The New Asia Lectures on Confucianism 2024 was successfully held in October 2024, with Professor Yan Binggang, Dean and Distinguished Professor, Rural Confucian Research Institute of Qufu Normal University, as the keynote speaker of three public lectures. The “New Asia Lectures on Confucianism” was launched in 2013 under the sponsorship of the Moonchu Foundation. Each year, a distinguished scholar in Confucianism studies is invited to the College to deliver public lectures, with the aim of arousing interest among academics and the general public in a more in-depth exploration of Confucianism through discussions on various issues.

The First Lecture entitled “Liang Shuming’s Theory of Rural Reconstruction and the Chinese Mode of Modernisation” was held at Sir Run Run Shaw Hall, CUHK at 6:30pm on 9 October 2024, and was moderated by Professor Huang Yong from the CUHK Department of Philosophy. The Lecture was also a College Bi-Weekly Assembly with the participation of more than a thousand College students and staff. In the lecture, Professor Yan Binggang proposed that Mr. Liang Shuming’s Rural Reconstruction Movement was both his exploration of the modernisation path of Chinese society and his design of a Chinese plan for a new model of human civilisation. Mr. Liang personally took action for this cause, from the rural governance experiment in Guangdong in 1927 to the establishment of the Shandong Rural Reconstruction Institute in 1931. He hoped to nourish urban civilisation with rural fraternal civilisation, and rebuild the "new rituals and customs" of Chinese society. Although Mr. Liang’s plan eventually failed, it inspired the modernisation development of China. He believed that only by recognising and embracing the spirit of Confucianism of our own, and combining it with the advantages of Western culture, could we find our own path for the country.

The Second Lecture entitled “Yan Hui and Zhuang Zhou: A Synthesised Account” was held at Cho Yiu Conference Hall, G/F, University Administration Building, CUHK at 4:30pm on 10 October 2024, with Professor David Chai from the CUHK Department of Philosophy as the moderator. Professor Yan believed that there is some kind of intrinsic connection between the thoughts of Yan Hui and Zhuangzi. He pointed out that people assumed that Zhuangzi is a representative of Daoism. Since Han Yu and Su Shi, it has been believed that Zhuangzi belonged to Confucianism. In modern times, scholars such as Zhang Taiyan and Guo Moruo have considered Zhuangzi to be part of the “Yan Hui’s Confucianism”. Professor Yan elaborated on this through the attitudes towards life, worldviews, and spiritual realms of both Yan Hui and Zhuangzi.

The Third Lecture entitled “The Revival of Confucianism in the Mainland China in the Last Four Decades: A Reflection” was held at Function Room AC1, 4/F, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre at 3:00pm on 13 October 2024, with Professor Cheng Chung-yi from the CUHK Department of Philosophy as the moderator. Professor Yan outlined three stages in the revival of Confucianism in Mainland China over the past forty years. The first stage, from 1979 to 1994, saw a transition from criticism of Confucius and Confucianism to objective, rational, and multi-perspective studies of Confucius and Confucianism. The second stage, from 1994 to 2012, marked a comprehensive and multi-dimensional return of Confucius and Confucianism, permeating various fields to the extent that Confucian ideas became ubiquitous. Since 2012, the third stage of Confucianism’s rise on the Mainland has been characterised by a shift from studying Confucius to honouring Confucius, and from studying Confucianism to promoting Confucianism. Professor Yan has also actively participated in the wave of Confucian revival. He has dedicated himself to promoting rural Confucianism, such as arranging scholars to visit elderly people in villages, as well as establishing two-yuan canteens and community colleges specifically for seniors, contributing to the ideal society where the young are cared for while the elderly are supported.

Through the above three Lectures, the audiences have deepened their understanding of the development of Confucianism in modern China, and have raised a lot of discussions and responses during the lectures. In addition, the “Display of Publications by Professor Yan Binggang, New Asia Lectures on Confucianism” was successfully held from 23 September to 27 October 2024 at G/F, New Asia College Ch’ien Mu Library. The College would like to thank various parties for their support of the Lectures.