Confucius

by Tan, Charlene; Bailey, Richard

• ISBN13: 9781472514981
• ISBN10: 147251498X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2014-12-18
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic

Summary

Charlene Tan's text offers a coherent account of Confucius' educational thought and its implications for the modern world. Arguing that Confucius is more than an ancient master who emphasised tradition, rote-learning and teacher-centredness, Tan portrays Confucius as a progressive educator who challenged the social norms of his time and transformed the nature of teaching and learning in China and beyond.

Through a textual study of the Analects, this text provides a critical exposition of Confucius' work, particularly with respect to his interpretations of human beings' mission in life, potentials, relationships with one another, and educational process. Further highlighting the contemporary relevance of Confucius' work, the author offers a Confucian framework for 21st century education – one that harmonises modern knowledge and skills with universal values on shared humanity and loving others.

Author Biography

Charlene Tan is Associate Professor at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. She has been a visiting fellow at the philosophy department of the National Taiwan University, and a visiting research associate at the East Asian Institute of the National University of Singapore.

Table of Contents

Series Editor's Preface
Foreword
Acknowledgements

Introduction

Part I: Intellectual Biography
1. Confucius’ Life, Personality and Influence

Part II: Critical Exposition of Confucius' Work
2. The Concept of Li
3. The Concepts of Dao and He
4. The Concept of Ren
5. The Concept of Junzi
6. The Concepts of Xue, Wen and Si

Part III: The Relevance of Confucius' Work Today
7. Confucius and 21st Century Education
8. Conclusion

References
Index