.
- 6.
Knitter says it is “a newly experienced reality” that other religions no longer exist in distant lands, at least from North American and European perspective. See Knitter (2010), p. 5.
- 7.
Mitchell (2000).
- 8.
Cornille (2002), p. 1.
- 9.
Knitter points out that in our age, religious people have to be religious interreligiously. See Knitter, “Preface”, p. xi.
- 10.
- 11.
Berling (1980), p. 9.
- 12.
Even Christianity from its beginning to current age always has been “syncretic.” For detailed discussion on this issue, see Hedges (2010), pp. 33–44.
- 13.
Kwok Pui-lan carefully examines how the study of religions has been used for justifying political control of the Western countries over the Third World countries. See Kwok (2005), pp. 189–197.
- 14.
Berthrong and Nagai-Berthrong (2000), pp. 11–21.
- 15.
Berthrong points to the fall of imperial China in the nineteenth century, the community victory in 1949, and Mao’s cultural revolution in 1960s as important events that led to the collapse of Chinese Confucian world. New Confucians are the Confucian scholars who affirm that there is a core of essence of the tradition that is worth saving. Berthrong and Nagai-Berthrong (2000), p. 21.
- 16.
Berling (1980), p. 28.
- 17.
Tu (1989), p. 27.
- 18.
See, Berling (1980), p. 30.
- 19.
Bruce (1973), p. 8.
- 20.
Bruce calls them “Chitans” but for the sake of consistency here I call them Khitans, following Tu Wei-ming.
- 21.
Ibid., p. 9.
- 22.
Ibid., p. 10.
- 23.
Ibid., p. 12.
- 24.
Tu (1989), p. 28.
- 25.
Ibid., p. 28.
- 26.
Berling (1980), p. 46.
- 27.
For more detailed Ming context for syncretism, see Berling (1980), pp. 46–61.
- 28.
Ibid., p. 132.
- 29.
See, Berling (1980), pp. 14–68.
- 30.
The selection of the Confucian texts in this chapter is heavily influenced by Stephen Angle’s book. See Angle (2009), pp. 61–73.
- 31.
Li (2006), p. 583.
- 32.
Ibid., p. 584.
- 33.
Zuo Commentary, Zhao 20. Translation from Chengyang Li himself, quoted from Li (2006), pp. 584–585.
- 34.
Ibid., p. 586.
- 35.
Analects 13:23; translation from Confucius, Bruce Brooks and Taeko Brooks (1998), p. 103.
- 36.
Li (2006), p. 587.
- 37.
Zhongyong 1, Stephen C. Angle’s translation draws freely on Chan [1963, 98] and Ames and Hall [2001, 89–90]. Angle (2009), p. 65.
- 38.
Li (2004), pp. 173–188.
- 39.
Chang (1962), p. 168.
- 40.
Here is an example of how Zhang Zai attempted to engage the crisis with education: “At the beginning of each month he summoned elders together to lecture them on their ethical duties… he had the elders bring his messages to all the residents so that this instructions would be available at every corner.” Chang (1962), p. 170.
- 41.
Zhang Zai, Ximing (Western Inscription), cited in deBary et al. (1960), Vol. I, p. 469.
- 42.
This quotation is taken from Yi and Kalton (1988), p. 57.
- 43.
Yi and Kalton (1988), p. 59.
- 44.
Yi, Hwang, the famous Chosun Neo-Confucian, adopted the Western Inscription in his book The Ten Diagrams on Sage Learning in order to educate Seon-jo, the young king, in 1568.
- 45.
For the list of important critiques on Confucianism past and present, see “Reassessment of the heritage” in Ching (1977), pp. 34–58.
- 46.
Berling (1980), p. 93.
- 47.
Ibid., p. 108.
- 48.
Li (2006), p. 600.
- 49.
Ibid., p. 600.
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Kim, S. (2016). The Neo-Confucian Vision of Harmony and Its Applicability to Interreligious Peacebuilding. In: Irvin-Erickson, D., Phan, P. (eds) Violence, Religion, Peacemaking. Interreligious Studies in Theory and Practice. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-56851-9_11
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