Confucian Research Articles

Minakata Kumagusu and the emergence of queer nature: Civilization theory, Buddhist science, and microbes, 1887–1892

AbstractIn the intellectual history of modern Japan, the late 1880s epitomized the Meiji government’s effort to ‘civilize’ through Westernization, driven by the social Darwinian vision of the survival of the fittest. During this period in the United States, the ideas of civilization theory, informed by the very antithesis of the Meiji state’s understanding, surfaced in the life and work of the aspiring young naturalist-botanist Minakata Kumagusu. He imagined a ‘different kind of civilization’ as he re-examined the nature of social evolution in microbes by turning to Indian-and-Chinese-derived knowledge of his home region of Kii, Japan. Buddhism, persecuted by the Meiji regime, most notably enabled his scientific enquiry, while the encyclopedic work of Wakan Sansai Zue (The Illustrated Three Knowledge of Sino-Japan) became another key inspiration. Chinese historiography and Confucian thoughts additionally facilitated his reasoning.What interconnected all of these strands was what the author refers to as ‘queer nature’: the basis for truths whose ontological and experiential qualities resembled the microbe slime mould. Similar to this microbe that captured Kumagusu’s imagination, with queer nature the process of knowing defied the epistemological dichotomies and hierarchies that were fundamental to the social Darwinian theory of evolution. Experientially, it attracted the knower’s attention, induced their desire for intimacy with strange and curious others, and propelled greater intellectual enquiries. The article thus demonstrates a queer theory of intellectual history rooted in modern Japan, whose intellectual lineage derived from India and China instead of the West.

Cтратегия познания Гу Янь-у

This article is devoted to the views on the goals and objectives of cognition of Gu Yanwu (1613–1682), the founder of the critical philosophy in China. These views, originally associated with the military-political projects of the Chi­nese elite of the Ming era and reflecting the strategy of the struggle for national sovereignty during the Manchu conquest of China, had a serious impact not only on the Confucian tradition of the following centuries, but also on modern Chi­nese studies. The concepts by Gu Yanwu were formed in the conditions of the emergence of new ideas about the world associated with the penetration of European knowledge and inventions into China. Because of his research con­cerning cognitive processes in the era of the collapse of the former Chinese and the emergence of the new Manchu official ideology, Gu Yanwu was able to ra­tionally explain the evolution of the Confucian tradition. His rejection of neo-Confucianism and the search for other orientations of intellectual activity were derived from the desire to preserve the Confucian heritage after the death of the Ming Dynasty. The former neo-Confucian attitude to the synthesis and con­sistency of knowledge, which has a practical application in eliminating differ­ences in descriptions of phenomena and events, has been replaced by an attitude to the analysis of knowledge and verification of the reliability of its source, also implying the verification of knowledge by practice. Gu Yanwu was the first to include field studies of geographical objects in essays on the standard Confucian issues of political culture and public administration. The idea of Yijing studies as the frameworks of Confucian tradition is fundamental to Gu Yanwu’s critical theory of cognition.

Learning motivations and effort beliefs in Confucian cultural context: A dual-mode theoretical framework of achievement goal.

For decades, results of international academic assessments have shown that students in the Confucian cultural circle performed outstandingly well. However, many studies also showed that East Asian students often experienced high pressure and had low interest in academic learning. The "high achievement but low interest" phenomenon has aroused great interest in psychologists and educators. From the emic perspective of cultural psychology, this theoretical article aims to propose (1) a dual-mode framework of achievement goals to conceptualize the motivation for academic learning and (2) two kinds of effort beliefs (obligation-oriented and improvement-oriented belief about effort) students may develop when pursuing academic achievement in societies influenced by Confucian heritage culture. Moreover, a series of empirical studies based on the framework are presented in this article to show that (1) Chinese students' academic striving is motivated not only by their interest but also by role obligation or virtue of effort, (2) students' effort beliefs could predict their learning emotion and behavioral tendency, and (3) students' effort beliefs could be influenced by their parents' and teachers' effort beliefs. The theoretical and practical implications of the framework are discussed.

History, Memory, and Place in the Popular Revival of Confucian Educational Traditions

In the first decade of the twenty-first century, traditional Confucian education re-emerged in China in the context of so-called study halls and academies. The goal of the parents, teachers, and headmasters associated with them is to cultivate modern virtuous persons through an approach called “classics-reading education.” Even though they allude to deep historical roots, these contemporary facilities are novel (re)creations, developed in response to current needs. This article examines the classics-reading movement under the theoretical lens of infrastructures of memory to illustrate the roles of memory and the perception of the past in the current making of “traditional” education and educational sites. Memories of and references to the past inform people's visions of a better future that is to be achieved through their tradition-related educational practices. Making a connection with the past through memory aims at stability in the face of future uncertainty.

The influence of the ethical principles of the philosophy of Confucius on Chinese cinema

The article examines the films of Chinese cinema of the 20th — early 21st centuries, which reflect the main ethical principles of Confucianism. It is noted that in contrast to the processes of commercialization of cinematography, when, first of all, emphasis is placed on the vivid visualization of the film, many outstanding Chinese directors pay attention to ethical principles in the life of society and an individual, relying on the teachings of Confucius, which continue to play an important role in spiritual life of China. The films "Goddess" (1934), "Spring Waters Flow to the East" (1947), "Hero" (2002), "The Horn is calling" (2007) were selected for analysis, which allow us to explore the ethics of Confucianism presented in them in historical discourse. The behavior models of the main characters, which were formed under the influence of Confucianism and are characteristic of Chinese society, reproduced in the films are considered and analyzed. It is noted that although the commercialization of films is taking place in Chinese cinema under the influence of globalization processes, there is a tendency to preserve the ethical principles of Confucianism and embody them in artistic works of cinema.

Reviewing the Interpretation of Confucian Destiny Thought from the Perspective of Moral Luck Theory

Rationalism has been occupying an important position in the interpretation of Confucian thoughts. However, it faces many limitations from the view of recent research. The theory of moral luck comes from the reflection on moral rationalism, emphasizing that the reflection on morality should return to the living world and pay attention to the context of human life and practice. This has brought new inspiration for the modern interpretation of Confucianism, especially the modern interpretation of the Confucian concept of destiny. The Confucian concept of fate advocates that people understand the “mandate of heaven” through self-cultivation and moral practice, and bravely undertake the mission they understand. The exploration of the Confucian concept of destiny is helpful for a deep understanding of important propositions such as the relationship between heaven and man in Confucianism.

Experiences and Perceptions of Chinese University Students Toward Blood Donation: A Qualitative Analysis

To examine the perceptions and experiences of Chinese university students blood donors. A semi-structured, face-to-face interview was conducted with 19 university students blood donors and an inductive thematic analysis was performed to analyze the interview. Five themes were generated from data analysis, that is, participants’ attitudes toward blood donation, donation disincentives, ways of improving donation rate, participants’ feelings and perceptions at different stages of the donation, and the influence of traditional Chinese culture on blood donation. Although participants have positive attitude toward blood donation, many of them have relatively little knowledge concerning blood donation or the donation system in China. It also found that cultural beliefs played a two-sided role in blood donation. On the one hand, some principles in traditional Chinese culture may have a negative influence on blood donation; on the other hand, doctrines of benevolence and Love in Confucius philosophy worked as an incentive to blood donation among university students. Thus, it would be necessary to take effective measures to make more university students access to the knowledge of blood donation. Community approaches such as stakeholder management and peer education conducted by student voluntary blood donors might be of great help to achieve a higher donation rate, which could be beneficial to the development of voluntary blood donation in China.

Joy, Music and Yumintongle in the Philosophy of Confucius and Mencius

Joy, Music and Yumintongle in the Philosophy of Confucius and Mencius

『기생 및 창기에 관한 서류철』의 2022년 새로운 칼라복제본에 관한 연구

This study explored “Preceding Studies” and “Existing Bibliography” that utilized the Records of Gisaeng and Changgi as well as “Recent Research Trends” that verified and corrected the academic errors and distortions found in those studies and bibliography to derive the state and problems of the existing copies of the Records of Gisaeng and Changgi. After figuring out the problems found in the existing copies, this study emphasized the need for new copy and described the process of obtaining the new copy (the colored copy of the Records of Gisaeng and Prostitute on June 30 2022) based on academic proposal and request to the National Archives of Korea. Then, this study came up with the value and utilization direction of the new colored copy.
 To establish the correct understanding on “Fundamental Characteristic and Truth of Records of Gisaeng and Changgi,” it is necessary to publish the new 2022 copy for Records of Gisaeng and Changgi and books that compile reprinted copy, accurately translated copy, and the recent studies on Records of Gisaeng and Changgi. These new copy and books will correct academic errors and distortions discovered in previous studies and existing bibliographies based on Records of Gisaeng and Changgi, as well as widely spread the corrections as well as newly discovered facts.
 Records of Gisaeng and Changgi should be easily accessible to both researchers and ordinary people in order to highlight the value and fundamental characteristics of Gisaeng and prostitute, as well as to promote the correct understanding and new perception toward the Korean modern history of Gisaeng and prostitute by clearly distinguishing and understanding the concepts of “Gisaeng Group” as the artist group that inherited the tradition of female musicians and “Prostitute Group” as the prostitute group who lived on prostitution during The Korean Empire’s turning point of modernization.
 Lastly, Although the Gisaeng during the Joseon Dynasty, the Daehan Empire, and the Japanese colonial era was not free from the sexual amusement and exploitation of the men under the Confucian society and the Japanese colonial rule, Gisaeng was not a prostitute who made a living by the prostitution. Gisaeng was an entertainer who learned music and dance every day at Jangakwon in the Joseon Dynasty, Goybangsa in the Daehan Empire, and Gisaeng Association and Gwonbeon in the Japanese colonial period. Gisaeng also made a living by doing music and dance at the royal court events, public events, private events, theaters, and restaurants.

Bring your support team with you: The role of family and friends in supporting the motivation of international secondary students

To increase their prospects of acceptance into a Western university, a growing number of teenagers from Confucian Heritage Culture (CHC) countries complete their secondary schooling in an English-speaking host country. The many challenges these teenagers encounter studying overseas can negatively impact their desire to persist with their studies. To investigate the positive mediating influences on students’ motivation, this study explored the influences on the achievement motivation of 15 academically successful CHC international secondary students. A framework employing theories about the influence of Confucian cultural heritage on motivation was used to analyse findings. Findings show that the teenagers’ motivation was influenced more by beliefs fostered in their home countries and by relationships with family at home and friends in their host country who shared a similar heritage background, rather than by school-based factors. These teenagers, while studying overseas, in effect study alongside rather than being integrated with host nation students, which fails to fulfil several goals of international education for students and host governments. Implications for host nations and schools are discussed in light of this finding.

The world of things in traditional Chinese painting

The relevance of the article. The formation of genre and the principles of genre classification in the art of East Asian countries is one of the least researched problems in the theory and history of art. It is generally accepted that still life appeared in the art of China as a result of the influence of the Euro-pean artistic system. Meanwhile, motifs related to the depiction of elements of the subject environment can be traced in other genres of Chinese painting. In modern artistic practice, still life is considered mainly as an element of academic education, but its creative potential remains little realized. Therefore, the relevance of the research is determined by the needs of both theory and artistic practice.
 The purpose of the article is to determine the main approaches to the depiction of things, their typological complexes, their role and significance in Chinese classical art.
 The methodology. In the research we used general scientific and special research methods. In particular, methods of systematization, content analysis and typology were applied; methods of formal, stylistic, semantic, comparative analysis.
 The results. The article outlines the main approaches to studying the origins of still life as a genre in the Chinese artistic tradition. As a result of the analysis of samples of easel and decorative painting, the main models of the representation of things were revealed, their typology, role and means of representation in the visual and content structure of the works were determined. The semantic aspects of pictorial motifs and their connections with the development of handicrafts, Confucian education, tastes and values of the privileged top of society and the development of collecting, are highlighted.
 The scientific novelty. For the first time, in the work we touched upon the issue of the formation of still life as a genre and its origins in Chinese painting, highlighted the previous artistic experience of depicting objects of the material environment, defined the main thematic complexes, established their role and significance in classical works.
 The practical significance. The results of the research can be used in the development of educational courses in the history of art and provide the necessary material both for creative experiments and for the development of various projects in the field of visual arts.
 Conclusions. The results of the analysis of various materials of fine art allow us to claim that in Chinese classical art, other, different from European, options for the representation of the world of things were formed. Typologically, they are represented by three models: a “portrait” of a thing (a close-up of one object with a careful depicting of form and decoration), a thing as a component of a portrait, a catalogue of things (a decorative composition on the theme “4 treasures of a scientist”, “4 noble arts”, “100 antiquities”). In all models, the depicted objects act as personifications of material and spiritual values of society, a sign of Confucian virtues, and as benevolent symbols. The “100 antiquities” complex, which was formed by XVIII century, combined previous lists of valuable things and became a reflection of craft achievements, educational tradition and awareness of its value, and the development of collecting.

The impact of teacher feedback on students' decisions to stay on or change course after math failure in a Confucian cultural context.

Previous research indicated that instructors holding entity belief tended to judge students to have low ability and provided ability-comforting feedback following math failure. Students receiving such feedback tended to quit and change course, creating a potential decrease in the pool of students pursuing math related fields. In Confucian heritage cultures (CHCs), the ideal society is primarily based on fulfillment of duties. Thus, the ability-based findings, derived from WEIRD samples, may not apply to duty-based CHCs. We hypothesized that CHC's teachers holding obligation belief tend to attribute students' failure to lack of duty fulfillment and provide duty-based feedback, including duty-comforting and duty-advising feedback, which motivates students to stay on rather than change course. To validate our hypothesis, we conducted three scenario experiments with 160 college students with teaching experiences, 273 high school students, and 369 pre-service teachers in Taiwan. Results showed that while ability-based paradigm may be culture-free, duty-based paradigm seems to be culture-bound. Consistent with previous research, teachers with entity belief tended to give ability-comforting feedback, pushing students to pursue non-math related fields. In contrast, teachers with obligation belief were likely to offer duty-comforting and duty-advising feedback, contributing to students' persistent pursuit in math. Furthermore, three fifths of teachers were inclined to provide ability-comforting, duty-comforting and duty-advising feedback concurrently, thus putting students in an unpleasant predicament that might be detrimental to their psychological well-being. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

UTOPIA IN THE REVIVAL OF CONFUCIAN EDUCATION: AN ETHNOGRAPHY OF THE CLASSICS‐READING MOVEMENT IN CONTEMPORARY CHINA. By SandraGilgan. China Studies, 46. Leiden and Boston: Brill, 2022. Pp. x + 266. Hardback, $138.00.

Religious Studies ReviewVolume 48, Issue 4 p. 605-606 Short Reviews of Recent Publications: East Asia UTOPIA IN THE REVIVAL OF CONFUCIAN EDUCATION: AN ETHNOGRAPHY OF THE CLASSICS-READING MOVEMENT IN CONTEMPORARY CHINA. By Sandra Gilgan. China Studies, 46. Leiden and Boston: Brill, 2022. Pp. x + 266. Hardback, $138.00. First published: 30 January 2023 https://doi.org/10.1111/rsr.16256Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume48, Issue4December 2022Pages 605-606 RelatedInformation

Chopsticks and clothes: Chinese heritage parents' perspectives on young children's technology use as a tool for language and cultural learning

AbstractThis paper presents Chinese heritage parents' perspectives on young children's use of technology as a tool for language and cultural learning. Growing up with Confucian heritage culture, some Chinese parents have particular cultural beliefs about learning that value effortful learning practices and the social context of learning. However, some Chinese parents believe technology is just a tool for entertainment and keeps children away from social interaction, which leads to their preference of print‐based literacy practices at home. Four parents from different families whose children were between the ages of four to five participated in this study. These parents were interviewed about their experience and history of using technology and their thoughts about technology as a tool for language and cultural learning. Four narratives were constructed to describe parents' experiences, histories, opinions, cultural values and beliefs. Parents' perspectives were influenced by a variety of intertwined factors, including their own childhood language learning experiences, their histories of using technology, their cultural values and beliefs about learning, the purpose of technological experiences, and the quality of available technological resources. Pedagogical implications for using technology with children and communicating with parents are discussed.

Self-Cultivation Through the Art of Calligraphy: From Past to the Future

Abstract Aesthetic education plays an important role for the cultivation of self in Chinese tradition. In Chinese tradition, philosophy, education, ethics, and metaphysics are closely interwoven. Confucius takes the educated person as one who develops and optimises her potential in every aspect of life including knowledge, skills, habits of mind, manners and dispositions, and artistic taste. The aim of Confucian education is to ‘develop a whole person’ – chéngrén (成人 or 成為全人). There are many different approaches to the cultivation of the whole human person such as the study of classics, moral refinement, spiritual practice, and artistic education. Among the various different art media, calligraphy in Chinese tradition occupies a special and irreplaceable status. However, in the modern times the most radical changes of calligraphy have taken place in the content and artistic expression, the way of writing, the materials, the utensils, and the cultural form. The avant-garde art of calligraphy brings a novel perspective of self-cultivation. This article will take the modern artist XU Bing(徐冰, 1955 -)’s work as the example to examine the meaning of self-cultivation. Overall, this article explores how calligraphy as art is taken as an important means of self-cultivation from the perspectives of tradition and avant-garde. Through history, calligraphy plays a vital role in art and education not only in Chinese culture but also in the global context.

More is not always better: the nonlinear relationship between formative assessment strategies and reading achievement

ABSTRACT This study investigated the relationship between formative assessment and reading achievement in Hong Kong, a Confucian Heritage Culture (CHC) society. 4,837 Hong Kong students were surveyed in a nine-item questionnaire that was used as indicator variable of formative assessment strategies. The study used multi-group structural equation modelling (MG-SEM) to examine the effects of formative assessment strategies on reading achievement across low-, medium-, and high-achievers controlling for gender and social economic status (SES) effects. The result showed that after controlling for SES and gender effects, there was significant effect of formative assessment strategies with low- and medium-reading achievers but not with high-reading achievers. Implications are drawn to inform formative assessment research and practice relevant to students’ reading achievement in CHC societies and other educational contexts.

The Modernization Resolution of Vietnam’s Education System by the Francophone Road in the East-West Cultural Conflict of the Late Nineteenth Century and the Early Twentieth Century

Even though the colonial authorities tried to use education as a political tool to serve their ruling purposes, the francophone education system was an important bridge between Vietnam’s traditional Confucian education and mankind’s modern one. One of the greatest achievements of the francophone education system in Vietnam was the training of a modern westernized intelligentsia different from traditional Confucian intellectuals. Although the Soviet and other socialist educational models later replaced the francophone education system, the cornerstones of all existing modern educational models of Vietnam have originated from the very first settlements of the francophone education in the Far East Country. The fundamental elements of the francophone education therefore play an important role in the integration and development of the Vietnamese education into the modern world education system. The modernization of the Vietnamese education system in the colonial period under the decisive influences of the francophone model could, to some extent, be seen as a historical resolution to modernity of Vietnam’s schools in the circumstances of the East-West dispute that nearly all Asian countries experienced in the second half of the nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth century.
 Received: 19 May 2022Accepted: 18 July 2022

The Education Philosophy of Confucius and Its Implications for the Philosophical Innovation of Education in Vietnam Nowadays

In the history of human thought, Confucius’ thought is prominent in Chinese philosophy. The value of Confucius’ philosophical thought has transcended space and time and influenced the social life of China, Vietnam, and the world. In general, Confucius thought in particular and Confucian ideas became the ideology of the feudal class during its development through feudal dynasties in China and many other Asian countries, including Vietnam. The report describes the educational philosophy of Confucius. The article clarifies the limitations and existing values in the educational innovation of Vietnam today. The paper uses dialectical materialism methodology and synthesis, analysis, and comparison methods to explain the system of views on education, educational objects, educational program content, and educational plans to educate people in socio-political and moral ways to stabilize society. The article also clarifies Confucius’s thoughts as the man who laid the foundation for the development of Confucianism in Chinese history.

Vietnamese adult learners as Confucian Culture co-present groups in workplaces

This paper focuses on learning that takes place outside formal classrooms within groups or teams. Based on the conceptual framework of informal learning, adult learning and lifelong learning, it investigates how two contrasting groups of adult learners in Vietnam, Mekong doctors and Hanoi hairdressers, learn, interact, and collaborate through their informal learning experiences in the workplace. These are two ‘co-present groups’ or two ‘complex systems’. For Vietnamese learners, the challenges of Confucian heritage culture, or the lack of awareness of cultural differences, created obstacles to collaboration and participation. The contribution to this Special Issue argues that co-present group learning applies well to non-Western Confucius-based cultures and other countries with similar values, despite this lack of awareness of cultural differences.

‘Students as partners rather than followers but … ’: understanding academics’ conceptions of changing learner-teacher relationships in Chinese higher education

ABSTRACT Students as partners (SaP) is gaining attention in higher education (HE) as universities worldwide rethink pedagogical practices through a relationship-rich lens. Many studies have examined partnership practices, conceptions of learner-teacher partnerships and its application in various (mainly anglophone) contexts. However, relatively few studies have explored SaP issues in non-anglophone contexts (e.g., China). In this study, we interviewed 20 lecturers at a Chinese university to understand how they perceived the role of students in teaching and learning. Our reflexive thematic analysis found that many lecturers were open to, and some already practising forms of, partnership practices. But pragmatic, structural and cultural issues caused hesitation, particularly the cultural heritage of Confucian education and global HE competition drivers rewarding research outputs over teaching practices. This study is an initial step in exploring academics’ perceptions of SaP in a changing Chinese HE system with a strong policy focus on student-centred approaches.