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The Multiple Images and Forms of Classical Confucian and Daoist...
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The Multiple Images and Forms of Classical Confucian and Daoist Ethics for Living

A special issue of Religions (ISSN 2077-1444).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2025 | Viewed by 3015

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Zhongjiang Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
Interests: Pre-Qin Confuciansim; excavated documents of Pre-Qin and Han dynasty; morden Chinese philosophy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Hongxing Lin

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Philosophy, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
Interests: Pre-Qin Confucianism; Song-Ming Confucianism; contemporary Neo-Confucian

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Classical Chinese religions contain rich and diverse wisdoms and ethics for living. As the two most important traditions of religious thought and practice in traditional China, the writings of Confucianism and Daoism are replete with extensive considerations of and meditations on topics such as the relationship between humans and nature (天人 tianren), life and death (生死shengsi), nature and the Mandate of Heaven (性命 xingming)，body and mind (身心 shenxin), spirit and desire, nature and society, and values and beliefs—all of which have established a profound Chinese religious ethics for living. They have provided complex doctrines, teachings, and tenets for establishing the meaning and value of life; for human beings to pursue virtue, self-fulfillment, and self-realization for establishing a beautiful life within a meaningful order; and for achieving harmony between human beings and the universe. 

Classical Confucian and Daoist ethics for living are shaped and guided by concepts such as Heaven (天 tian); destiny (命 ming); nature (性 xing); heart-mind (心 xin); essence, breath, and spirit (精气神 jing-qi-shen); and sacrality (灵 ling). In addition to their deep religious meanings, each of these notions has both a moral and practical significance. Whether the Confucian focus on “Human Nature and Heavenly Way” (性与天道 xing yu tiandao”) or the Daoist exploration of the relationship between the body and the soul or the mind and the spirit, all aim to promote the infinite development of personality by reflecting on various levels of the living human person to inspire people to continuously strive for excellence and realize the inner driving force for illuminating the value of life in the real world. Not only does this ethics for living not exclude religion but it actually has profound religious significance based on ultimate beliefs, while at the same time, it can be concretely implemented in daily activities, social governance, and the cultivation of the real world. This ethics for living is not based on the mystical idea of a personal God, but rather expresses the solemnity, transcendence, and infinite nature of personal character development. 

This Special Issue centers on the living wisdoms and ethics of classical Chinese religions, with the aim of expanding this area of research and showcasing the uniqueness, diversity, and universality of traditional Chinese religious life ethics. 

This Special Issue explores topics such as the following:

  1. The Confucian belief in the Mandate of Heaven and its relation to human nature;
  2. Daoist concepts of nature and fate (性命 xingming) and the relationship between the body and mind, as well as life and death;
  3. Similarities and differences in the life ethics of Confucianism and Daoism;
  4. Comparisons of life ethics in Eastern and Western religions. 

We welcome original academic papers and reviews for submission.

Prof. Dr. Zhongjiang Wang
Prof. Dr. Hongxing Lin
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Confucianism
  • Daoism
  • ethics for living

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 426 KiB  
Article
The Way to Immortality: The Theory of Human Nature and Destiny of Ge Hong, a Religious Thinker
by Yuan Gao
Religions 2025, 16(5), 570; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16050570 - 29 Apr 2025
Viewed by 149
Abstract
Ge Hong, a religious thinker, has a philosophy of life that integrates Confucianism and Daoism that is reflected in his theory of human nature and destiny. It is embodied in several related concepts. First, “human nature and destiny are inherently natural”. This means [...] Read more.
Ge Hong, a religious thinker, has a philosophy of life that integrates Confucianism and Daoism that is reflected in his theory of human nature and destiny. It is embodied in several related concepts. First, “human nature and destiny are inherently natural”. This means that human nature and destiny are inevitable and determined. On the one hand, Ge Hong denied this concept to demonstrate the possibility of immortality; on the other hand, he accepted it in terms of whether an individual could become an immortal. This gave his thought a distinct dualist feature. Second, the “law of human nature and destiny” served as the foundation for discussing the rationality of the cultivation of immortality during the Wei and Jin Dynasties. Ge Hong also used the law to demonstrate the rationality of the way to immortality. Third, the essence of the way to immortality can be presented through the theory of human nature and destiny, which is to transform humans into immortals through certain means, known as “transforming life and destiny”. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Multiple Images and Forms of Classical Confucian and Daoist Ethics for Living)
16 pages, 333 KiB  
Article
Wang Fuzhi on the Problem of Heaven and Human in the Religious Tradition of Confucianism
by Xiaopeng Xu and Yun Chen
Religions 2025, 16(3), 393; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16030393 - 20 Mar 2025
Viewed by 323
Abstract
Although Wang Fuzhi is considered an important summarizer of Song–Ming Neo-Confucianism, his criticism of the traditional relationship between Heaven and human (tian ren guan xi 天人关系), especially the ensuing religious implications, has not been thoroughly examined. This essay aims to illustrate his [...] Read more.
Although Wang Fuzhi is considered an important summarizer of Song–Ming Neo-Confucianism, his criticism of the traditional relationship between Heaven and human (tian ren guan xi 天人关系), especially the ensuing religious implications, has not been thoroughly examined. This essay aims to illustrate his reconstruction of Confucianism’s Heaven–human relationship and its ideal this-worldly religious way of life. He believed that Confucianism’s theory of human nature was based on the vision of man and that it was wrong to establish a static theory of human nature with the perspective of Heaven. The Heaven–human relationship is similar to that between father and son, which is different in form and separate in essence (xing yi zhi li 形异质离) and can only be balanced in a dynamic relationship. In addition, he pointed out that the traditional static relationship would lead to hypocrisy and asserted that this tendency might destroy this-worldly life of Confucianism. He attempted to integrate the different degrees of understanding of the Heaven–human relationship into a holistic and historical way of life through the Confucian classics. This-worldly life is continually aware of its own ephemerality through the feeling of the Heaven–human relationship as well as the transmission of experience. The historical life of a particular this-worldly religion is thus established. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Multiple Images and Forms of Classical Confucian and Daoist Ethics for Living)
14 pages, 317 KiB  
Article
What Is the Meaning of Reproduction for Individuals: An Attempted Explanation Based on Confucianism
by Mimi Pi
Religions 2025, 16(2), 242; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16020242 - 16 Feb 2025
Viewed by 526
Abstract
In a modern world dominated by individualism, reproduction has become a difficult choice for individuals. The traditional reasons for reproduction have lost their appeal. For individuals, the meaning of reproduction has become a question. Confucian understandings of the universe and the individual provide [...] Read more.
In a modern world dominated by individualism, reproduction has become a difficult choice for individuals. The traditional reasons for reproduction have lost their appeal. For individuals, the meaning of reproduction has become a question. Confucian understandings of the universe and the individual provide insight to address the challenge. Dong Zhongshu’s theory of “humans are born of tian” and the concept of deriving benevolence from Heaven deeply appreciate the cosmic virtue of natural generation, establishing a meaningful connection between Heaven and humanity, and offering a cosmic perspective to understand the meaning of human life beyond blood relations. Mencius’s theory of human nature opens up multiple possibilities for the establishment of individual subjectivity, alleviating the potential tension in parent–child relationships from an individualistic perspective. Confucian rituals, through traceable bloodline genealogies, imbue individual life with meaning, and within this context, reproduction is given significance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Multiple Images and Forms of Classical Confucian and Daoist Ethics for Living)
30 pages, 13358 KiB  
Article
The Dual Ethical Dimensions of “Tian” in Xizi-Belief: Unveiling Tianming and Tianli Through a Hunan Case Study
by Xin Zhang, Lei Liao and Xubin Xie
Religions 2025, 16(2), 194; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16020194 - 7 Feb 2025
Viewed by 1029
Abstract
This study focuses on Xizi-belief (惜字信仰) and provides a comparative analysis of the religious philosophies of Tianming (天命) and Tianli (天理), using the Hunan region as a case study. Through anthropological methods and fieldwork, this study explores how Classical Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism [...] Read more.
This study focuses on Xizi-belief (惜字信仰) and provides a comparative analysis of the religious philosophies of Tianming (天命) and Tianli (天理), using the Hunan region as a case study. Through anthropological methods and fieldwork, this study explores how Classical Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism shape and guide word-cherishing behaviors based on the conceptual philosophies of Tianming and Tianli. The Tianming conception views characters as revelations of heavenly destiny. Through religious rituals, people cherish words to honor heaven and seek to change their destinies through heavenly forces, reflecting worldly desires and spiritual pursuits and emphasizing heaven with personhood. In contrast, the Tianli conception sees words as carriers of moral and natural laws. Guided by Confucian ethics and the concept of karma and retribution, it influences people’s moral norms and behavioral practices, reflecting the metaphysical moral law of a just and righteous heaven. Both conceptions not only involve the worship and protection of words but also profoundly embody a deep understanding and pursuit of the order of the universe, moral norms, the ethics of life, and the meaning of life. This study reveals three modes of influence: the religious philosophy integration model, the ritual practice model, and the architectural embodiment model. These models emphasize the positive impact of Xizi-belief on ethics and social life, prompting people to demonstrate positive guidance in human behavior through reverence for Tianming (mandate of heaven), adherence to Tianli (principle of heaven), and respect for nature. Under the guidance of classical religious ethical principles, the spread of Xizi-belief and the practice of Xizi religious ceremonies promote the harmonious development of individual virtues and social order, achieving harmony between humans and the universe. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Multiple Images and Forms of Classical Confucian and Daoist Ethics for Living)
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