Confucius is Our Prophet: The Discourse of Prophecy and Religious Agency in Indonesian Confucianism

Comparison of four biographies of Confucius, published between 1897 and 1957, and a drama depicting his birth, performed in 2011, demonstrates the introduction of Confucius and his construction as a prophet in the Dutch East Indies and, later, in Indonesia. Supernatural and mystical elements serve as indispensable markers of religion and status as a prophet. The authors exercised agency in selecting and appropriating narratives of Confucius for their own purposes. The rationalist approach to the interpretation of Confucianism and the role of Confucius treats him as an historical figure, sage and teacher, while the spiritualist approach perceives him as a divine messenger, saviour and prophet. The two have long been in competition. The social and political struggles of Confucian communities since the Dutch colonial period have shaped literary and visual descriptions of Confucius.