Datong

Description

by Ruihan Wu:

"In his work A History of Pre-Qin Political Thought, Liang Qichao elaborated on the concept of Datong:

“Datong” represents the ultimate realization of a complete and harmonious human personality within the universe. However, the universe is never completely perfect; if it were, it would no longer be a universe. Confucians deeply hold this principle, as reflected in the sixty-four hexagrams of Yi 易 (the Book of Changes), starting with “Qian 乾” and ending with “Weiji 未济”. In this imperfect universe, our task is to continuously progress based on our capabilities, inching closer to the realization of the ideal personality and the harmonious universe we aspire to. How can we achieve this? By expanding our kinship consciousness to its utmost extent."

(https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/14/8/1036)

Source

* Article: Confucian Cosmopolitanism: The Modern Predicament and the Way Forward. by Ruihan Wu. Religions 2023, 14(8), 1036; doi

URL = https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/14/8/1036

"In the Chinese-speaking academic community, the topic of Confucian cosmopolitanism is intricately linked to the concepts of “Tianxia” and “Datong”, carrying significant political implications. This context arises from the tension between the Confucian vision of a borderless world order and the reality of the bounded nation-state system since the late 19th century. This modern situation constitutes the dual predicaments for Confucian cosmopolitanism: the contradiction between the logic of Datong and the logic of national empowerment, as well as the conflict between the specific Confucian identity and the universal concern for the world. Represented by notable figures like Liang Qichao, modern scholars have devoted themselves to resolving these predicaments. "

More information

• Kang, Youwei 康有为. 2010. Datong Shu 大同书. Beijing 北京: China Renmin University Press 中国人民大学出版社.