According to the article titled “Confucianism in Modern Chinese Society,” that was published in ChinaSource on 13 th March 2014 by Peregrine de Vigo , Confucianism was founded by Confucius and since its initiation; it has gone through many changes characterized through three distinct phases. The first phase is the pre-Qin Confucianism which represents the theoretical foundation of the Han Dynasty. The second phase; the natural science of the Song and Ming Dynasties emerged through the influence of Taoism which was native to China as well as Indian Buddhism which was foreign. The third phase which is the modern version is characterized by a strong influence from the western culture. In the Chinese society, it occupies an important position, defining its ideologies, culture as well as the political aspects of life throughout history in the society’s adherence to the spirit and traditional morals of the religion but with decreasing importance over the past decades. This article attempts to demonstrate how Confucianism affects the modern Chinese society with particular focus on the contemporary, mainland, urban China in Han dominant areas. The article starts by giving a picture of a walk through over the town, demonstrating that a superficial view indicates that Confucianism as it was in the olden times no longer exists but rather, it has taken on new manifestations. It considers its influence from different perspectives in terms of filial piety, education, socialization, politics, and spiritualism.
Filial piety
De Vigo (2014) explains that filial piety occupies a central role in Confucianism and most people strongly associate the two, explaining that today in most Chinese families, it is common to see it being practiced. Children are brought up and taught from an early age how important it is to care for their parents especially when they are old and not able to fend for themselves. The article is rather critical about the religious definition of this virtue explaining that it ignores to shed light on the needs of the children and thus the responsibility of the society towards them. It only emphasizes the duty of children towards parents, taking for granted the importance of parenting.
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Education
The articles demonstrate the importance with which academic institutions regard Confucianism. It explains the various movements that have been established to ensure that some social and cultural norms are reintroduced after they were lost through the Cultural Revolution as well as the May Fourth movement. It cites guóxué , as one such movement which facilitates academic programs that teach Ruist/ Confucianism traditional literature and that some educational institutions are even offering BA, MA and PhD courses. Advocates for such reclamations are pushing for it to be instituted in the educational curriculum from elementary school to high school. Challenges for its success are that since it is not a prerequisite for University entrance, it is considered useless by the general population who also regard it as old-fashioned. Ruism is also regarded as important in educational spheres in its symbolism as Chinese philosophy, attempting to answer the lingering question as to whether China has a philosophy (de Vigo, 2014).
Social behavior
Further, de Vigo (2014) explains that Ruism has responded to social changes that have occurred over the past years in particular consideration of the roles of men and women in the society, indicating that it has become more inclusive of the woman contrary to its previous patriarchal stance. As the society grapples with the loss of morality, there is an urgent need for a framework for appropriate social behavior. Ruism has come in handy as a solution to this problem by offering moral teachings. It explains that there has emerged a “Confucius fever” indicating that the society is opting for its traditional teachings to mend a wayward trend. As an example, a book by a professor at Beijing Normal University on The Analects titled Confucius from the Heart became popular as it sold three million copies within the first four months of its publication.
Politics
According to de Vigo (2014), Confucianism also talks much about politics. There is much literature in Ruism concerning political governance with criticism on corruption as well as abuse of power. He explains that, 2000 years ago, it was a prominent political ideology, but this situation has since changed following several reforms and revolutions that have taken place in the past century that led to its elimination. The article attempts to explain that there have been some attempts to reintroduce Ruist thoughts into the political arena but it appears that they no longer have the strong influence that they once had. He elaborates this aspect by demonstrating how in 2011 a statue of Master King, the pioneer of Confucianism was placed in the Tiananmen Square and later removed after only four months from its appearance.
Spirituality
In the modern world, Confucianism has increasingly become a source of spiritual support that has endured through communist revolution and westernization. Some argue that it is not an outdated religion but relevant even today through a revolution that takes into account the many transformations that have occurred over the past years. Some advocates of Ruism argue that it is more than a religion and encompasses a holistic way of life. Many Chinese have been re-examining their self-identity and have thus considered how much of their old ways they should retain. As such, identification with Confucianism seems the most appropriate way through which they can retain some of their heritage (de Vigo, 2014).
Conclusion
There have been many attempts to revive Confucianism to its previous dominant status. It is obvious that many reforms which occurred in the past, including the western influence especially through Christianity, rendered this religion unpopular. From its establishment, Confucianism has gone through three significant phases which offers a clear indication that it has not been able to withstand the test of time to remain in its original form. Its transformations demonstrate that it has not been strong enough in the face of major revolutions, making it necessary to adapt to the changing environment. The author seeks to explain that though this religion is not completely gone; its remnants can still be seen in the various life aspects of the Chinese community. However, despite the multiple attempts by its advocates to revive it to its previous glory, it appears that it will never be able to wield the same influence it did in the previous ages. The article presents a clear overview of the different aspects of life that Confucianism would have an impact on, giving a general demonstration on how its influence has waned over the ages. However, this general aspect does not seem to relate well with its influence on education because, from the author’s discussion, Confucianism is becoming more prominent.
Reference
De Vigo, P. (2014, March 13). Confucianism in Modern Chinese Society. ChinaSource. Retrieved from https://www.chinasource.org/resource- library/articles/confucianism-in-modern-chinese-society
