Confucian Propriety and Ritual Learning: A Philosophical Interpretation (SUNY series in Chinese Philosophy and Culture) - Softcover

Siguršsson, Geir

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1438454406 ISBN 13: 9781438454405

Publisher: State University of New York Press, 2016

Synopsis

A reconsideration of the Confucian concept li (ritual or ritual propriety), one that references Western philosophers as well as the Chinese context.

Geir Siguršsson offers a reconsideration of li, often translated as “ritual” or “ritual propriety,” one of the most controversial concepts in Confucian philosophy. Strong associations with the Zhou period during which Confucius lived have put this concept at odds with modernity’s emphasis on progressive rationality and liberation from the yoke of tradition. Siguršsson notes how the Confucian perspective on learning provides a more balanced understanding of li. He goes on to discuss the limitations of the critique of tradition and of rationality’s claim to authority, referencing several Western sources, notably Hans-Georg Gadamer, John Dewey, and Pierre Bourdieu. An exposition of the ancient Chinese worldview of time and continuous change further points to the inevitability of li’s adaptable and flexible nature. Siguršsson argues that Confucius and his immediate followers did not endorse a program of returning to the Zhou tradition, but rather of reviving the spirit of Zhou culture, involving active and personalized participation in tradition’s sustention and evolution.

About this title

About the Author

Geir Siguršsson is Associate Professor of Chinese Studies at the University of Iceland.

Edition details

• Publisher: State University of New York Press
• Publication date: 2016
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1438454406
• ISBN 13: 9781438454405
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 186