Abstract
Confucianism has been representative of Chinese traditional culture in official context for most of the time since the Han Dynasty (202BC). Since the fall of the Qing Dynasty, China neglected its traditions in order to modernize itself. People seem to be in danger of losing their soul [1]. As capitalism grows in contemporary China, cultural confusion sends China back to its home base - the Confucius worldview and cultural value. People are now exploring ways to integrate Confucianism into modern society. Previous research efforts have explored the motivational reasons contributing to this phenomenon. However, less clear is the psychological and spiritual significance of contemporary aspirations toward resurrecting Confucianism. This paper examines the Confucianism renaissance through the perspective of Terror Management Theory (TMT) which suggests that culture serves as a defense against the anxiety inherent in the human condition. This review is supported by a large body of experimental evidence [2,3]. Numerous studies have found that when people are reminded of their mortality, they are motivated to validate and defend their cultural worldviews and values in order to boost their self-esteem and viability of their own culture.
Highlights
Since the opening-up policy [4] in 1978, China underwent radical and tremendous changes
Chinese people feverishly devoted themselves to developing economy and technology in the past two decades under the delusion that materialism is the path to human happiness
Why is there a national fascination and enthusiasm with Confucianism? And why is Confucianism heralded as a solution to the many political, social, economic, and ethical problems that China faces? This article examines these research questions from the existential framework provided by terror management theory and research
Summary
Since the opening-up policy [4] in 1978, China underwent radical and tremendous changes. As the core of Chinese culture, Confucianism has “thoroughly penetrated every dimension and stratum of traditional society and its institutions” [1]. It seems to meet the psychological needs of the Chinese who are facing uncertainty from social, economic, and cultural transformation and from the rising pressure of unstable markets that are both regulated by the government and the economy. The re-appreciation of Confucius came back in the wake of the 1989 Tiannamen Square [7] demonstration where students showed their respect and appreciation for the traditional Chinese culture. Why is there a national fascination and enthusiasm with Confucianism? And why is Confucianism heralded as a solution to the many political, social, economic, and ethical problems that China faces? This article examines these research questions from the existential framework provided by terror management theory and research
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