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Frontiers of Philosophy in China

ISSN 1673-3436

ISSN 1673-355X(Online)

CN 11-5743/B

Postal Subscription Code 80-983

Front. Philos. China    2023, Vol. 18 Issue (4) : 435-448    https://doi.org/10.3868/s030-012-023-0032-4
On “Ecological Confucianism” and Its Theoretical and Practical Significance
QIAO Qingju
Department of Philosophy, The Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (National Academy of Governance), Beijing 100091, China
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Abstract

Since Confucian philosophy is essentially an ecological philosophy, the concept of “ecological Confucianism” can indeed be established. Confucianism divides nature into four types of objects, namely, animals, plants, land, and mountains and rivers, and presents ecological understanding and treatment measures for these elements across the three dimensions of religion, morality, and politics and law. Ecological Confucianism features a category system composed of concepts such asqi气(a vital force), tong 通 (communication), he 和 (harmony), sheng 生 (life), shi 时 (time), dao 道 (Way) and ren 仁(benevolence). It also encompasses an ecological view composed of ecological ontology, ecological theory of kung fu, and ecological theory of visionary world. Furthermore, it carries a history of development with intrinsic logical connections. Confucian philosophy advocates for spiritual harmony, interpersonal harmony, social harmony, and international harmony, which are all based on the harmony between humanity and nature. Ecological Confucianism can not only facilitate the understanding of Confucian philosophy and even Chinese philosophy, but also contribute to advancing the breakthroughs of philosophy itself. It prompts us to reconsider the concepts of “subject” and “object,” and rebuild the theory of subject-object relationship, thus leading to the second enlightenment within the realm of world philosophy.

Keywords ecological Confucianism      Confucian ecological philosophy      subject-object relationship      second enlightenment     
Issue Date: 22 February 2024
 Cite this article:   
QIAO Qingju. On “Ecological Confucianism” and Its Theoretical and Practical Significance[J]. Front. Philos. China, 2023, 18(4): 435-448.
 URL:  
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fpc/EN/10.3868/s030-012-023-0032-4
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fpc/EN/Y2023/V18/I4/435
[1] QIAO Qingju. Feng Youlan’s Research into the History of Philosophy and Philosophical Creation[J]. Front. Philos. China, 2018, 13(1): 23-38.
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