Written by “If you can revive the ancient and use it to understand the modern, then you are worthy to be a teacher.” – Confucius
We’ve been talking about these cornerstones of culture the past few weeks, taking them one at a time.
But what happens when they meet?
And how can you, as Confucius says, understand the modern by reviving the ancient?
Welcome to the Beijing Olympics
It was 2008. Beijing, China. Olympic Opening Ceremony.
“Friends have come from afar, how happy we are.”
A quote by the Chinese philosopher, Confucius, was presented at the fore.
Later, the Bird’s Nest was invaded by 3,000 Confucian disciples. The performers held bamboo slips, upon which some read the ancient Chinese character, “He,” which means harmony.
The religious philosophy of Confucianism was present at the international ceremony, as the great philosopher represents the Chinese mind.
Alive from 552 to 479 BC, “The Uncrowned King” remains today, 1,500 years later, Chinese history’s most influential person.
He is so influential that his traditional ideas and teachings remain a part of modern Chinese thought.
A Culture Influenced By Religion and History
Although Confucius was once deemed “The Number One Hooligan Old Kong” by Mao’s Red Guards, the Communist Party realized that the great philosopher might be useful for their agenda.
Only, instead of true harmony in the way Confucian taught, the Communist Party Confucius emphasizes obedience and loyalty. He bucks Western ideals and pushes for authoritarian rule.
“Harmony” – a Confucian concept – is used a lot by Communists; harmony, meaning no dissent.
The true Confucian take on harmony, however, is one in which each person in a society works together toward prosperity.
A research paper entitled, “The Relevance of Confucian Philosophy to Modern Concepts of Leadership and Followership,” explains Confucius’ views as follows:
“Confucius observed that because society is a weave of relationships between individuals, a healthy community depends upon an attitude of human caring among its members.”
By cherry-picking and restructuring Confucian values, the party is able to create a version of a modern political system that it can say is based on the traditional past.
In this way, Chinese history and religion tell us why a nationalistic central government, guided by moral individuals who have the people’s best interests at heart, is the way China chooses to be led – and to become a major world power.
History and religion tell us why a democratic Western political system does not sit well culturally in China.
This demonstrates that, in the end, to truly understand the ways and mentalities of your host country and its people, you must study its history and religion – and also the ways in which that history and religion might be politicized in the modern world.
Success Across Cultures 