The Useless Tree

Confucius/Confucianism

  • Legal Exoneration: A Confucian Perspective

    A reader messaged to ask for a Confucian answer to this question: what does society owe people who have been wrongly convicted of crimes? She asks because she is working with people in Taiwan on the issue of legal exoneration, along… Continue reading

  • Making Confucianism Relevant to Americans

    In my ongoing work to understand what Confucianism can mean in modern American contexts, I am returning to a paper I wrote for an academic conference a couple of years ago.  My thinking on the topic has expanded since then,… Continue reading

  • Thoughts on Yu Ying-shih’s brief reflection on “Confucianism’s Kiss of Death”

    Thanks to Yaxue Cao on Twitter, I came upon some recent brief remarks by the eminent scholar Yu Ying-shih on the current revival of Confucianism in the PRC that had popped up on Weixin (wonder if it was taken down….). … Continue reading

  • Hong Kong and the Mandate of Heaven

    I have been totally captivated by the extraordinary events in Hong Kong this past week.  Twitter has been my medium of choice, allowing, as it does, real time contact with people on the scene.  Here are some thoughts. Having followed… Continue reading

  • A Talk with Yu Dan

    What a pleasant way to end a great month in Beijing: a conversation with Yu Dan, author of the best-selling book on Confucianism in China in recent years, or maybe ever. I have followed her work since 2006, I am… Continue reading

  • Interview on “Roundtable” show on China Radio International

    Had a good time yesterday with John Artman and Xiao Hua, hosts of a talk show, "Roundtable," on China Radio International.   We discussed teaching Confucianism in China, what Confucianism might be in China today, and a little bit of Daoism… Continue reading

  • More on Teaching Confucianism in China

    Another busy week in the classroom here.  I want to respond to a couple of comments from my last post (I close comments after one week because of spam attacks) about my experience teaching Confucianism here now. First up, J… Continue reading

  • Teaching Confucius in Beijing

    I've been here over a week and have hardly had time to even think about blogging. It turns out that getting my class, "Confucianism in America," up and running has been a lot more time-consuming than I realized.  The central… Continue reading

  • Universal Culture

    Just back from a brief trip to Rome.  My first time there.  What a fantastic city.  We took a day trip as well to Assisi, the birthplace and resting place of St. Francis.  And while there I had a riveting… Continue reading

  • Is Confucian Reciprocity a “Silver Rule”?

    A friend of mine (thanks Karl!) sent me a link to a story in the Irish Times, way back on January 31: Unthinkable: Which ‘golden rule’ of ethics is best, the Christian or Confucian?  It is an interview with Yinya… Continue reading