The Refunctioning of Confucianism: The Mainland Chinese Intellectual Response to Confucianism Since the 1980s

Abstract

This paper examines the thrust and content of the discourse of Confucianism in mainland China since the 1980s. It begins with an examination of three different approaches in the Confucianism discourse, including the socialist approach, the liberal approach, and the Confucian approach. It then proceeds to analyze the substance of the specific contestations over Confucianism and democracy, Confucianism and Marxism, Confucianism and modernization, and, most importantly the mainland Chinese government`s attitude toward the socialist approach, the liberal approach, and the Confucian approach. It concludes with some general observations oboist the refunctioning of Confucianism and its shift in a conservative direction.