Boston Confucianism illustrates a significant transformation of philosophical traditions in order to be more applicable and relevant to modern intellectual projects. Robert C. Neville and Tu Weiming treat Confucianism as a “portable tradition” that addresses the ever changing multicultural late-modern world.¹ The transformation of ancient philosophical traditions specifically Confucianism occurs through acts of translation, reconstruction, and intercultural dialogue and Neville and Weiming argue that these processes are necessary to unbind Confucianism from the Sinocentric ideas seen in the historical interpretations of Confucianism.
First, Neville argues that Confucianism shouldn’t be exclusively tied to the East in both historical and ethnic contexts but rather put into dialogue with Western philosophers to foster a multicultural understanding of Confucianism.² Neville argues that Confucianism should be approached similarly to Western philosophers who for example, commonly use Greek philosophies in their works without being Greek or knowing classical Greek. The same framework of reinterpreting ideas from thinkers outside one’s own geographic origins should be applied to Confucianism. By restrategizing how Eastern philosophies and intellectual works are studied and interpreted in academia, Confucianism is reframed as a “world philosophy” or a philosophy that is able to reach and transcend cultural and linguistic boundaries while maintaining its integrity and cultural significance.³ Tu Weiming builds upon Neville’s point by emphasizing the importance of breaking through linguistic barriers through translation of works. Weiming states that Confucianism cannot survive the changing modern ideologies and stay culturally relevant without being accessible to other cultures through language. If Confucianism was to never be translated into other languages the philosophy would be “linguistically forever inscribed in a Sinitic mode”.⁴ The vitality of Confucianism depends on the intercultural exchange of ideas that is only gained through accessibility in new languages and cultural environments. Therefore, translation according to Weiming is not only a semantic technicality but an essential to Confucianism’s current relevance and modernization.
Along with intercultural exchange through translation, Neville highlights the transformation of Confucianism through reconstruction as seen in Boston Confucianism. Confucianism tradition has always leaned towards being more dynamic and open to reform as seen through critiques such that of the Zhou ritual and Neo-Confucianist metaphysics.⁵ This internal dynamic of critique leads Confucianism to be able to adapt well into new cultural settings. Boston Confucianism demonstrates Confucian adaptation through the feminist critiques at the Berkeley conference.⁶ Boston Confucians responded to the criticism by separating Confucianism from the traditional patriarchal East Asia history and argued that Confucian principles represent reciprocity and harmony over oppressive hierarchies. Through internal structures of criticism and adaptation, Neville demonstrates how Confucianism is reinterpreted to contemporary ethical and social concerns.
Through using intercultural intellectual resources made available through translation and adaptability Confucianism is transformed into a global philosophy. Neville and Weiming stress the creation of a “world culture of philosophy” which reconstructs all traditions and allows for all ancient philosophies to address late-modern concerns.⁶ Confucianism as seen through Boston Confucianism becomes indispensable among many emerging discourses and displays how tradition can maintain a connection with its heritage and culture while also reshaping itself to be applied in new contexts.
- Tu Weiming, “Foreword,” in Boston Confucianism: Portable Tradition in the Late-Modern World, p. xii.
- Neville, Boston “Preface” Boston Confucianism: Portable Tradition in the Late-Modern World, p. xxii.
- Ibid, p. xxx.
- Ibid, p. xii-xiii.
- Philip J. Ivanhoe, “Neo-Confucian Philosophy,” in the Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy
- Neville, Boston “The Short Happy Life of Boston Confucianism” in Boston Confucianism: Portable Tradition in the Late-Modern World p. 21-22.