The Concept of Harmony in Contemporary P. R. China and in Modern Confucianism
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4312/as.2013.1.2.3-20Keywords:
harmony, Confucianism, ideology, harmonious societyAbstract
The present article deals with the idea of the “harmonious society,” which is at the core of contemporary social ideologies in the P. R. China. This concept is examined from three perspectives: the official state interpretations of the concept of harmony (he 和 or hexie 和諧), and the classical and Modern Confucian elucidations. The author concludes that official political interpretations from the P.R. China mainly follow Xunzi’s classical elaboration of this concept, which is in the legalist tradition and implies autocratic elements, whereas the philosophic interpretations written by the Taiwanese Modern Confucians generally elaborate the Mencian, i.e. the more egalitarian and democratic stream of classical Confucian thought.
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References
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Zhou, Jiayi 周佳怡. 2010. “Zhongguo gudai hexie fazhiguande dangdai qianshi 中国古代和谐法制观的当代诠释 (A Modern Interpretation of the Classical Chinese Legal System).” Fazhi yu shehui 法治與社會 1: 285.
Fang, Thomé. 1980. The Chinese View of Life: The Philosophy of Comprehensive Harmony. Taipei: Linking Publishing.
Habermas, Jürgen, 1986: Der philosophische Diskurs der Moderne – zwölf Vorlesungen. Frankfurt/Main: Suhrkamp.
Kong, Fuzi 孔夫子. 2012a. “Lunyu 論語 (The Analects).” Chinese Text Project. Pre-Qin and Han. Accessed July 07, 2012, http://chinese.dsturgeon.net/text.pl?node=3925&if=en.
Kong, Fuzi 孔夫子. 2012b. “Chunqiu lu 春秋錄 (The Annals of Spring and Autumn Period.)” Chinese Text Project. Pre-Qin and Han. Accessed July 07, 2012, http://chinese.dsturgeon.net/text.pl?node=3925&if=en.
Lee, Ming-Huei. 2001. Der Konfuzianismus im modernen China. Leipzig: Leipziger Universitätsverlag.
Li, Chenyang. 2002. “Philosophy of Life, Creativity and Inclusiveness.” In Contemporary Chinese Philosophy, edited by Cheng Chung-Ying and Bunnin, Nicholas, 258–80. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers.
Li ji 禮記. 2012. “Li ji 禮記 (The Classic of Rites).” In Chinese Text Project. Pre-Qin and Han. Accessed July 07, 2012, http://ctext.org/liji.
Li Ning 李宁. 2010. “Goujian hexie shehui zhongde hexie xintai wenti 构建和谐社会中的和谐心态问题 (“Problem of Harmonical State of the Mind in Construction of Harmonic Society).” Jiaoyu jiaoxue luntan 教育教學論壇 22: 8–14.
Mengzi 孟子. 2012. “Mengzi 孟子.” Chinese Text Project. Pre-Qin and Han. Accessed July 07, 2012, http://chinese.dsturgeon.net/text.pl?node=3925&if=en.
Motoh, Helena. 2009. “Harmonija konliktov – klasična kitajska kozmologija v sodobnem političnem kontekstu.” Dialogi. 9 (9): 88–104
Mou, Zongsan 牟宗三. 1985. Yuanshan lun 圓善論 (On Summum Bonum). Taibei: Xuesheng shuju.
Ni, Peimin. 2002. “Practical Humanism of Xu Fuguan.” In Contemporary Chinese Philosophy, edited by Cheng, Chung-Ying and Bunnin, Nicholas, 281–304. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers.
Sin, Yee Chan. 2002. “Tang Junyi: Moral Idealism and Chinese Culture.” In Contemporary Chinese Philosophy, edited by Cheng, Chung-Ying and Bunnin, Nicholas, 235–346. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers.
Tang, Junyi 唐君毅. 1985. Daode ziwozhi jianli 道德自我之建立 (Establishing the Moral Self). Taipei: Xuesheng shuju.
Tang, Junyi 唐君毅. 2000. Renwen jingshenzhi chongjian人文精神之重建 (The New Constitution of the Humanistic Spirit). Taipei: Xuesheng shuju.
Xiao, Zhuoji. 2010. “Harmonious society.” China Daily, September 29.
Xu, Fuguan 徐復觀. 2001. Zhongguo yishu jingshen 中國藝術精神 (The Spirit of Chinese Art). Beijing: Huong shifan daxue chuban she.
Xu, Fuguan 徐復觀. 2005. Zhongguo renxing lun shi 中國人性論史 (The History of Studies on Human Nature in China). Beijing: Huong shifan daxue chuban she.
Xunzi 荀子. 2011. “Xunzi 荀子.” Chinese Text Project. Pre-Qin and Han. Accessed September 02, 2011, http://chinese.dsturgeon.net/text.pl?node=3925&if=en.
Yu, Jiyuan. 2002. “Xiong Shili’s Metaphysics of Virtue.” In Contemporary Chinese Philosophy, edited by Cheng Chung-Ying and Bunnin, Nicholas, 127–46. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers.
Zhang, Yixing 张翼星. 2004. “Zenyang lijie ‘daodao Kong jia dian’ 怎样理解“打倒孔家店” (Kako razumeti slogan ‘Zaprimo konfucijansko prodajalno’.)” Guangming wang - Guangming ribao she, 28.03.2004. Accessed August 31, 2012, http://www.gmw.cn/01wzb/2004-03/28/content_8407.htm.
Zheng, Yongnian and Tok, Sow Keat. 2007. “‘Harmonious Society’ and ‘Harmonious World’: China’s Policy Discourse Under Hu Jintao.” The University of Nottingham, China Policy Institute: Briefing Series. 2007 (26): 1–12.
Zhou, Jiayi 周佳怡. 2010. “Zhongguo gudai hexie fazhiguande dangdai qianshi 中国古代和谐法制观的当代诠释 (A Modern Interpretation of the Classical Chinese Legal System).” Fazhi yu shehui 法治與社會 1: 285.
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Published
29. 11. 2013
Issue
Section
National Ideologies
How to Cite
ROŠKER, Jana S. 2013. “The Concept of Harmony in Contemporary P. R. China and in Modern Confucianism”. Asian Studies 1 (2): 3-20. https://doi.org/10.4312/as.2013.1.2.3-20.
