The Useless Tree

Confucius/Confucianism

  • Yu Dan in Britain

    Yu Dan, popularizer of Confucianism in China, has hit Britain.  Her book on The Analects has been translated into English and has just come out in the UK.  Good for her.  I think, over all, she does a valuable service… Continue reading

  • The Elderly and Confucianism in China

    Given the growing number of elderly people in China, and the growing number of old-age homes, a question arises: will the Confucian call to care for parents and the elderly be overwhelmed by the economic and cultural pressures of modernization? … Continue reading

  • Male heirs are unnecessary

    This article popped up a couple of days ago in the NYT: A bias in favor of male offspring has left China with 32 million more boys under the age of 20 than girls, creating “an imminent generation of excess… Continue reading

  • Learning Confucius

    Sorry for the lack of posting of late.  A combination of work and some personal stuff has taken me away from the keyboard.  But tonight there is some time to get to a couple of things that have been turning… Continue reading

  • David Brooks gets his Confucius on

    In an intriguing op-ed today in the NYT, David Books thinks aloud about the problems of moral philosophy: Socrates talked. The assumption behind his approach to philosophy, and the approaches of millions of people since, is that moral thinking is… Continue reading

  • What happens when Ritual is forgotten

    Here's a Confucian nightmare, the kind of thing that happens when people are not committed to doing the right thing: Woman with beer can in hand starts brawl at wake MAGNOLIA, Ark. (AP) — Sheriff's deputies said a Texas woman… Continue reading

  • Confucius: The Movie

    OK, we knew at some point this had to happen: the major big budget PRC movie on Confucius.  Jeremiah is on the story. After the criticism that emerged within China about Slumdog Millionaire and Kung Fu Panda, the prospects are… Continue reading

  • Confucius on the AIG Bonuses

    Bonuses going to AIG execs.  What would Confucius do?  He would certainly disapprove, as this excerpt from Analects 14.1 suggests: Yuan Szu asked about disgrace, and the Master said: "To enjoy a salary when your country abides in the Way… Continue reading

  • North Korea is not Confucian

    Props to The Western Confucian for finding and countering this column in the Financial Times: "N Korea is More Confucian Cult than rogue state.", which gives us this wildly unhelpful line: No analogy is perfect but that view of North… Continue reading

  • Finagrette’s Handshake

    It's been a bit busy around here of late. We are getting close to our Spring Break and student assignments are due, which means office hours are busier and everything is more hectic.  For me there is the added work… Continue reading