Is Confucianism a religion? If so, why do most Chinese think it
isn't? From ancient Confucian temples, to nineteenth-century
archives, to the testimony of people interviewed by the author
throughout China over a period of more than a decade, this book
traces the birth and growth of the idea of Confucianism as a world
religion.
The book begins at Oxford, in the late nineteenth century, when
Friedrich Max Muller and James Legge classified Confucianism as a
world religion in the new discourse of "world religions" and the
emerging discipline of comparative religion. Anna Sun shows how
that decisive moment continues to influence the understanding of
Confucianism in the contemporary world, not only in the West but
also in China, where the politics of Confucianism has become
important to the present regime in a time of transition. Contested
histories of Confucianism are vital signs of social and political
change.
Sun also examines the revival of Confucianism in contemporary
China and the social significance of the ritual practice of
Confucian temples. While the Chinese government turns to
Confucianism to justify its political agenda, Confucian activists
have started a movement to turn Confucianism into a religion.
Confucianism as a world religion might have begun as a scholarly
construction, but are we witnessing its transformation into a
social and political reality?
With historical analysis, extensive research, and thoughtful
reflection, "Confucianism as a World Religion" will engage all
those interested in religion and global politics at the beginning
of the Chinese century."
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