Journals Information
Sociology and Anthropology Vol. 4(2), pp. 52 - 58
DOI: 10.13189/sa.2016.040202
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The Renaissance of Confucianism in Contemporary China from the Perspective of Terror Management Theory
Lu Leng 1,*, Michael Salzman 2
1 Department of English Teaching, Jinan University, China
2 Department of Educational Psychology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, USA
ABSTRACT
Confucianism has been representative of Chinese traditional culture in official context for most of the time since the Han Dynasty (202BC). Since the fall of the Qing Dynasty, China neglected its traditions in order to modernize itself. People seem to be in danger of losing their soul [1]. As capitalism grows in contemporary China, cultural confusion sends China back to its home base - the Confucius worldview and cultural value. People are now exploring ways to integrate Confucianism into modern society. Previous research efforts have explored the motivational reasons contributing to this phenomenon. However, less clear is the psychological and spiritual significance of contemporary aspirations toward resurrecting Confucianism. This paper examines the Confucianism renaissance through the perspective of Terror Management Theory (TMT) which suggests that culture serves as a defense against the anxiety inherent in the human condition. This review is supported by a large body of experimental evidence [2,3]. Numerous studies have found that when people are reminded of their mortality, they are motivated to validate and defend their cultural worldviews and values in order to boost their self-esteem and viability of their own culture.
KEYWORDS
Terror Management Theory, Confucianism, Traditional Culture, Revival
Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Lu Leng , Michael Salzman , "The Renaissance of Confucianism in Contemporary China from the Perspective of Terror Management Theory," Sociology and Anthropology, Vol. 4, No. 2, pp. 52 - 58, 2016. DOI: 10.13189/sa.2016.040202.
(b). APA Format:
Lu Leng , Michael Salzman (2016). The Renaissance of Confucianism in Contemporary China from the Perspective of Terror Management Theory. Sociology and Anthropology, 4(2), 52 - 58. DOI: 10.13189/sa.2016.040202.