Making the Twain Meet: The Invention of Confucian Religion and Kang Youwei’s Political Theology
Kang Youwei康有為 (1858–1927) was a late Qing intellectual who pioneered modernization efforts in China during an era of foreign imperialism. In this paper, I trace the way in which he reformed Confucianism to fit into the Protestant category of religion. I then argue that his reformed Confucianism cou...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Routledge, Taylor and Francis Group
2022
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| In: |
Political theology
Year: 2022, Volume: 23, Issue: 1/2, Pages: 29-43 |
| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Kang, Youwei 1858-1927
/ China
/ Confucianism
/ Christianity
/ Political theology
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| IxTheo Classification: | AD Sociology of religion; religious policy BM Chinese universism; Confucianism; Taoism CA Christianity KBM Asia TJ Modern history TK Recent history |
| Further subjects: | B
Modernization
B Providence B Kang Youwei B China B Confucianism B Political Theology B British liberalism |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | Kang Youwei康有為 (1858–1927) was a late Qing intellectual who pioneered modernization efforts in China during an era of foreign imperialism. In this paper, I trace the way in which he reformed Confucianism to fit into the Protestant category of religion. I then argue that his reformed Confucianism could be understood as offering a political theology. Echoing British liberalism, Kang’s reformed Confucianism adopts the progressive theory of history grounded in divine providence used by British imperialists to justify imperial expansion. I conclude by cautioning against attempts to frame Kang’s reformed Confucianism as a potential successor to Western liberalism. |
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| ISSN: | 1743-1719 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Political theology
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1080/1462317X.2021.2014625 |