Confucius/Confucianism
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Confucianism as Soft Power
Can a global diffusion of Confucian ideas increase the world-wide political power and influence of the PRC? I think a fair amount about this question, since I am rather actively involved in spreading Confucian and Taoist ideas to Americans ("ancient… Continue reading
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Because nothing says “Humanity” like a cartoon series
I missed the birthday of Confucius yesterday. So, let me say it today: happy 2,560th! The usual pageantry of invented traditions unfolded at Qufu. Houston, Texas got into the act with the dedication of a Confucius statue in a city… Continue reading
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Han Han and Popular Cultural Confucianism
No one would accuse writer/blogger/celebrity Han Han of being a Confucian. That's why it was interesting to see some of the comments in this article from Xinhua. For example, in discussing censorship in China, and the attention he has garnered… Continue reading
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No Ayn is an Island
Jonathan Chait has a review of a couple of new biographies of Ayn Rand (h/t Sullivan). This passage struck me: ….Rand held up her own meteoric rise from penniless immigrant to wealthy author as a case study of the individualist… Continue reading
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Confucian Confusion
Francesco Sisci has a nice piece in The Asia Times last week on Confucianism. The title, "West confused over Confucianism," does not do it justice, since there is confusion to be found in China as well when it comes to… Continue reading
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Canadian Confucians
This will come as no surprise to my Canadian friend Daniel A. Bell, but, according to Adam Gopnik's recent New Yorker profile of Michael Ignatieff (the full article can only be seen through subscription), folks north of the border have… Continue reading
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Confucius Movie Trailer
UPDATE: more on the Confucius movie here. This just came out. It doesn't reveal anything about the plot (how will his wife be portrayed?) but the pictures are pretty. CCTV reports on it here. Continue reading
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Is China more Confucian than Korea?
Caring for parents is the most important duty emphasized by Confucius in The Analects. And this article in the Chosun Ilbo (via Western Confucian) suggests that, on this score, South Korea and Japan fall far from the Confucian ideal: Young… Continue reading
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An early Confucius movie
It seems that the upcoming, big-budget movie about Confucius is not the only cinematic treatment of the Sage. Today's NYT reports on a restored Confucius film from the 1940s, by director Fei Mu. It seems that this film gets at… Continue reading
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Confucian Thirtysomething
In yesterday's NYT Porchista Khakpour presents a little riff on the 80's TV show thirtysomething. It's a nice piece, reflecting on her childhood with immigrant parents, the cultural rootlessness of Gen-Xers, and her new found sense of adulthood upon reaching… Continue reading
The Useless Tree 