Confucianism as Religion: Controversies and Consequences

Description

On the Rhetoric of Defining Confucianism as a Religion tackles the perennially controversial question of whether Confucianism is a religion and proposes a holistic and contextual approach to the issue. Contents Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter One Problems and Ambiguity Surrounding the Question of Confucian Religiosity 1. The Epistemological Problem: Transculturing the Term Religion 1) The Reception of the Term Religion in the Chinese Context 2) The Study of Religion as an Academic Discipline 3) Constructing Religion in the Chinese Context 2. The Linguistic Ambiguity of Terms: Rujia, Rujiao, Ruxue 1) The Holistic and Panoramic Vision of the Term Confucianism 2) The Obscure Origin of Ru 3) The Ambiguity of the Terms: Rujia, Rujiao, and Ruxue 4) The Distribution of Rujia, Rujiao, and Ruxue 5) Transcending Terminological Limitation 3. Values and Implications in the Discourse on Confucian Religiosity 1) De Saussure’s Theory on Syntagm 2) Values and Implications in the Chinese Discourse 3) Values and Implications in the Western Discourse Chapter Two Historical Discussions on the Question of Confucian Religiosity 1. Kang Youwei and the Kongjiao Controversy 1) Background and Significance of Kang’s State Religion Campaign 2) Kang Youwei’s Interpretation of Confucian Religiosity 3) May Fourth Opposition to Kang’s State Religion Movement 2. The Resurrection of the Controversy: Context, Agenda, and Rhetoric 1) Historical Outlines of the Controversy in Recent Decades 2) Approaches and Arguments in the Latest Controversy 3) Significance of and Problems with the Latest Controversy 3. Western Scholarship on Confucian Religiosity 1) James Legge 2) William Edward Soothill 3) Max Weber 4) Julia Ching 5) Rodney L. Taylor 6) John Berthrong 7) Joseph A. Adler Chapter Three Epistemological Significance of the Controversy over Confucian Religiosity 1. The Pragmatic Turn in Defining Religion 1) W. C. Smith’s Renunciation of the Term Religion 2) Melford Spiro’s Criterion of “Intra-cultural Intuitivity” 3) Benson Saler’s Notion of “Default Values” 4) Martin Southwold’s Twelve-Attribute-Substantiation of a Religion 2. Definability of Confucianism in Terms of Religion 1) Methodological Attitude toward Transculturing Religion 2) Religious Dimensions of Traditional Chinese Society 3) Demarcating Confucianism from the Cultural Context 4) Definability of Confucianism in Terms of Religion 3. Epistemological Significance of the Controversy 1) The Anxiety for Modernization and the Postmodern Critique 2) A Nominal Approach to Defining Confucianism 3) Defining Confucianism in Spite of History Chapter Four Cultural and Historical Significance of the Controversy over Confucian Religiosity 1. Fractured Continuity between Tradition and Modernity 2. The New Confucian Approach to the Question on Confucian Religiosity 3. The New Confucian Approach to the Problem of Modernity 4. The Theoretical Limitation of New Confucianism 5. Engaging Tradition in Post-Confucian Paradigms 6. Jiang Qing as a Confucian Religion Maker Epilogue Transliteration Table Bibliography Index