Based on extensive research spanning almost two decades, this book is a pioneer presentation of the New Confucian Movement, a cultural movement which developed in China in the aftermath of the 1911 May Fourth Movement.
Beginning with a brief history of the movement and the major ideas of three generations of leaders, Reinventing Confucianism is a complete Survey from the 1920's to the present.
The body of the book offers, in separate chapters, the life and thought of eleven main figures representative of the first and second generations of the New Confucian Movement, all of whom were Important figures of the philosophical development of China in the 20th century. They are: Liang Shuming, the forerunner of the movement ; Ma Yifu, the Confucian hermit; Xiong Shili, the metaphysician; Zhang.Junmai, an advocate of political democracy; Feng Youlan, the renowned philosopher; He Lin, a follower of Hegel, Qian Mu, the historian; Fang Dongmei, the philosophical poet; Tang.Junyi, the spiritual philosopher; Xu Fuguan, the political and social columnist; and finally Mou Zongsan, creator of an elaborate metaphysical system considered by many to be the pinnacle of the philosophical endeavors of the others.
In addition, the author explores the leading figures of the generation of the movement, and discusses the renaissance of Confucian studies in contemporary China. Reinventing Confucianism is the most complete assessment to date of the accomplishments, limitations, and future expectations of a movement now situated at the center of the Chinese intellectual landscape.