Formation and Development of East Asian Cultural Circle: Part of Confucianism

Author: Kao Ming-shih
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-04-01
Features: Introduction to the book "The Formation and Development of the East Asian Cultural Circle—Confucian Thought," which includes thirteen essays. Among them, four directly address the concept of "East Asia," two are related to Korean issues, six concern Japanese issues, and the remaining one focuses on Confucianism. Of the four essays on East Asian concepts, Tu Weiming's "Pluralistic Modernity: The Implications of the Rise of 'Confucian' East Asia" was selected as the keynote speech topic. Tu Weiming points out that the concept of pluralistic modernity is based on three interrelated arguments: the traditional serves as a continuously active factor in defining the process of modernization; non-Western civilizations are involved in the self-awareness of Western modernity; regional knowledge holds global significance. The rise of "Confucian" East Asia demonstrates that despite the global trend primarily being economic and geopolitical, cultural traditions continue to exert a strong influence on the process of modernization—a thought-provoking issue.