Confucian Contemplation

Confucians from ancient times to the present have consistently engaged in contemplative practices such as ritual, fasting, music, archery, calligraphy, reading, and dialogue. However, the Confucian (traditionally termed Ru 儒, meaning “a civilized human”) tradition has not been adequately represented in the field of contemplative studies. Contemplative practices, though, are central to this tradition’s aim of integrating philosophical and ethical insights into one’s personhood and actions through heightened attention, thereby facilitating the primary objective of Confucian learning: self-cultivation, which underpins the ethical, social, and political activities for which Confucians are known. Integrating Confucian perspectives more fully into contemplative studies provides new data from the Confucian tradition on a unique sort of contemplative experience that is of a decidedly this-worldly bent, an orientation that could be particularly relevant to modern professionals and knowledge workers. This Special Issue aims to renew scholarly interest in Confucian contemplation, examining its historical landscape and contemporary significance.