Reconsidering the Modernization Arguments of Contemporary Neo-Confucianism: A Response to the “Lapland Manifesto of Confucianism”

Title

Reconsidering the Modernization Arguments of Contemporary Neo-Confucianism: A Response to the “Lapland Manifesto of Confucianism”

Author

Chen-feng TSAI

Page

025-048

DOI

10.6163/TJEAS.202506_22(1).0002

Abstract

The “Lapland Manifesto of Confucianism” is a perspective presented by Finnish and Swedish sinologists in 2021. In this manifesto, they express their views on the modernization of Chinese Confucianism and the relationship between Confucianism and democracy. This article considers the manifesto to be one of the important documents in contemporary Confucian studies. Therefore, it compares this manifesto with the declarations made by Neo-Confucians in Hong Kong and Taiwan in 1958, as well as the views of Mainland Neo-Confucian scholars on political Confucianism, thereby pointing out the opposition of the “Lapland Manifesto of Confucianism” to the views of Mainland Neo-Confucians. In addition to explaining the contributions of the “Lapland Manifesto of Confucianism,” this article also points out that its anti-transcendentalism stance does not align with the development of Confucianism and highlights its shortcomings in discussing the relationship between Confucianism and individualism.

Keyword

Lapland Manifesto of Confucianism, Neo-Confucianism, Modernization, democracy

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