On The Renaissance Of Confucianism Thoughts Of The Modern New Confucian

Throughout several dynasties, Traditional Confucianism has been confronted with legal crisis, one of which is the criticism of Traditional Confucianism during the period of the May 4^th.Conservatism of Westernizationists, reformism of Reformists and revolution of Revolutionaries all adopt western civilization and thesis on the basis of Traditional Confucianism. However, Confucius and his Confucianism catch flak by repudiators during May 4^th who thoroughly negate his thesis and dissolute the Chinese value system with enlightenment and western modernism. Finally, the contradiction and conflict between Confucianism and modernism appear to the full.After the May 4^th period, anti-Confucianism movements lasts for a long time in the continent because liberalists and Marxists think Confucianism has been the impediment of modern development. Hence The Modern New Confucian consider and self-criticize this trend, planning the modern development of Chinese Confucianism. Relevance between Confucianism and modernism have been the focus of the Modern New Confucian from the beginning. Nevertheless, this kind of exploration is not only different from agreement before the May 4^th period but also criticism after this time. The Modern New Confucian has created a new transformation system, under which they prolong the argument between Confucianism and modernization, presenting their own interpretation of the time. Therefore, three generations of the Modern New Confucian have spontaneously shouldered the historic mission of modernization of Confucianism.To The Modern New Confucian, there at least exist three dimensions in the core problem of the relationship between Confucianism and modernization. First of all, has traditional Confucianism hindered modern development? According to this problem, they form different paradigms of viewpoints on Confucianism. Secondly, what is the essential difference between modern development and traditional Confucianism? On the basis of this problem, different paradigms of modernity come into being. Thirdly, can modern development be separated from traditional Confucianism? Different paradigms of traditional modern attitudes （concrete measures of Modernizing Confucianism） take shape in accordance with this problem. It is observed that The Modern New Confucian always question and rethink traditional conception, positioning Confucianism and interpretation of paradigms towards modernism of critics during the enlightenment movement. What’s more, they also interpret specific Confucianism viewpoints and modernism. Finally, their own transformation outline on the modernizing Confucianism comes into being.On propelling the problem of modernizing Confucianism, The Modern New Confucian have made some contributions to some extend. However, there still exists some deficiencies. For example, their reframing of traditional Confucianism has dual functions of propagating culture and values because they manifest the value of traditional national character, transcendence and localism to some extent. Nevertheless, they lose themselves in this absolute transcendence or we can say they isolate themselves by admitting and advocating self-transcendence values. They, as special Confucian, present criticism and consideration of crisis of the time by words of Modernizing Confucianism. Despite different attitudes towards modernity in various degrees, they are aware of the value of time, secularity and universality. Due to their intensive consciousness of Confucian, they always criticize and reconsider modernity from aspects of morality and rationality, emphasizing transcendence of modernity instead of concentrating energy and reasoning on the understanding patterns and generative mechanism of modernity, which restrict their understanding of modernization. On the whole, it is appreciated that they shoulder the mission and passion of Confucianism renaissance. However, there exists at least three predicaments on the way of creating new views of Confucianism. First of all, they tend to hide the tendency of the day with national character on Confucianism. By overly emphasizing propagating value of national character they can’t give a reasonable explanation on trends of the time. Therefore, they tend to hide secularity with transcendence. By overly emphasizing value of transcendence, they ignore the essential problem of secularity. Lastly, they tend to hide university with localism. By overly emphasizing university of local knowledge they ignore the universal value and meaning of modernity.According to these shortcomings of exploration above, The Modern New Confucian have a long way to go if they want to achieve the aim of modern development of Confucianism. In order to develop modern Confucianism, we need to get a balance between cultural transmission and its extension, achieving the conversion of Confucianism transformation to cultural reproduction which causes the conversion of Confucianism modernity to Chinese modernity. Only in this way can we reset self to society, which should be the principal part of modernizing Confucianism, turning self experience of the intelligentsia to the affective commitment of common people in modern society. On the side of Chinese modernity, if we want to recreate Confucianism, we must ease dimensions of three strain relations: national character and trend of the day, transcendence and secularity, localism and university. This means we need to embody national character with time, merge transcendence and secularity together and affect the world with Chinese modern values when propagating local knowledge. On the whole, aspects below are three basic ways of recreating Confucianism in modern China: alteration to university, local practice and global dialogue.It is no doubt that Confucianism is about life, but it should first be for the common people. Confucianism is of global value, but it should first be of essential value in China locally. Confucianism will make no difference if it can not be faced to secular society and have a dialogue and merge with secular feelings among common people. Consequently, to seek modern development, we claim that Confucianism should learn a lesson from the course of The Modern New Confucian. Secular Confucianism is the only way we take to form its own characteristic values, establish status and gain contemporary patterns. It is believed that Confucianism modernism need to count on Chinese modernity and vice versa. In modern society, Confucianism can not only reconcile with secular value, but also play its characteristic role. This kind of secular Confucianism can promote its temporary recreation and renaissance in the future. In a word, secular Confucianism is full of consideration and transcendence of modern thought among The Modern New Confucian.