This book explores the complexities of cultivating ‘Confucian individuals’ through classics study in contemporary China by drawing on the individualization thesis and its implications for the Confucian education revival. Based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted at a Confucian classical school, three topics are investigated: parents’ narratives and actions related to ‘dis-embedding’ their children from mainstream state education and transferring them to Confucian education as an alternativ...

This book explores the relationship between Confucianism and citizenship and the rise of Confucian citizens in contemporary China.Combining theoretical and empirical approaches to the topic, the book constructs new frameworks to examine the nuances and complexities of Confucianism and citizenship, exploring the process of citizen-making through Confucian education. By re-evaluating the concept of citizenship as a Western construct and therefore challenging the popular characterizat...

This volume theorizes the concept of citizenship in contemporary China by probing into the formation of Chinese citizenship and synthesizing the practices of citizenship by different social groups. The first section, “Imagining Chinese Citizenship,” analyses how Chinese citizenship was first imagined by means of translation and education at the beginning of the twentieth century. The Chinese citizenship was then compared with the concept of Western citizenship and that of other Asian count...

This book reconsiders the concept of Chinese citizenship through the lens of cultural traditions and their deep historical roots. It challenges the state’s monolithic interpretation of culture, exploring how cultural practices influence citizenship in modern China.The contributors to this volume examine how various actors, from government forces to grassroots activists, engage in culture-informed citizenship practices. They highlight the role of political ideology, spirituality, Co...