Not completely: but a survey of Chinese university students, which asked them how to define "cool," suggests that their attitudes are closer to the Taoist end of the spectrum than the Confucian. Let’s start with this excerpt:
…When asked to describe their personality traits,
survey participants defined themselves as honest, friendly, and
easy-going. Yet Chinese students also displayed a remarkable
independent streak—26 percent defined themselves as individualistic and
76 percent described themselves as entrepreneurial. These students also
know what they want—including independence within the workplace. Almost
two-thirds agreed that, "Sooner or later it would be better to work for
myself than be employed by a company."China’s university students are optimistic, full of confidence in
themselves and their judgment, and believe they can achieve their
goals. Seventy-two percent of the survey participants—young men and
women scored nearly the same—are optimistic about their future. Just
over half of the students surveyed agreed with the statement, "I
usually manage to get what I want." And according to the survey
results, students also do not seek guidance—they are happy to make
their own decisions and follow their own ideas.
Right away, my Taoist friends will say: "entrepreneurism and ‘getting what you want’ are not Taoist values." And they’re right. Modern, capitalist, profit-oriented, goal setting has taken over and transformed Chinese culture. China is no longer a unique and insulated culture but, rather, a side-current of a tumultuous global flow of ideas and images and practices. There are certainly ways in which Chinese culture is different from, say, American culture, but those differences have more to do with how Chinese people take from and add to, and mix and match, a broad array of universally available cultural elements, and less to do with the cultivation of a continuous and consistent "Chinese culture."
What I noticed from the above paragraphs was the individuality and independence: Chinese college students seek individual expression in their careers and consumption choices, and they "follow their own ideas." These are the qualities that are closer to Taoism than to Confucianism. They remind me of Burton Waston’s statement, in his introduction to his translation of Chuang Tzu, that Taoism is about "freedom." The survey also makes me think of each individual thing in Way (Tao) being allowed to express its own individual integrity (Te), as in this passage from Chuang Tzu:
Sounding the ten thousand things differently, so each becomes itself according to itself alone – who could make such music? (18)
Sounds like the kind of music Chinese students are seeking.
If there are Taoist-like hints in the survey results, there are also more pronounced rejections of Confucian values:
…the survey queried students on their role models.
More than one-third of respondents report that their parents—not
celebrities, businesspeople, or government leaders—are their role
models. This is especially true for young women, of whom 41 percent
considered their parents as role models, compared to 28 percent of
young men. But like young people everywhere, Chinese students do not
always listen to their parents. About 83 percent of those surveyed
agreed, "It’s better to follow my own ideas than to do exactly what my
parents want me to do." A mere 5 percent disagreed.
If the Confucian understanding of respecting parents and elders really made a cultural difference, I think more than one-third would identify parents as role models. And only 28% of sons! In my own experience with American college students, at least 20-30% of students would mention their parents as role models. As to listening to what parents say:
When Lord Meng Yi asked about honoring parents, the Master said: "Never disobey."
Later, when Fan Ch’ih was driving his carriage, the Master said: "Meng asked me about honoring parents, and I said Never disobey."
"What did you mean by that?" asked Fan Ch’ih.
"In life, serve them according to Ritual," replied the Master. "In death, bury them according to Ritual. And then, make offerings to them according to Ritual." (Analects, 2.5)
We can, of course, debate precisely what this passage means and entails; but it certainly suggests an obedience rate of better than 5%! So much for the Old Man! He doesn’t seem to have much traction with Chinese college students. Maybe Hu Jintao needs to reconsider the Eight Honors and Disgraces. They are not "cool."
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