Contemporary Chinese Philosophy and the Importance of Confucian Kinship Relations

Li Zehou belongs to the most influential Chinese philosophers of our time. This paper will present a critical introduction his theory regarding consolidation specific Confucian system kinship relations, which for him forms crucial foundation traditional social order. In Confucianism, inter-familial relations form basis system, in interpersonal are utmost importance and therefore denotes as “relationalism”. According him, this kinship-based model originates shamanistic rituality performed by Neolithic humans living land occupied modern-day China. These cultures were rather advanced based their societies on small-scale semi-agricultural production, communities mainly constructed through relationships. Shamanistic ceremonies enhancing strengthening awareness such unities. early collective rites, especially those that include music dance, had powerful effect humans, creating intense feelings respect, love loyalty, thus forming order upon ethics, rooted humanness. Li’s shamanist origins relationalism be critically illuminated lens current historical anthropological scholarship function within corresponding cultural orders.