History taster session: Confucianism & modern China

In 1968, Chairman Mao launched the Cultural Revolution as a means to eradicate what he saw as vestiges of feudalism in China. Chief among his targets was Confucianism, an ancient philosophy that dates back to 500 BC. For Mao, Confucianism held back China’s path to communism through the worship of tradition. Yet, since coming to power, President Xi Jinping has sought to rejuvenate this ethic in China. What is Confucianism? And what has been its role in Chinese society? And why does it remain attractive to Chinese leaders today? In this lecture, we will explore the main tenets of this ancient philosophy, and consider how it sustained dynasties - particularly the Qing Empire, China’s last imperial rulers - until the early twentieth century. Perhaps, as Dr Tehyun Ma argues, it was Confucianism’s power to confer longevity that is key to its contemporary appeal.

This session also includes a Q&A with our academic staff and current students. 

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