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122 H. He

attention to Confucianism, which in turn has attracted new scholars to study it by
applying modern knowledge and innovative methodology. Moreover, there are
people who are both scholars and faithful practitioners of Confucianism. These
two groups of people are not mutually exclusive. There have also appeared people
who have re-concentrated on the study of original doctrines of Confucianism and
teaching methods, including those at the grassroots level.

5 New Challenges

As mentioned above, because of its attributes, Confucianism was used as an
overriding guiding ideology by the rulers of the Western Han Dynasty, though
previously it was Legalism that the Qin rulers had exploited to conquer other
states and unify the whole country. However, the Western Han chose Confu-
cianism and all successive dynasties followed suit over the next 2000 years. The
so-called “Confucianism in appearance, Legalism in essence” was not true.
Confucian ideas permeated all corners of social life and were accepted by com-
mon folk. This suggests that it was not only a doctrine that encouraged in-
dividuals to be kind, but also an ideology that helped maintain social stability. A
few decades ago, tradition was greatly disrupted and Confucianism severely
criticized, especially in political movements such as “Criticizing Lin Biao and
Confucius” and “Lauding Legalism and Criticizing Confucianism” during the
Cultural Revolution (1966–1976). Yet, in the past four decades, Confucianism has
thrived, which indicates its dynamism.
Confucianism is unlikely to become a dominant philosophy today but it has its
place in society. Though politically conservative in nature, it could serve as a
stabilizer in society and maintain status quo both socially and politically. This is
because it is what the society needs and values, and it is essential for survival of
humanity.
Contemporary Confucianism helps maintain a balance between life and per-
sonality. It generates interests for the people, and does not profit from the people. It
advocates that people should have a decent life, opposes unbridled materialism,
and stands for thrift. Confucianism of today values good relations between people
and individuals’ aspirations, encouraging people’s self-cultivation and self-
improvement. Such pursuits, if realized, enable people to have a good standing in
society and to make contribution to the development of social ethics. It does not
advocate blindly seeking “progress”, especially if “progress” is one-sided or un-
balanced. Confucianism regards balance as being more important than equality. It
places importance on human nature and is not morally exigent, nor does it