The Confucian Mind: A Historical and In-Depth Look at Asian Culture and Psyche
By Daniel Wang
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Publication Date: July 2006
The Confucian civilization is thoroughly examined and explained in this volume, historically, philosophically and psychologically, by its two most prominant examples (Chinese and Japanese cultures), after a multi-year research effort, with ground breaking findings and analyses not available elsewhere.
Historically Asian civilizations followed a dramatically different path than that of the West from the very beginning, adopting in ancient times a distinct social structure that has never appeared at any point in Western history. Asian values grown out of that social structure (subservience) diametrically contradict core Western values of freedom and justice, and Asian societies have their own distinct internal dynamic.
This book attempts to give the reader a comprehensive understanding of East Asians through a detailed analysis of the nature, historical roots and evolution of their uncompromising doctrine (Confucianism), which still dominates East Asia including China today. The author takes a bold and honest approach, ignoring cultural taboos, to reveal the inner workings of the Asian mind. This is not a typical history book, though all major historical periods up until the present are analyzed and explained; nor is it a typical philosophy book, though all major schools of thought in this tradition are analyzed and explained; nor is it a typical psychology book, though the defining aspects of Asian psyche are analyzed and explained. It is an ambitious and unprecedented attempt to take stock of the entire civilization, its breadth, its scope, and its essence. It traverses the evolution of the Asian mind through the centuries, explains the how and why of Asian cultural and historical dynamic, and presents a clear trajectory of Asian history and future. (also available on amazon.com, barnsandnoble.com)
DW
Daniel Wang
Daniel Wang is a historian and freelance writer. He has also written The Confucian Mind.
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Publication Date: July 2006
The Confucian civilization is thoroughly examined and explained in this volume, historically, philosophically and psychologically, by its two most prominant examples (Chinese and Japanese cultures), after a multi-year research effort, with ground breaking findings and analyses not available elsewhere.
Historically Asian civilizations followed a dramatically different path than that of the West from the very beginning, adopting in ancient times a distinct social structure that has never appeared at any point in Western history. Asian values grown out of that social structure (subservience) diametrically contradict core Western values of freedom and justice, and Asian societies have their own distinct internal dynamic.
This book attempts to give the reader a comprehensive understanding of East Asians through a detailed analysis of the nature, historical roots and evolution of their uncompromising doctrine (Confucianism), which still dominates East Asia including China today. The author takes a bold and honest approach, ignoring cultural taboos, to reveal the inner workings of the Asian mind. This is not a typical history book, though all major historical periods up until the present are analyzed and explained; nor is it a typical philosophy book, though all major schools of thought in this tradition are analyzed and explained; nor is it a typical psychology book, though the defining aspects of Asian psyche are analyzed and explained. It is an ambitious and unprecedented attempt to take stock of the entire civilization, its breadth, its scope, and its essence. It traverses the evolution of the Asian mind through the centuries, explains the how and why of Asian cultural and historical dynamic, and presents a clear trajectory of Asian history and future. (also available on amazon.com, barnsandnoble.com)
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Print length
370 pages
Language
English
Publisher
Xlibris US
Publication date
July 14, 2006
File size
666 KB
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Product details
ASIN : B079KGXRSM
Publisher : Xlibris US (July 14, 2006)
Publication date : July 14, 2006
Language : English
File size : 666 KB
Text-to-Speech : Enabled
Screen Reader : Supported
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Not Enabled
Word Wise : Enabled
Print length : 370 pages
Lending : Not Enabled
Best Sellers Rank: #4,100,695 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
#435 in Confucianism (Kindle Store)
#1,156 in Confucianism (Books)
#18,573 in History of Asia
Customer Reviews: 3.5 out of 5 stars 3 ratings
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RT
5.0 out of 5 stars AMAZING MUST READ! Best book on the Topic I've read.
Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2014
This is an absolutely amazingly insightful and detailed study of the Asian psyche (focused on China and Japan), which for the lack of a better description is labeled "Confucian". It is actually, as the book explains, a combination of daoism, legalism, confucianism and buddhism, molded by the particular historical and cultural development of the Chinese and Japanese cultures. I've read a number of books on Chinese and Japanese culture and history, and this is hands down the most insightful and thoughtful critical analysis. Moreover, it is definitely NOT PC (i.e., a double-speak for censorship, really) and WILL offend people b/c it pulls no punches, but in my opinion comes closer to the truth than any other book on the topic that I've read. For that reason, I believe that this book, self-published by the author, is unfortunately under-recognized, but in reality will likely never gain much wide-spread acceptance b/c it is not PC, but for those who wish to understand the dysfunction of the Asian psyche, this book is essential reading (btw, every culture has dysfunction ... the only difference is what kind of dysfunction).
Specifically, the author thesis is that Asian cultural development arose out of a slave culture that was the product of the particular historical and geographic condition of the northern China plains in pre-history, where tribalism and kingship was supplanted by an imperial system where everyone, other than the emperor, is a slave. In other words, there is no concept of a free man with his own property besides the sovereign. As a result, the ideological and philosophical development of Chinese culture "counter evolved" (to use a term that the author uses frequently) to vindicate increasing servility. Confucianism creates a hierarchical social structure in service of the emperor, whose authority emanates from the "Heavens". Daoism provides philosophical escapism for an inhumane social condition. When Buddhism is introduced, it creates an metaphysical justification of acceptance of the hierarchy. When transplanted to Japan, given the unique conditions in Japan, Legalism flourished in a pre-moral society to create a uniquely rigid and merciless hierarchical system. This summary, however, does not give justice to the nuanced and detailed study in this book.
While I was reading the book, I repeatedly (ever few pages) stopped myself to contemplate the new insights and understandings I got from this book. The book goes through a LOT of history (the other commentator who said this book merely presents a psychological portrait and not the historical basis for Confucianism did NOT read the book, but merely an excerpt on Xlibris, which is of the chapter of parent-child development). The book shows how the ideology was transformed over the course of different dynasties as philosophers struggled how to create a social philosophy that works in the particular social context of the times. But b/c the social context was a slave state, the philosophy that was created was a philosophy for slaves, and of enslavement, not one of freedom.
I now have a framework for understanding all the peculiar and idiosyncratic aspects of Chinese and Japanese culture. For example, why is it culturally the case that Chinese obsess about food to the exclusion of all other pleasures (or at least other pleasures are publicly frowned upon), whereas the Japanese in contrast have a cultural affinity for public drunkeness and frequenting pleasure quarters (considered scandalous in Chinese culture and very much disapproved of)? Why is bullying so prevalent in Japanese schools? Why does Chinese culture celebrate effete scholars whereas Japanese culture revolves around the idea of the samurai warrior? Why is Chinese Buddhism and Japanese Zen Buddhism so starkly different from one another? It's all explained in this book.
Now it will seem "unfair" to indict Chinese and Japanese culture as "slave" cultures, which may superficially appear unfavorable in comparison to Western culture (starting in classical Greece) based on the rights (and duties) of free men who are property-owning stakeholders in their societies. But the author repeatedly acknowledges individuals in Confucian cultures, like everyone else, wish to be free, as freedom is a natural human condition (as opposed to bondage and servitude). However, just like being stuck in Plato's cave, someone who cannot see outside their own culture cannot tell they are in bondage (or in a cave, so to speak), and, particularly if there is no good option to escape that culture, will aggressively defend that culture as the person is now defined by the culture that shaped him. So it is very natural that this book will NOT be well received by many of Asian cultural background, and those Asian cultural apologists in academia. But that does not mean the book is wrong or inaccurate in any way. Nor does the author insinuate that Western culture is superior, as the author does not spend a lot of time analyzing Western culture. What the author does do is to make the assertion that the cultural basis of Asian society is premised on a slave society, which he substantiates very well, and that it creates an internal contradiction insofar as the natural human inclination towards personal freedom, resulting in hypocrisy and cynicism in China and fanaticism and stunted emotional development in Japan.
in response, I would put out my own view (not the author's). I personally believe that Asian culture suffers from these internal contradictions that can never be resolved on its own, and the only solution, which is ultimately a quandry of morality, can not be solved philosophically, but rather can only be solved by faith in Jesus Christ and the Gospel found in the Holy Bible. Many will respond to this by saying that what I would mean is that Western culture should be imposed on Asia. But no, that is not what I mean, nor what Christianity would do to Asia. We must remember that the West was a culture that existed before the Christian Gospel overtook in in the last two millennium. What the Gospel did was to transform that culture entirely. Some would say the foundations of Western culture are with Greece, but I would argue it is in the Gospel primarily (not the Catholic Church ... that is entirely different from the Gospel). The Gospel creates a basis for real human freedom and social morality. What is intriguing is the rapid spread of Christianity in China (particularly the House Church movement) as opposed to the absence of revival in Japan. Based on this author's work, I can now understand that China is already conditioned to accept the Gospel b/c its culture already embraces the concept of servitude to a master with the hope that the master will act morally. In the human world, such hope of moral behavior is always a disappointment, as all humans are self-interested and fallen creatures. Moreover, Chinese history clearly shows to the average Chinese person that no emperor or Communist Party official is truly virtuous and deserving of true servitude. But what about God, through Jesus Christ? Is God not perfect? Moreover, God's mercy is shown by sending his one true Son to die on the Cross for your sins, and to set you free from the bondage of sin and Satan. Therefore Jesus Christ is moreso deserving of "Confucian" style servitude (or worship) b/c of the free gift of Grace given (of inestimable value). Moreover, through Jesus Christ, we can become a friend of God. One can imagine the revolutionary impact of the Gospel on the Chinese mind that has grown cynical through all the failed promises and premises of Confucianism, now fully fulfilled through the Gospel of Christ.
This then leads one to wonder how to preach the Gospel in Japan, and this book actually gives a very good framework for considering how to adapt the Gospel message to the particular aspects of Japanese culture. I would guess that part of the reason Japan is so hard for Christian missionaries to reach is in part the continued existence of the Emperor, who although not nearly as exalted as in the times of the Meiji era, continues to command a place in the Japanese mind as being (as least culturally if not literally) divine. Moreover, the history of Japan, where Shoguns usurped political power from the Emperor for many centuries while maintaining the lineage and divinity of the imperial house, suggests that Japanese are able to accept the notion of a fully divine emperor who happens to be politically impotent, unlike the Chinese who, by the course of their history, believed until the 20th century that the sign of Heaven's mandate for an emperor is political power. Therefore, psychologically, the Japanese have a complete cosmology, and to accept the Gospel would require them to upset their existing cosmology (even if they don't truly believe it in their hearts), which would particularly conflict with the cultural emphasis on group conformity in Japan (as thoroughly explained in the book). But I would argue, just as certain individual Japanese rebel against group conformity (often, ironically, in groups), as most obviously manifested in the amazing proliferation of unique sub-cultures, but also more subtly manifested in attempts at individualistic expression that often result in encyclopedic knowledge and obsessive collecting of apparel, hobbies, musical interests, etc., the prosthelytization of the Gospel in Japan should start in this manner, as something like a subculture, through which the Gospel message, and its moral components can slowly be taught to and absorbed by those persons.
In conclusion, this is a FANTASTIC book. Highly highly recommended. If this topic interests you, this is a MUST read. I sincerely hope that the author will publish additional works. His approach to the topic actually is a very useful framework for analyzing other cultures, and I would be very interested in him applying his approach to Western culture and even a study of Christianity.
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D. J. Webb
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating explanation of why Japan and China are different
Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2006
The first review of the book is by someone who admits in his text that he has not seen the book!! And he said he hoped an analysis of Confucianism would be based on understanding Confucius' times and history. Well, guess what is in the book? Duh!! This book goes through Chinese and Japanese history from ancient times, starting with Shang dynasty, Zhou dynasty, Laozi, Confucius, Mencius, Zhuangzi, Mozi, Yang Fei, Han Feizi, Xunzi, and then on to Buddishim, Neo-confucianism, Zen Buddhism and then finally Mao Zedong! This book is exceptionally thought-provoking. It seeks to understand "pyramid societies" such as China and Japan which were not founded on the principle of equality, and draws a distinction between societies based on ethical systems, which he says Japan is, and moral systems, which he says China is. Even more interesting is the explanation of why and how Maoism took root in a Confucian China, and how China is attempting to more towards an ethics-based system like Japan.
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coldcoffee
2.0 out of 5 stars This is a lot of mumbo jumbo
Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2006
I am a Chinese American who grew up in Taiwan, and I would consider myself fundamentally a Confucian follower even though I have spent all my adulthood in the U.S. I read an excerpt of this book from another site, and I really have to wonder about the author's background and motive for writing this book. He claims he is explaining the Confucian mind to the Westerners, but, (from the excerpt I read) the way he explains and describes the parent-child relationship makes it sound almost abusive and psychotic by Western standards, and I certainly disagree with his semi-clinical style and inaccurate analysis. Of course I do appreciate someone taking the effort to write a book about the Confucian mind, but one really has to start with China's long history and the times that Confucius lived in, and I would prefer the author did not write in a manner that seemed to be dissecting and judging the Chinese/Confucian mind under a microscope. It's about relationship and sensitivity to other's feelings, what's wrong with that? I could only wish the Western mind be as sensitive, prudent and thoughtful as the Confucian mind, especially now.
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