中國新儒學

What is it like to be a Westerner teaching political philosophy in an officially Marxist state? Why do Chinese sex workers sing karaoke with their customers? And why do some Communist Party cadres get promoted if they care for their elderly parents? In this entertaining and illuminating book, one of the few Westerners to teach at a Chinese university draws on his personal experiences to paint an unexpected portrait of a society undergoing faster and more sweeping changes than anywhere else on earth. With a storyteller's eye for detail, Daniel Bell observes the rituals, routines, and tensions of daily life in China. China's New Confucianism makes the case that as the nation retreats from communism, it is embracing a new Confucianism that offers a compelling alternative to Western liberalism.

Bell provides an insider's account of Chinese culture and, along the way, debunks a variety of stereotypes. He presents the startling argument that Confucian social hierarchy can actually contribute to economic equality in China. He covers such diverse social topics as sex, sports, and the treatment of domestic workers. He considers the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, wondering whether Chinese overcompetitiveness might be tempered by Confucian civility. And he looks at education in China, showing the ways Confucianism impacts his role as a political theorist and teacher.

By examining the challenges that arise as China adapts ancient values to contemporary society, China's New Confucianism enriches the dialogue of possibilities available to this rapidly evolving nation.

Reviews:

"This revival is the subject of political philosopher Daniel A. Bell's trenchant and surprisingly personal China's New Confucianism. Bell was the first foreigner hired since the Cultural Revolution to teach humanities at Beijing's prestigious Tsinghua University; one of the few Western professors in the country, he enjoys a unique outsider/insider perspective."--Michael Levitin, Los Angeles Times Book Review

"This interesting and insightful volume by Bell offers an insider's account of a rapidly changing society in China and seeks to debunk a variety of crude stereotypes of Confucians."--S.K. Ma, Choice

"Bell, who teaches politics at Beijing's crack Tsinghua University, is well placed to comment on changing Chinese attitudes. He detects signs of a reviving interest in, and practice of, pre-communist traditions, whether in the lecture hall, in the streets, or inside karaoke bars...China's New Confucianism wisely refrains from any grand schematic overview. Rather, this is an informed and thoughtful interim response to an important contemporary trend."--Justin Wintle, The Independent

"In [China's New Confucianism], [Bell] talks about such subjects as why Communist Party leaders invoke centuries-old Confucian values now? Why do senior communist leaders dye their hair black? Why the Chinese view that human rights should not have priority over national sovereignty? The adventurous professor even talks about why sexual intercourse with karaoke bar girls in China is often preceded by singing a duet. Bell draws on various social scenes in today's China and provides a Confucian explanation...In the book, Bell offers his personal observations on some Western 'misunderstandings' about China."--Sunny Lee, Asia Times Online

More reviews

Table of Contents:

Acknowledgments ix
Introduction xiii

Part One: Politics 1
Chapter 1: From Communism to Confucianism: Changing Discourses on China's Political Future 3
Chapter 2: War, Peace, and China's Soft Power 19
Chapter 3: Hierarchical Rituals for Egalitarian Societies 38

Part Two: Society 57
Chapter 4: Sex, Singing, and Civility: The Costs and Benefi ts of the Karaoke Trade 59
Chapter 5: How Should Employers Treat Domestic Workers? 75
Chapter 6: The Politics of Sports: From the 2006 World Cup to the 2008 Olympics 91

Part Three: Education 105
Chapter 7: A Critique of Critical Thinking 107
Chapter 8: Teaching Political Theory in Beijing 128
Chapter 9: On Being Confucian: Why Confucians Needn't Be Old, Serious, and Conservative 148

Appendices
Chapter 1: Depoliticizing the Analects 163
Chapter 2: Jiang Qing's Po liti cal Confucianism 175
Index 231

Other Princeton books by Daniel A. Bell:

    * Ancient Chinese Thought, Modern Chinese Power.
    * Beyond Liberal Democracy: Political Thinking for an East Asian Context.
    * China's New Confucianism: Politics and Everyday Life in a Changing Society (New in Paper).
    * Confucian Political Ethics.
    * East Meets West: Human Rights and Democracy in East Asia.
    * The Spirit of Cities: Why the Identity of a City Matters in a Global Age.