In the era of fast technological change and global challenges, ancient Confucian wisdom gains fresh meaning. The 11th Nishan Forum in Shandong Province, the birthplace of Confucius, became an arena of fascinating debate about the actuality of doctrine 2 and a half millennium ago.
Confucian Wisdom Against Modern Challenges
Can the ancient teachings of Confucius offer solutions to the problems of the 21st century? This question was the central point of this year's Nishan Forum, held in Qufu, Shandong Province, China's economical giant with a gross home product of 9.86 trillion yuan (about 1.37 trillion US dollars) in 2024.
Shandong Province, the 3rd largest economy in China after Guangdong and Jiangsu, together with the another 2 provinces surpasses the GDP of the 3rd largest economy in the world. It is symbolic that in this place, the cradle of Confucian tradition, there is simply a debate about the future of ancient doctrine in the modern world.
Expert voices: Harvard meets tradition
This year's forum was attended by 2 prominent thinkers representing different perspectives for Confucian legacy. James HankinsProfessor of past at Harvard University, and Lingdong Kong, a prof. of political discipline at Shandong University and a descendant of Confucius in the 76th generation, shared their insights on the importance of ancient doctrine these days.
Virtue as the foundation of social governance
Professor Hankins presented a fascinating thesis on the reverse relation between citizens' virtue and state control. He explained during the forum:
“Political Confucianism offers insight into the fact that there is simply a reverse relation between the state's tendency to control everything and the virtue of people. If people are not virtuous, the state is forced to pass more laws, lead more surveillance and apply stricter penalties. The state becomes more turbulent erstwhile people are little virtuous. However, erstwhile people become virtuous, the state can be more free.”
This possible sheds fresh light on contemporary debates on the balance between freedom and security, suggesting that moral improvement of society may be the key to greater political freedom.
Tradition as a surviving Force
Lingdong Kong, representing the direct line of Confucius' heirs, emphasized the continued presence of tradition in social life. His words were peculiarly convincing:
“No era can completely reject or separate from tradition; each period builds on its past. Tradition always plays a function – it's not something you can trust on erstwhile you want, or reject erstwhile you don't want. It is always present, whether we admit it or not.”
Kong highlighted the paradox of modernity: the faster technology develops, the more people turn to ancient wisdom in search of stableness and understanding.
Confucianism to Contemporary Geopolitical Challenges
The Peaceful Nature of Confucian Tradition
In the face of increasing geopolitical tensions, experts emphasize the peaceful nature of Confucian philosophy. prof. Hankins powerfully rejected stereotypes about China's expansive character:
“Confutian tradition is not militaristic. He's not giving power to military leaders. China was never an aggressive nation. China's relations with another Confucian societies specified as Korea, Japan and Vietnam are almost uniformly peaceful. This is what Confucian teachings emphasize.”
Myth “Tukidydes Traps”
Particularly interesting was the criticism of the popular explanation of the “Tukidydes Trap” presented by prof. Hankins. This theory, frequently referred to in the context of American-Chinese relations, was called a story by a Harvard historian:
“I don’t think civilizations clash. It is the national states and the empires that clash. The alleged “Tukidydes Trap” is simply a story promoted by political scientists. It was invented by 1 of my Harvard colleagues, but I'm sorry to say it – it's not an crucial theory.”
Hankins argued that the situation described by Tukidides was much more complex than the simple clash between the rising and stabilized power, making modern analogues inadequate.
Harmony as a guiding principle
Professor Kong presented a Confucian alternate to conflictful thinking, referring to the fundamental rule “harmony is the most valuable” (和为贵):
“If problems could be solved utilizing Confucian rules, the main thought would be ‘harmony is the most valuable’.
Confucianism mostly advocates avoiding conflicts, but in the case of competing interests, the decision to engage in war is not determined solely by individual desires; it mostly depends on the attitudes of the parties involved."
Confucian road to modernisation
Phenomenon of East Asian “economic Tigers”
One of the strongest arguments for the current Confucianism is the spectacular economical success of East Asian countries. prof. Kong pointed out the striking pattern:
“Looking at the countries of East Asia that later upgraded, we see that they are all part of the Confucian cultural sphere. Unlike countries that follow liberalism, Christianity or Islam, specified as Latin America, Africa or any parts of Asia, they have not achieved the same success.”
Kong cited concrete examples: South Korea, Japan, Singapore, as well as regions specified as Hong Kong and Taiwan, which all became developed economies. What strikingly, all these areas are at the heart of the Confucian cultural sphere.
Inclusion as a Force of Confucianism
The key feature of Confucianism, which can explain its durability and adaptability, is its inclusive character. prof. Kong stressed:
“The force of Confucianism lies in its Inclusion. Throughout history, he encountered many external ideologies and cultures. Despite these challenges, Confucianism has consistently absorbed, adapted and integrated these influences, yet evolving into a more dynamic and up-to-date thought system."
This ability to absorb and integrate various influences may be key to knowing why Confucian societies have dealt so effectively with the challenges of modernisation without losing their cultural identity.
History as an antidote to fanaticism
Professor Hankins presented a deep reflection on the function of past and tradition in shaping a wise approach to contemporary problems:
“History is an antidote to fanaticism. The more you know about history, the little likely you'll be subject to black and white reasoning or disaster. I think Confucianism is besides a feature of civilized values and serves as an antidote to the dangers of narcissism. Narcissism is what destroys civilizations.”
This position suggests that Confucian traditions of learning and moral self-improvement can offer valuable tools to deal with polarization and extremism characteristic of contemporary public discourse.
Living Heritage: 76 Generations of Wisdom
Tradition passed on for millennia
Professor Lingdong Kong represents an extraordinary cultural continuity – he is simply a descendant of Confucius in the 76th generation. As he explained, the Kong household naming strategy reflects Confucian values of order and hierarchy:
“In our household the second part of the name indicates the generation order. For example, my name, Kong Lingdong, where ‘Ling’ represents the 76th generation. This strategy is rather orderly and remains consistent. This besides reflects an crucial part of Confucianism: ethical order, akin to the social hierarchy."
The Real Meaning of Public Service
Kong besides referred to the frequently misunderstood Confucian rule “who stands out in discipline can hold office” (学而优则仕). His explanation sheds fresh light on modern aspirations for public service:
“Traditional Confucianism concerns self-improvement, family, and yet governing and bringing peace to the world. The thought behind ‘who stands out in discipline can hold office’ was not about seeking a government position for individual benefit. It was about serving society and the greater good."
Kong noted that present this thought is frequently misunderstood, and people focus besides narrowly on becoming an official, losing sight of the deeper intent of community service.
The Future of Confucian Wisdom
Integration with liberalism
Looking forward, prof. Kong sees the request for further evolution of Confucian thought:
“As for liberalism, Confucianism can benefit by adopting any of its reasonable principles. This is an area where conventional Confucianism should further develop. If Confucianism is to have a greater impact in the future, it will gotta incorporate more liberal values.”
This openness to dialog and integration with another thought systems may be the key to future news of Confucian doctrine in an increasingly interconnected and diverse world.
Ancient Wisdom for the Modern World
The 11th Nishan Forum in Qufu proved that the 2500-year doctrine of Confucius not only survived the trial of time, but inactive offers valuable prospects for solving contemporary problems. Conversations with prof. James Hankins of Harvard and prof. Lingdong Kong, a descendant of Confucius, revealed respective key conclusions:
First,, the Confucian approach to the relation between civilian virtue and political freedom offers an alternate to contemporary debates on safety and freedom. alternatively of expanding state control, Confucianism proposes investing in moral improvement of society.
Second, the economical success of Confucian countries in East Asia proves that conventional values are not an obstacle to modernisation but can be a solid foundation.
Third, the inclusive nature of Confucianism – its ability to absorb and integrate various cultural influences – can service as a model for the peaceful coexistence of different civilizations in a globalized world.
Fourth, Confucian approach to past as a origin of wisdom and antidote to fanaticism can aid to overcome polarization characteristic of modern public discourse.
The Nishan Forum has shown that the question is not whether Confucianism is inactive up to date, but alternatively how it can be adapted and integrated into another thought systems to respond to the challenges of the 21st century. prof. Kong noted that the future of Confucianism may lie in its further evolution and openness to dialog with liberal values.
In the era of “changes not seen for centuries”, as Chinese leaders describe, Confucius' ancient wisdom can offer stability, direction and hope for a more harmonious world. Not as a rigid dogma, but as a surviving tradition capable of continuous adaptation and growth.
Based on: Why a 2,500-year-old Chinese doctrine inactive sparks and talks to the modern world, Yifei Shi, Jiang Jiang, Beijing Scroll, July 2025
