Kwon SangWoo

10.18399/acta.2008.11.2.004

authoritarian Confucianism Confucian teachings modernity postmodernity differences communicational rationality

This study attempts to integrate Confucianism into postmodernity. To attain this, I intend to separate what can be referred to as authoritarian Confucianism (儒敎, yugyo) from Confucian teachings (儒學, yuhak). While authoritarian Confucianism refers to the political and social structure that emerged within Asian society as a result of the distortion of the thoughts of Confucius and Mencius, the term Confucian teachings denotes the doctrine pursued by Confucianists such as Confucius and Mencius. Thereafter, the focus will be placed on the fact that while authoritarian Confucianism exhibits pre-modern characteristics in the form of adherence to totalitarian Confucian teachings, the Confucian teachings feature postmodern characteristics that make it possible to integrate such Confucianism into postmodernity. A look at the relationship between authoritarian Confucianism and Confucian teachings within traditional Asian society reveals that while Confucian teachings attempted to overcome the hierarchical and despotic aspects of authoritarian Confucianism through such means as emphasizing the spirit of li yue (禮樂, rites and music) and the shanrang (禪讓, abdication of the throne to the worthiest) system, these goals were in the end never achieved. The hierarchical and despotic aspects of authoritarian Confucianism were in the end overcome in the modern era by Western modernity rather than Confucian teachings. There can be no denying that Western modernity played an important role within Asian society. However, it also created various problems within modern Korean society. In this regard, the issue of modernity is not one that is limited to Asian society, but rather one that involves all of humanity. Recent attempts to overcome the problems stemming from this modernity have revolved around the emergence of a postmodern trend within academia that has involved a general reconsideration and deconstruction of modernity. More to the point, this academic trend has focused on deconstructing the rationality behind Western modernity, while also emphasizing differences and diversity. However, there has been a general failure to emphasize the fact that these differences and diversity should be communicated. In this study, I intend to prove that Confucian teachings have pursued a communicational rationality through which such differences can be communicated. These Confucian teachings can serve as important ideological resources in the postmodern society. This study attempts to integrate Confucianism into postmodernity. To attain this, I intend to separate what can be referred to as authoritarian Confucianism (儒敎, yugyo) from Confucian teachings (儒學, yuhak). While authoritarian Confucianism refers to the political and social structure that emerged within Asian society as a result of the distortion of the thoughts of Confucius and Mencius, the term Confucian teachings denotes the doctrine pursued by Confucianists such as Confucius and Mencius. Thereafter, the focus will be placed on the fact that while authoritarian Confucianism exhibits pre-modern characteristics in the form of adherence to totalitarian Confucian teachings, the Confucian teachings feature postmodern characteristics that make it possible to integrate such Confucianism into postmodernity. A look at the relationship between authoritarian Confucianism and Confucian teachings within traditional Asian society reveals that while Confucian teachings attempted to overcome the hierarchical and despotic aspects of authoritarian Confucianism through such means as emphasizing the spirit of li yue (禮樂, rites and music) and the shanrang (禪讓, abdication of the throne to the worthiest) system, these goals were in the end never achieved. The hierarchical and despotic aspects of authoritarian Confucianism were in the end overcome in the modern era by Western modernity rather than Confucian teachings. There can be no denying that Western modernity played an important role within Asian society. However, it also created various problems within modern Korean society. In this regard, the issue of modernity is not one that is limited to Asian society, but rather one that involves all of humanity. Recent attempts to overcome the problems stemming from this modernity have revolved around the emergence of a postmodern trend within academia that has involved a general reconsideration and deconstruction of modernity. More to the point, this academic trend has focused on deconstructing the rationality behind Western modernity, while also emphasizing differences and diversity. However, there has been a general failure to emphasize the fact that these differences and diversity should be communicated. In this study, I intend to prove that Confucian teachings have pursued a communicational rationality through which such differences can be communicated. These Confucian teachings can serve as important ideological resources in the postmodern society.