Resurgence of Confucian education in contemporary China: Parental involvement, moral anxiety, and the pedagogy of memorisation

Abstract

ABSTRACT The resurgence of Confucian education in present-day China has received increasing academic attention over the last two decades. However, certain aspects of this trend remain poorly understood, particularly parents’ involvement in their children’s Confucian education. Based on a qualitative study conducted at a Confucian school, this article sheds light on why some Chinese parents today send their children to learn the Confucian classics. The parents interviewed criticised China’s examination-oriented state school system, which they regarded as too practically oriented to realise students’ personal and moral development. Instead, they wanted their children to cultivate Confucian virtues and moral suzhi (‘quality’). Also, Wang Caigui’s theory of ‘children reading classics’ education strengthened the parents’ confidence in the Confucian pedagogy of memorisation. Based on these findings, the article argues that using the critique tool, parents who advocate Confucian education have emerged as critical citizens who reflect on how not to be governed by the mainstream state education.