Chapter Five. Modern Chinese Culture And The Difficulties Of Confucian Learning

This chapter addresses the following questions: Why is it that Confucian Learning was still a topic of discussion that is constantly referred to? In modern Chinese society, is the existence of the non-philosophical aspects of Confucian Learning possible and what are the necessary conditions for this? Thanks to the New Culture Movement Confucian Learning had lost its authority among the young. But, during the period of Nationalist government the predicament of Confucian Learning did not worsen, because Sun Yat-sen determined to develop the national spirit according to the four norms and eight virtues which added a new spirit to the cardinal virtues of traditional Confucian Learning. The history of Chinese culture shows that the crisis for Confucian Learning was largely due to Chinese people judging Confucian Learning according to the axis of efficiency as being unable to enrich the country and strengthen the army, save the state and strengthen it. Keywords: Chinese culture; Confucian Learning; Nationalist government; New Culture Movement