INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
The upcoming 11th Nishan Forum on World Civilizations is once again drawing people's attention to traditional Confucianism, an important
part of Chinese civilization.Located in east China's Shandong Province, Nishan is known as the cradle of Confucius culture because it's the
birthplace of Confucius.Confucius (551-479 BC) is a household educator and one of the most influential philosophers in ancient China
In his life, Confucius taught over 3,000 students, 70 of whom were considered outstanding
After Confucius passed away, his disciples recorded his dialogues, words and thoughts, compiling them into "The Analects of Confucius."Five
key conceptsThere are five key concepts in Confucianism: benevolence, or "ren" in Chinese, righteousness, or "yi," propriety, "li," wisdom,
"zhi," and trustworthiness, "xin."Specifically speaking, benevolence, or "ren," is defined as a moral quality that emphasizes mutual help,
love and respect between people
One household Confucian discourse is that "one should not impose on others what he himself does not desire." That is to say, one should put
oneself in the place of another to respect others.When dealing with the relationship between gain and righteousness, or "yi," Confucius
proposed, "When faced with gain, one should first consider and distinguish whether the obtainment of gain is in accord with
morality."Propriety, or "li," is the "basis for determining proper human relations, clarifying ambiguities, differentiating between things,
and telling right from wrong," according to the Confucian classic "The Book of Rites."The Confucian school believes that people should have
"zhi," or wisdom, so as not to be confused by complexities and be able to act in conformity with ethical standards."Xin," meaning fidelity,
is explained in the "Analects" as, "What good is a man if he acts without good faith?" In Confucianism, one should be honest and truthful
toward friends.Those ideas have not only influenced generations of Chinese people but also people around the world.For example, the
influence of Confucian culture can be seen all throughout South Korea
After the establishment of the Chosun Dynasty, Confucianism, represented by the neo-Confucian philosophy system developed by Zhu Xi, a
Confucian scholar of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), was designated as the official school of thought and maintained that status for
To this day, South Korea continues to preserve Confucian culture, and most of its citizens still approve of Confucian ethics and morality in
daily life.Modern relevance of ConfucianismSince 2004, about 500 Confucius Institutes have been set up in some 160 countries and regions
through collaboration between Chinese and foreign partners to promote Chinese language and culture.Experts say that Confucian ideas offer
insights into modern global challenges
"Thoughts such as harmony between man and nature, or the ideal of a world for the common good, remain relevant," said Han Fengju, an
official of Qufu's cultural heritage bureau.Andrea Balbo, a professor of Latin language and literature at the Department of Humanities
Studies of the University of Turin in Italy, said that the discussions on social order and harmony in Confucianism fascinate him
greatly.Balbo believed that the Confucian ideas are crucial for promoting the establishment of a more peaceful world in the present.Jonathan
Flowers, assistant professor of philosophy at California State University, Northridge, said at the 10th Nishan Forum on World Civilizations
in July 2024 that "the most positive role that Confucianism can play in the modern world is by looking at the ways in which our ritual
conduct – our 'li' – broadly construes and shapes our 'xin' and allows us to become the kinds of people that we are right.""So it's to
provide us with a means to assess the health of a given society on the basis of the ritual conduct that produces certain kinds of persons,"
said Flowers, adding that "that's the most positive thing that Confucianism can contribute to the world."Chhem Kieth Rethy, professor of AI
and Humanities at CamTech University in Cambodia, also attended the 10th Nishan Forum on World Civilizations
For Chhem, the best Confucian principle that applies in his life and his work is benevolence, or "ren.""Benevolence means you try to be
good, you try to be generous, you try not to harm other people."Noting many regions being in the midst of conflicts, Chhem said if those
regions have learned the values, the ethics and the lifestyle taught by Confucius, people should appeal to themselves to not go to
wars."Because to me, a war starts in the mind, and if you can control your mind by learning from the wisdom of a great sage like Confucius,
people would be more amenable to talk, to dialogue across civilizations.""If you want to live in a harmonious world, you need to apply his
wise principles," Chhem added.
