Historicizing tianrenheyi as correlative cosmology for rethinking education in modern China and beyond |
| |
| Authors: | Weili Zhao |
| |
| Institution: | 1. Department of Curriculum and Instruction, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of Chinaweilizhao18@cuhk.edu.hk |
| |
| Abstract: | AbstractThe Chinese tianrenheyi thesis bespeaks a correlative cosmology irreducible to the Western metaphysics. This article historicizes tianrenheyi for new implications to help rethink the given concepts of ‘person/thing,’ ‘environment/nature,’ and ‘relationality’ in contemporary ethical and environmental education in three steps. First, it turns to Yu Ying-Shih’s writing for a historical and ethical picture of tianrenheyi as an ‘Axial breakthrough’ in Confucius' time and with direct relevance to Confucian person-making education. Second, it moves on to Roger Ames’ unpacking of tianrenheyi as hospitalized in a ‘correlative cosmology’ and ‘Confucian relational personhood’ to help us re-understand Confucian ‘person’ as being relational. Finally, it shows how these re-invoked philosophical–ethical–cosmological theses expose a ‘foundational individualism’ which grounds and confines current educational thinking to an anthropocentric (dis)ordering. As an alternative, this article calls for a productive symbiotic conjoining between humans and their cultural–natural environs toward nurturing today’s youth into ecologically literate, responsible, and responsive co-beings. |
| |
| Keywords: | Tianrenheyi correlative cosmology foundational individualism anthropocentric (dis)ordering Confucian relational personhood |
|
|
