Originally published at: The return of Confucianism in China | Boing Boing
…
“Certain Confucian values were depicted in the media as Asia’s alternative to Western individualism. These values included loyalty, integrity, hierarchy and an ability to harmoniously cooperate with others and put the interests of society and the nation above individual needs.”
Funny, I got so distracted by this dickhead that I had to rewind to hear what he actually said. Sick burn, bro.
8 Likes
Granted China isn’t even fond of Communism, they’ve been known to crack down on university students that took communist ideals and philosophies to heart.
12 Likes
Gotta say, the author’s grasp of Confucianism, Chinese culture, and communism is . . . shaky.
It’s pretty obvious to see why the Chinese government would encourage Confucianism, if you have a basic understanding of Confucianism or Chinese communism.
Also, why would it make more sense to crack down on native religious traditions and then focus on imports? That’s hardly logical or self-evident in any way.
3 Likes
As every layman does, obviously.
Happy cake day, btw.
6 Likes
Is it also pretty obvious why the Chinese government used to discourage Confucianism, then? Because I feel like one of the two should require a little explanation.
4 Likes
Confucianism never really went away in China, but it’s had times of being in vogue and out of vogue over the years. The question of whether or not Confucianism is or previously was a religion is very tricky, but I do not think that many religious scholars would consider modern Confucianism to be a religion any more than they would Utilitarianism.
ETA: I also wouldn’t say that China so much suppressed Confucianism as they simply discouraged all pre-Maoist thought. They did not erase Confucianism or even Buddhism, at least not successfully.
4 Likes
Right. I’d always thought it was more a philosophy or social order code of sorts than a religion. 
6 Likes
There was a time in Chinese history when they had State Confucianism and added a lot of religious elements to it, but that was hundreds of years ago.
ETA: No, I stand corrected. There are still Confucius Temples where Confucius is worshipped. It just goes to show: there are multiple versions of every ideology and some take things in very different directions from others.
3 Likes
Confucianism was anathema to revolutionaries because it is fundamentally anti revolutionary - Confucius himself lived through a rebellion against an emperor and saw that it accomplished little than getting people killed. So he supported tradition and realizing one’s place. When the CCP was revolutionary this viewpoint was off message. When they are the establishment, not so much.
12 Likes
“Which only serves to make the return of Confucianism in modern-day China all the more puzzling. If you’re going to get rid of any religion, you’d think you would start with the homegrown variants and work your way up to imports.”
Um, why? We’re talking about a pretty danged nationalist movement/culture.
1 Like
“Communist countries usually seek to stomp faith out of existence as thoroughly as possible.”
what
1 Like
I’m guessing it’s the version where Marxism-Leninism=Communism and Communism=Marxism-Leninism, and that Communism must involve a centralised state.
If you reject that being the only way, then things get far more complex.
There are some anarcho-communists who are Taoists as well.
11 Likes
For all practical purposes I’d classify Stalinism as a religion.
3 Likes
Maoism as well. Really any authoritarian system that requires unwavering and blind faith in a glorious leader or party or ideology.
Confucianism is a philosophy of convenience for Xi, nothing more and nothing less. The state religion remains allegiance to the CCP, and if an older philosophical tradition can be integrated into it to enhance nationalist sentiment without threatening the corrupt prerogatives of the party’s leaders it’s an easy choice.
4 Likes
That was like watching an emotionless avatar read a particularly boring textbook to me.
So like a Facebook shareholders meeting?
3 Likes
Hahaha! Yes, exactly!
This is China after all - where the Catholic Church doesn’t recognise the authority of the Pope and where the atheist Communist Party claims the right to declare the next reincarnation of the Dalai Lama.
4 Likes
