The Washington Post reports on the growing popularity of Confucianism in China. Confucius Making a Comeback In Money-Driven Modern China finds many reasons for the recent resurgence in popularity. As can be gleamed from the article’s title, the resurgence can be seen as an alternative to corruption and materialism, which have become driving values in China today. Communist Party leaders like how Confucianism emphasizes respect for authority. Parents like it because it stresses filial piety and obedience.
Is there anything new to be found in digging up ancient values? What real difference is there in sending kids to Confucian schools instead of regular schools? The article writes of one school where “children as young as 3 were memorizing and reciting ancient Chinese classics.” Memorizing and reciting is the basic bread and butter of any school in China, only the mindless doctrine is different.
What the article touches on really well, is that most “Chinese today are hard-pressed to fully describe the philosophy. It has become a grab bag of ideas that people are tailoring to their own needs as they search for a new belief system.” People are selectively choosing and discarding the bits of philosophy that suit their purposes. Confucianism has been seldom appreciated in recent years because it advocates a patriarchal system where men are superior to women. Also casually ignored, is the fact that Confucius himself “was a radical social critic with low opinions of his rulers.” These ideas seem to conveniently be brushed aside.
It seems that the current enthusiasm for this ancient philosophy is just another fad serving the times. Confucianism, above all else, is a belief system that trained millions of Han Chinese over the centuries to be obedient like sheep and accept leadership. The current government is not the first to note the advantages in that.
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