Confucian Tradition and Innovation

-looRESEARCH NOTE: CONFUCIAN TRADITION AND INNOVATION Shib-chiang Lu Institute of Modern History Academia Sinica Republic of China The theory that innovation will encounter obstacles in tradition is perhaps by now considered the normal course of events. But the content of tradition is quite broad and complex. Some aspects might retard innovation, while others might be not only harmless, but perhaps even helpful to the progress of innovation, In China, tradition almost always refers to the Confucian tradition because for 2,000 years its influence upon Chinese society has been dominant. In the more than 100 years since the Opium War, China has experienced the most radical change in its history. In such a period f the relationship between tradition and innovation becomes extremely clear. My own investigation of this period leads me to believe that, the events retarding the progress of innovation are many, and tradition is only one such element. Furthermore, sometimes tradition may even contribute a basis and motivation for innovation. Let me first discuss tradition as an obstacle to innovation. Most scholars seem to hold that the so-called Self-Strengthening movement in China between 1860 and 1894, which emphasized Western technology^ progressed very slowly only because of the strength of conservative forces, as the conservatives were those who insisted on maintaining the Confucian tradition. I have attempted to collect These comments were presented by Professor Lu at the 14th International Congress of the Historical Sciences (San Francisco, August 28). As they represent the product of considerable research on late Ch'ing government efforts to modernize, the editor believes these comments would be of interest to other scholars« -101and analyse the theories of the opponents of Self-Strengthening. They tend to fall into four broad categories: (1)Western science and technology could not be better than those of China; thus there is no need to study them, (2)The natural and social environments of China and the West are not the same. Western science and technology may bring benefits to America and Europe, but in China may easily result in harm. (3)Imitating the West is using barbarian ways to change China. This will result in harm to Chinese culture, and it will destroy the spirit of the people, both civilian and military. Imitating the West will not only fail to result in the strengthening of China, but will also cause China to grow weak and die. (4)The rapid development of science and technology will result in the rapid diminution of materials and finally may lead to a fearful situation for the future of the human race. The first two of the above theories seem to proceed from a lack of knowledge which resulted in judgments which were bound to be defective. In any case, such theories seem to have little to do with Confucian thought. The fourth theory differs little from those we ourselves might hold today and thus cannot be said to arise from tradition as such. Only the third theory of these men who opposed the innovation of the Self-Strengthening movement represents an authentic Confucian or traditional concept, the discrimination between what was Chinese and what was alien. In a period when China was suffering from the invasion of aggressive forces from without, this kind of thinking could hardly be avoided. Again those who advocated innovation themselves used the very same theory, emphasizing that extraordinary means must be employed to avoid the consequences of alien influences. Turning now to the period of reform from 1895 to 1898, it can be said with assurance that the failure of the reform was due to the power of the conservatives. -102Yet the relationships between conservative influence and Confucianism were few. About 30 years ago, Ch'en Ch'iu wrote a penetrating essay entitled "The Political Thought of the Opponents of the Reform Movement of 1895-98." He pointed out that the opponents of reform were most importantly moved by conflicts over power and interest. He quoted Yeh Ch'ang-chih, a disinterested observer of the Reform period: "With regard to the case of K'ang Yu-wei and Liang Ch'i-ch'ao tthe leaders of the Reform: , that is a struggle between new...