Why a 2,500-year-old Chinese philosophy still sparks and speaks to the modern world？

Harvard’s James Hankins and Confucius’ descendant Lingdong Kong share their views in Nishan, Shandong Province

Good evening. The 11th Nishan Forum on World Civilizations, dedicated to fostering dialogue among global cultures, kicked off on Wednesday in Qufu, east China's Shandong Province, the birthplace of the renowned Chinese philosopher Confucius.

Shandong, with 9.86 trillion yuan (about 1.37 trillion U.S. dollars) GDP in 2024, is China’s third-largest province by economic size, following Guangdong and Jiangsu. Together, the top three provinces have surpassed the GDP of the world’s third-largest economy.

Fifteen years ago, during the inaugural Nishan forum in Shandong, sinologists and philosophers grappled with the question of how Confucianism -- a 2,500-year-old philosophical tradition seen as timeless wisdom capable of addressing global challenges -- could remain relevant in a rapidly changing world.

Today, in an era described by Chinese leaders as one in which "changes unseen in a century accelerating and multiple risks intertwined," is Confucianism gaining renewed significance, or drifting further from contemporary relevance?

We explored this question through conversations with James Hankins, professor at Harvard University's Department of History, and Lingdong Kong, a 76th-generation descendant of Confucius (whose Chinese name is Qiu Kong) and professor at Shandong University's School of Political Science and Public Administration, both of whom participated in this year's forum.

Also, don't miss the recent Inside the China Room with Jiang Jiang podcast episode featuring Daniel A. Bell, discussing Confucianism's impact on contemporary China.

Ep.16 How Confucianism shapes today's China and guides a new global dialogue — A conversation with Daniel A. Bell ahead of the Nishan forum

James Hankins

Lingdong Kong

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Question: In today’s rapidly evolving international and political landscape, with so many pressing global issues, how do you see the Nishan Forum -- and Confucianism, in particular -- contributing to the promotion of peace, benevolence, and justice, values that Confucius championed over two millennia ago?

Prof. Hankins: Well, I think one of the insights that political Confucianism offers is that there is an inverse relationship between the tendency of the state to want to control everything and the virtue of the people. So if the people are not virtuous, the state is forced to pass more laws, to have more surveillance, and more severe punishments. However, when the people become virtuous, the state can be freer. There can be more pluralism, there can be more toleration.

So I think this is a finding of history and not just a political theory, that there is this inverse relationship between virtue and political oppression. And the same thing applies internationally as well. Because when you have good relationships among people of different civilizations, and those relations are well conducted and people behave themselves well, you have much less chance of trade wars and real wars breaking out.

When I hear people in my country talking about trade wars, assuming that China is an evil country, I assume that the same things are said about the United States. It’s because they don’t know anything about China. And I sometimes hear that there is a kind of nationalistic element in China that has similar views about the United States. But these are ignorant views.

And the more people know about the complexity of things, the more people understand that there are many people who want to improve China and make it better in many ways. And there are many people in the United States who don’t like sometimes what our country has become. And they also want to improve their society. Most people can work together and they should be working together.

Prof. Kong: No era can completely toss aside or disconnect from tradition; every period builds upon its past. Tradition always plays a role—it’s not something you can just call on when you want it or dismiss when you don’t. It’s always there, whether we recognize it or not. The major shifts we’re seeing today are partly because society is changing so fast.

Modern development, especially in science and technology, has progressed more quickly than anyone expected. It’s moving at such a pace that sometimes we can't keep up, and that creates a lot of uncertainty and even fear about what the future holds.

In this big-picture context, a lot of people are starting to look back at the ideas of ancient thinkers, thinking that maybe they reflect a more authentic understanding of the relationship between humans and nature, and between people themselves.

For example, ideas in our traditional culture, like "the harmony between heaven and humanity," or the importance of family bonds—these might be more relevant now than ever, as we face this rapidly changing world. It seems like the things we need today are right there in our own traditions.

Question: As China increasingly positions itself as a global center, there are growing concerns in various countries, with some speculating about potential territorial expansion. Given your expertise in Confucianism, do you think a deeper understanding of Confucian values could offer a clearer perspective on China's approach to modernization?

Prof. Hankins: Yes, I do. And I believe that if people heard what I’ve just heard at the forum, they would understand that the Confucian tradition is not militaristic. It doesn’t place power in the hands of military people. Even during Chinese history, there were military people in the 12th century who were Confucians. There’s a monument to Yue Fei (a Chinese army general of the Song dynasty, and is remembered as a patriotic national hero) in Hangzhou, at West Lake.

In the West, philosophers have long warned against giving too much power to men who were motivated primarily by the desire for military glory and conquest. Plato was against it. Aristotle was against it. The moral restraint that these philosophers advocated was never built into the Western tradition the way that it was in China's Confucian institutions.

China has never been an aggressive nation. Not everyone agrees with this, but overall, I think China’s foreign relations tend toward peace.

In history, China has experienced civil wars and wars with barbarians -- such as the Xiongnu, the Mongols. I'm speaking not of the present, but of imperial China. But its relations with other Confucian societies, such as Korea, Japan, and Vietnam, are almost uniformly peaceful. And that’s what Confucian teachings emphasize.

Prof. Kong: If problems could be addressed using Confucian principles, the core idea would be "harmony is most precious 和为贵." Confucianism generally advocates for avoiding conflict, but in cases of competing interests, the decision to engage in war is not solely determined by individual desires; it largely depends on the attitudes of the parties involved.

Although traditional Chinese culture does not promote war, history shows that conflicts have occurred in China. Therefore, it is clear that culture is not the only factor at play—many other elements contribute to the outcome. To suggest that culture alone can prevent war would overstate its influence; it is not sufficient to completely avoid conflict.

Confucianism is an inherently inclusive system, one that emphasizes the importance of learning from and integrating other cultures. In the current international context, where major powers interact, the goal should be to resolve disputes through cooperation and peaceful methods, as this benefits all parties.

Whether it is the United States, China, or any other nation, countries are ultimately pursuing their own interests, rather than solely fighting for ideological reasons.

The focus should instead be on the potential for mutually beneficial cooperation between differing interests. In this context, various ideologies can coexist, learn from each other, and integrate.

Looking at East Asian countries that modernized later, we see they are all part of the Confucian cultural sphere. In contrast, countries that follow liberalism, Christianity, or Islam, such as those in Latin America, Africa, or certain parts of Asia, haven't achieved the same success.

The only exceptions are the East Asian countries that modernized later -- like South Korea, Japan, and Singapore, as well as regions such as Hong Kong and Taiwan. What’s striking is that all of these countries and regions that have successfully become economically advanced, are at the heart of the Confucian cultural sphere, showing that Confucianism doesn’t hinder modernization. In fact, it’s been a solid foundation for it.

Question: Prof. Hankins, you’ve just discussed the core ideas behind the clash of civilizations at a seminar of the forum. In your view, what is the essence of this "clash"? And how do you assess the concept of the "Thucydides Trap" in this context?

Prof. Hankins: I don't believe that civilizations as such clash. When they meet geographically they tend to hybridize and blend, unless governments prevent that from happening (as with India and Pakistan). The only time civilizations clash is when empires or nation-states clash. Sometimes, these powers invoke the values of their civilization to rally their citizens, claiming their civilization is threatened.

Well, I don’t think civilizations clash. The nation-states and empires clash. The so-called "Thucydides Trap" was invented by one of my colleagues at Harvard, who was a political theorist. But I’m sorry to say, as a historian, it’s not a valid theory.

Thucydides’ trap is about the rising power and the existing power. But, is that Athens or is that Sparta? It's not really very clear. In fact, the real dynamic was that the major world power at the time was the Persian Empire, which was intervening in Greek politics all the time. So the situation is much more complex than the simplistic idea of a rising power versus an established one.

The "Thucydides Trap" is not something people should feel threatened by. But unfortunately, people in the United States and China both do take it seriously. I think they should stop paying attention to Harvard professors and instead look at history.

Question: Prof. Kong, what generation are you from in the Confucius family line? As a native of Shandong, do you think the strong aspiration among Shandong people to become civil servants and serve the country is rooted in the Confucian principle of "He who excels in study can follow an official career 学而优则仕"?

Prof. Kong: I’m from the 76th generation of Confucius’ descendants. In our family, the second character of our names indicates our generation order. For example, my name, Kong Lingdong, where "Ling" represents the 76th generation. This system is quite structured and has remained consistent. This also reflects an important part of Confucianism: an ethical order, much like a social hierarchy. In the Kong family, you can easily identify someone's generation just by looking at their name.

As for traditional Confucianism, it’s all about self-improvement, family, and eventually, governing and bringing peace to the world. The idea behind "He who excels in study can follow an official career" wasn’t about seeking a government position for personal gain. It's about serving society and the greater good.

Over time, however, this idea has been misunderstood, with many people today focusing too narrowly on the idea of becoming an official, missing the deeper intent of contributing to the community and governance.

Question: In today’s fast-paced, uncertain world, history is often regarded as one of our greatest teachers in times of doubt. Many argue that history tends to repeat itself. How do you think we can draw lessons from history, particularly from Confucianism and traditional Chinese thought, and apply them to navigate future opportunities and challenges?

Prof. Hankins: In my view, history is an antidote to fanaticism. The more you know about history, the less likely you are to indulge in black-and-white thinking or to catastrophism. I think Confucianism is also a transmitter of civilized values and serves as an antidote to the dangers of fanaticism. Fanaticism is what destroys civilizations. That’s why traditions of learning and moral self-cultivation are so important. I believe strongly that China should be the bearer of Confucian civilization, and the world will benefit from it.

Prof. Kong: Confucianism’s strength lies in its inclusiveness. Throughout history, it has encountered numerous external ideologies and cultures. Despite these challenges, Confucianism has consistently absorbed, adapted, and integrated these influences, ultimately evolving into a more dynamic and relevant system of thought.

When it comes to liberalism, Confucianism can benefit by adopting some of its reasonable principles. This is an area where traditional Confucianism should further develop. If Confucianism is to have a greater impact in the future, it will need to incorporate more liberal values. While Confucianism’s emphasis on collectivism aligns with the ideals of socialism, reconciling it with liberalism will require a more complex process of integration.