The Characteristics and Prospect of the Confucian Academy: A Commentary on Jiang Qing’s Ideas on the Confucian Academy

Abstract

The Confucian academy was a unique non-governmental institution in traditional Chinese society. The resurgence of Confucianism in contemporary China has led to the rise of a number of academies that claim to follow this ancient model. It is of indispensable benefit to analyze, discuss, and evaluate the main characteristics of the Confucian academy as well as its prospect. Over the past decade, Yangming Academy (Yangming Jingshe), founded by a great contemporary Confucian Jiang Qing in 1997, has established itself as the first and largest traditional Confucian academy in current China, including Hong Kong and Taiwan, since 1949. I myself have established Pinghe Academy in Zhuhai, and had a face-to-face discussion with Jiang on the principles of running a Confucian academy in contemporary society.