To understand China, it is essential to understand Confucianism.
First formulated in the sixth century BCE, the teachings of
Confucius would come to dominate Chinese society, politics,
economics, and ethics. In this Very Short Introduction, Daniel K.
Gardner explores the major philosophical ideas of the Confucian
tradition, showing their profound impact on state ideology and
imperial government, the civil service examination system, domestic
life, and social relations over the course of twenty-six centuries.
Gardner focuses on two of the Sage's most crucial philosophical
problems-what makes for a good person, and what constitutes good
government-and demonstrates the enduring significance of these
questions today.
This volume shows the influence of the Sage's teachings over the
course of Chinese history--on state ideology, the civil service
examination system, imperial government, the family, and social
relations--and the fate of Confucianism in China in the nineteenth
and twentieth centuries, as China developed alongside a modernizing
West and Japan. Some Chinese intellectuals attempted to reform the
Confucian tradition to address new needs; others argued for
jettisoning it altogether in favor of Western ideas and technology;
still others condemned it angrily, arguing that Confucius and his
legacy were responsible for China's feudal, ''backward'' conditions
in the twentieth century and launching campaigns to eradicate its
influences. Yet Chinese continue to turn to the teachings of
Confucianism for guidance in their daily lives.
In addition to a survey of the philosophy and history of
Confucianism, Gardner offers an examination of the resurgence of
Confucianism in China today, and explores what such a revival means
for the Chinese government and the Chinese people.
About the Series:
Oxford's Very Short Introductions series offers concise and
original introductions to a wide range of subjects--from Islam to
Sociology, Politics to Classics, Literary Theory to History, and
Archaeology to the Bible. Not simply a textbook of definitions,
each volume in this series provides trenchant and provocative--yet
always balanced and complete--discussions of the central issues in
a given discipline or field. Every Very Short Introduction gives a
readable evolution of the subject in question, demonstrating how
the subject has developed and how it has influenced society.
Eventually, the series will encompass every major academic
discipline, offering all students an accessible and abundant
reference library. Whatever the area of study that one deems
important or appealing, whatever the topic that fascinates the
general reader, the Very Short Introductions series has a handy and
affordable guide that will likely prove indispensable.
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