Confucius is their man...

Regarding the article, “A unique fusion of Confucius and Aristotle, (SCMP Thursday 15 April, 2010), methinks Po Chung is idealising the situation here in Hong Kong, which is more of a mishmash than a blend of cultural influences.

However, given that the Chinese Communists are seeking a moral savior in Confucius, which means they don’t find virtues in what Communism presently offers, it may be useful to hark back to South Korea’s Kim Dae-jung who not so long ago challenged Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew’s view of the worth of the West-imposed political systems (meaning democratic systems) on to societies that are ill suited to them, a view then supported by China, also Malaysia.

Kim listed people and institutions from Mencius to the Korean religion of Tonghak, saying: “there are no ideas more fundamental to democracy than the teachings of Confucius, Buddhism and Tonghak.”

There are two schools of thought on Confucian education prevalent in China: one positive extolling the virtues of self-discipline and hard work; the other which has dominated educational thought in mainland China since the May 4 Movement of 1919 - as a major obstacle to progress.

Gu Mingyuan, author of, Education in China and Abroad, extolls Confucianism’s remarkable capacity for accommodating other cultures in that Confucianism is still here after thousands of years!. This is seen in the high degree of integration in the way different streams of thought are combined within its framework; and, its secular character - rather than dealing with other-world matters.

Another educator, and former pupil of Mr Gu, Wang Yingjie, also reveals his pukka Asian-ness when commenting on the western-style industrialisation that demands an education where separation of knowledge transmission from the cultivation of character is the norm.

Mr Wang wants an integration of humanity with the universe granting balance between individuals and society, between humanity and the natural environment; an integration of learning with life; integration of morality with knowledge; integration of knowing and doing; besides the integration of teaching with learning in a dialogue approach.

Chinese thought has always tended toward humanism rather than spiritualism, rationalism rather than mysticism, and syncretisms rather than sectarianism.

But those olden days are long gone and cannot be recaptured and rather than attempt the Confucian ideals advocated we had better adhere to the more tangible measures of democratic elections, rule of law and accountability.

While it’s not that the answer lies in the past we would do well by studying what is worth studying in the past, then China can readily identify those currents that flow closest to its modern heart. The term universalist humanism is dynamically applicable to today’s plight in China, in Asia, and all across the world.

Confucius can be viewed as the first humanist in China's recorded history so the Chinese Communists are on a good thing choosing Confucius as their man.

Sincerely,

Tony Henderson, chairman, Humanist Association of Hong Kong