Confucian Tradition And Modernity

Ever since the spreading of Western knowledge in the East, Confucian tradition has been confronted with an unprecedented dilemma in both theory and practice, especially from the twentieth century onward. American Sinologist Joseph R. Levenson coined in his book Conjucian China and Its Modern Fate, the well-known metaphor "museumization" to suggest that Confucian tradition has come to its demise. As a world famous scholar introducing and promoting the study of Confucianism around the globe, Tu Weiming tries within a rather long period of time to respond to questions that Levenson has raised. He has probed into the complicated relations between Confucian tradition and modernity from a cultural-philosophical standpoint.The dissertation is divided roughly into three units by centering on Tu's discussions on the relations between Confucian tradition and modernity. The first unit attempts to theoretically re-construct their relations. Chapter one is a creative illumination of the Confucian tradition. Pivoting around the proposition and the value of Confucianism's "in-build virtue", Tu Weiming tries to discover the universality, ultimateness, and modern-ness in Confucian traditionreferred or reflected by modernity. Chapter two talks about the prospective of the third-phase development of Confucianism, which is the logical and inevitable expansion of creative interpretation in the studies of Confucian tradition, in contrast to his precious analyses, this is a groundbreaking achievement for the following reasons: conscious of multicultural values, based on the critical spirit of the May Fourth Movement and recognizing the unpopularity of Confucianism at present. In this sense precisely, the probability is discussed for Confucian tradition with its new interpretations to revive in modern times.The second unit attempts to solve practical issues arisen from the combination and integration of modernity with the modern values in Confucian tradition. Chapter three looks at modernity in East Asia and Confucian ethics by focusing on the interior function or mobility in the tradition. To discuss the probability of Confucianism's development on the third phase simply from a multicultural viewpoint can not bring about a true dynamics to Confucianism's renaissance. The cultural framework of modernity in East Asia represented by Confucian tradition, which has roles similar to the spirit of Western modernization, is the basic element of social construction in modern societies. The economic revival in East Asia illustrates that Confucianethics also contains "unintended consequences" which lead to economic growth. Confucian tradition serves as the engine in modern societies. Chapter four deals with "cultural China" and the development of Confucianism. It will observe the role "cultural China" plays in linking the confrontation and disruption between Confucian tradition and modernity. "Cultural China" demonstrates the cultural values in re-constructing modernity, and it is open and embracing, having a strong sense of reality and the capacity to spread out temporally. "Cultural China" should set up from a multicultural background, from the benevolent interaction of Western modern values with its core on freedom and democracy, and the humanism originated from Marxism and Leninism with China's own cultural tradition.The third unit looks at the significance of the integration of Confucian tradition and modernity in the global scope. Chapter five concerns with meditations on the Enlightenment and the spirit of Confucianism. It follows the call of "standing on the vantage point of the EnJightenment but transcending its state of mind", examining from the re-construction of tradition and modernity on Enlightenment modernity which is the polarized and universalized regional knowledge. Confucianism must assume the mission to criticize and reflect the Enlightenment "state of mind" by resorting to humanisticspirits derived from Confucianism's four aspects-personal, social, natural and heavenly, to counter spiritual ailments in the W...