Does Confucius' goal of a peaceful and prosperous society built upon learning, virtue, and the Way go beyond reasonable expectation? The question is worthy of discussion. The Master said, To be silent and understand, to learn without tiring, never to weary of teaching others—this much I can do. (p.48, 7.2) Reading The Analects of Confucius (all [...]
When one sets to work, one should be liberal but strict, gentle but firm, frank but reverent, orderly but alert, compliant but courageous, forthright but warm, easy going but unyielding, resolute but sincere, forceful but righteous. If one can manifest these principles, it is excellent indeed! If one can show three of these nine virtues [...]
How close are Confucian ideas to the American conservatism of our day? Confucius himself is known in Chinese tradition as the “Model Sage for Ten Thousand Ages.” Thus, Confucius and his disciples and later followers held that there are indeed “permanent things,” to borrow the telling phrase employed to such great effect by Russell Kirk. [...]
The illustrious ancients, when they wished to make clear and to propagate the highest virtues in the world, put their states in proper order. Before putting their states in proper order, they regulated their families. Before regulating their families, they cultivated their own selves. Before cultivating their own selves, they perfected their souls. Before perfecting [...]
Watanabe Sadao never made art for popes and presidents. He made art for the humble Christian home. His simple style was not an affectation, but a true expression of his Christian faith. Like his father’s hymns, Watanabe’s prints were for living a Christian day, not for achieving artistic glory. Anyone who lived through the last [...]
Each great teacher locates the fundamental problem of human living differently: The Buddha cites suffering; Socrates points to ignorance; and Jesus identifies faulty love. In addition, all three Masters teach that the task set for each human soul is to travel from illusion to reality. Unlike the Age of Faith, in Postmodernity, or more accurately [...]
In each country represented by adherents to truth or devotees of satyagraha—Gandhi’s concept of civil disobedience—their nonviolent efforts helped achieve seismic change and movement toward justice, all without resort to war. Their influence, and that of satyagraha, continues to cascade and ripple across the world incalculably. “I’m more convinced than ever before that nonviolence is [...]
During the Japanese-American internment of 1942-1946, there arose a style of art that drew from elements and techniques of Western and traditional Japanese forms. Through a closer look at these works of art, Japanese-American internment art can serve to reflect the internees’ cultural, social, and political resilience while also allowing us to study the forms [...]
Having read Fr. Peter Milward’s book, My Idea of a University in Japan, I am firmly of the opinion that it needs an audience in the West. It is universally applicable and relevant to those seeking a deeper understanding of what constitutes an authentic university education. Last year saw the passing of Fr. Peter Milward, an [...]
Christopher Dawson promoted an alternative, if tentative, vision that Christianity could make a comeback as the source of spiritual renewal for desiccated Eastern cultures. In preparation for a trip to the Asian countries of China, Vietnam, Thailand, and Singapore, I have been reading many books and essays on a wide variety of topics by a wide [...]
Western conservatives should broaden their historical gaze, and look to Eastern as well as Western thinkers for direction and inspiration in our confusing world… Anyone who has ever been misled by a mistaken weather forecast knows that the world is full of chaos. Weather systems are influenced by the complex interactions of particles too numerous [...]
In Shusaku Endo's Silence, Rodrigues’s devotion to the face of Christ becomes the key to understanding his particular path to Calvary.... “Born into the world to render service to mankind, there is no one more wretchedly alone than the priest who does not measure up to his task… Yet God bestows upon man a better fate [...]
Our tradition may be in dire need of resuscitation and recollection, and it seems quite possible that the Chinese may help us in our necessity. Sour Sweet by Timothy Mo (288 pages, Sphere Books, 1982; Aventura Paperback, 1985) Shenfan William Hinton (785 pages, Random House, 1983; Vintage Paperback, 1984) The two books lumped together here have nothing in [...]
The West shall shake the East awake While ye have the night for morn. — James Joyce, Finnegan’s Wake 企者不立；跨者不行； 自見者不明；自是者不彰； 自伐者無功；自矜者不長。 其在道也，曰：餘食贅行。 物或惡之，故有道者不處。 — Lao Tzu, Tao te Ching, Chapter 24 […]