China’s narrative war with West goes beyond Confucius with focus on other ancient schools
China has set up a research institute on early Chinese philosophies, taking the discourse beyond Confucius in its latest effort to win the narrative war with the West on governance values. The “Chinese Zhuzi Research Institute”, or “institute of early Chinese philosophies” opened earlier this month at the East China Normal University (ECNU) in Shanghai. It aims to explore the country’s rich philosophical heritage dating back more than 2,000 years and use that ancient wisdom for contemporary governance in China and beyond, scholars attending the inauguration ceremony last month said. Analysts see the institute as the latest testament to China’s focus on reclaiming its intellectual heritage for modern governance as it fights a narrative war with the West, albeit with a focus on the less popular schools of thought to encourage a more inclusive dialogue. Addressing the inauguration ceremony, ECNU vice-president Lei Qili highlighted the institute’s role in revitalising traditional culture in response to the “second combine”. The term, coined by President Xi Jinping in 2021 during the centenary of the Communist Party, is part of Beijing’s campaign to “Sinicise Marxism” through traditional Chinese culture. The “first combine” adapted Marxism to China’s unique realities, such as the reforms initiated by Deng Xiaoping in the late 20th century. Traditionally, Confucianism has been the predominant ideology in Chinese cultural and intellectual contexts, while other philosophical schools were usually sidelined. According to Stephen C. Angle, professor of philosophy and East Asian Studies at Wesleyan University in Connecticut, the new institute presents “a wider framework for understanding [Chinese] civilisation – which is appropriate. Confucianism, which emphasises morality and hierarchy, is one of the diverse, flourishing philosophical schools that arose from social and political upheaval in China’s Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770-256 BC). Among the other leading schools of thought are Taoism, which advocates for living in harmony with nature; Legalism, which focuses on strict laws and places little faith in ethical persuasion or moral leadership; and Mohism, which promotes universal love and meritocracy. Others include the School of Names focusing on language and logic, and the School of Yin-Yang, which advocates a balance of opposites.
Source: Xinlu Liang in South China Morning Post