"The Source of Learning is Thought" Reading the Chin-ssu lu (近思錄) with a "Western Eye". Issue 1 (2nd January 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Reichenbach, Roland
• Is Part Of: Educational philosophy and theory. Volume 48:Issue 1(2016)
• Page Start: 36
• Page End: 51
• Publication Date: 2016-01-02
• Subjects: Neo-Confucianism -- learning -- Chin-ssu lu -- Confucianist learning theory -- Chu Hsi; Education -- Philosophy -- Periodicals; Teaching -- Periodicals; Éducation; Philosophie de l'éducation; Théorie de l'éducation; Périodique électronique (Descripteur de forme); Ressource Internet (Descripteur de forme); 370.1
• DOI: 10.1080/00131857.2015.1084223
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0013-1857

Abstract

Abstract: The contribution focuses on Neo-Confucian texts as collected by Zhu Xi (朱熹 1130–1200) and Lü Zuqian (1137–1181) and is a look from the 'outside', from the perspective of German theories of Bildung ('self-cultivation'). It aims at demonstrating that among other insights that today's readers may gather from Neo-Confucian literature, one aspect protrudes from others: that learning can be considered as a virtue—even a meta-virtue—a form of life and mode of self-formation of the person. It does not seem exaggerated, from this perspective, to state that Neo-Confucian philosophy is—to a large extent—a philosophy of learning and self-transformation which offers fruitful irritants for questioning the widespread habits of thinking about skills and their development in today's strong and problematic discourses and corresponding educational policies.