"This volume originated in an April 2012 international conference sponsored by the UBCI: "Beyond the New Confucianism: Confucian Thought for Twenty-first Century China." Tzeki Hon and I organized the event. With the exception of one chapter, all of the essays in this volume were originally presented and discussed at the 2012 conference in Buffalo"--Foreword.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

List of Illustrations; Preface; Introduction; The Openness of the 1980s and 1990s; Global and Local Factors; New Confucianism as a Modernization Theory; The Moral Foundation of Contemporary Democratic Institutions; New Understanding of Tang Junyi; Confucius as a Commodity and a Cultural Icon; Confucianism of the Twenty-First Century; Notes; Part One: Capitalism and the Global Order; 1. Global Capitalism with Chinese Characteristics Fang Keli's New Confucian Research Project (1986-1995); Three Intellectual Currents; Three Generations of New Confucians; Confucian Capitalism.

ConclusionNotes; 2. Confucianism, Community, Capitalism Chen Lai and the Spirit of Max Weber; Confucianism as a Moral Project: The Critique of Instrumental Rationality; Instrumental Rationality and East Asian Development; Chen Lai, Max Weber, and the Chinese Discourse on Modernity; Notes; 3. Realizing Tianxia Traditional Values and China's Foreign Policy; The Concept of Tianxia; A Hierarchical World Order; Political Meritocracy; Social Harmony; Conclusion; Notes; 4. Confucianism to Save the World; Which Confucianism?; How Can Political Confucianism Save the World?; China as a Role Model?

NotesPart Two: Political Plurality and Civil Society; 5. Building Democracy The Theory and Practice of Contemporary New Confucianism; Confucianism and Democracy; The 1958 Declaration; Mou Zongsan's Contribution; The Perfect Balance; Taiwan Democracy; Notes; 6. Self-Restriction and Progressive Confucianism; Self -- Restriction in Politics; Is This Confucianism?; Progressive Confucianism; Notes; 7. Confucianism and Civil Society The New Meanings of "Inner Sage" and "Outer King"; The Third Epoch; Three Intellectual Sources; A New Morality; Confucianism and Civil Society; Notes.

8. A Mission Impossible? Mou Zongsan's Attempt to Rebuild Morality in the Modern AgeThe Mission of Contemporary New Confucianism; Mou Zongsan's Endeavor; Conclusion; Notes; 9. The Challenge of Totalitarianism Lessons from Tang Junyi's Political Philosophy; Modernization and Human Agency from a Confucian Perspective; Foundations of Historical Optimism; Delimiting a "Philosophy of History"; On the Totalitarian Challenge; Overcoming Totalitarianism?; Notes; 10. A Critique of Colonialism and Capitalism Tang Junyi's Views on Plurality and Openness; Contextualizing Tang's Humanism.

Education in Colonial Hong KongConfucianism and Openness; China's Path to Modernization; Capitalism and Confucian Ethnics; The Contemporary Significance of Tang Junyi; Notes; Part Three: Social Responsibility and Social Action; 11. Worshipping Ancestors in Modern China Confucius and the Yellow Emperor as Icons of Chinese Identity; Yellow Emperor as National Ancestor; Yellow Emperor and Confucius as Rival National Icons; The Worship of the Yellow Emperor in Shaanxi; The Worship of Confucius in Qufu; Conclusion; Notes.

Online resource; title from digital title page (viewed on September 25, 2017).

Discusses contemporary Confucianism's relevance and its capacity to address pressing social and political issues of twenty-first-century life. Condemned during the Maoist era as a relic of feudalism, Confucianism enjoyed a robust revival in post-Mao China as China's economy began its rapid expansion and gradual integration into the global economy. Associated with economic development, individual growth, and social progress by its advocates, Confucianism became a potent force in shaping politics and society in mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and overseas Chinese communities. This book links the contemporary Confucian revival to debates-both within and outside China-about global capitalism, East Asian modernity, political reforms, civil society, and human alienation. The contributors offer fresh insights on the contemporary Confucian revival as a broad cultural phenomenon, encompassing an interpretation of Confucian moral teaching; a theory of political action; a vision of social justice; and a perspective for a new global order, in addition to demonstrating that Confucianism is capable of addressing a wide range of social and political issues in the twenty-first century.