An Exhibition of Confucian Culture

by Yi Mei

Confucianism， developed from the philosophy of Confucius， remains an important facet of traditional Chinese culture and a spiritual icon of the Chinese nation. Considered a pioneer and founder of a branch of Chinese culture， Confucius has continued to be revered through the ages. In Records of the Grand Historian， Sima Qian， an eminent historian of the Han Dynasty （202 B.C.-220 A.D.）， compared the nobility of Confucius to “rising mountains and rolling plains—something to aim for that will never be reached.”

In December 2019， an exhibition featuring Confucian culture opened at the National Museum of China. It displays more than 700 cultural relics， ancient books and artworks spanning from the Neolithic Age to the 21st century to trace the formation， development and inheritance of Confucianism while shining light on its far-reaching influence.

Great Master

The opening exhibit is an ancient bone flute with amazing craftsmanship dating back 7，000 to 8，000 years. Alongside it are jade wares representing Liangzhu culture of 5，000 years ago and bronzes from the Shang （1600-1046 B.C.） and Zhou （1046-221 B.C.） dynasties.

“Confucius and his disciples looked to history to find inspiration for their own times， a model which has enabled Confucianism to expand to unprecedented and profound levels，” remarks Yang Chaoming， curator of the exhibition and director of the Confucius Research Institute. He considers the relics embodiments of Chinese culture. “Confucius was a great master who aggregated cultural achievements before his era. China had already developed profound culture before the time of Confucius， which is often underestimated in modern times. Looking at culture before Confucius can help people better understand the origins and cultural accumulation of Confucianism.”

In his early years， Confucius traveled widely to teach. When he returned to his home state of Lu later in life， he remained engaged in education and became a notable philosopher and educator. His deeds are depicted in the Ming Dynasty（1368-1644） painting series named Sacred Footprints of Confucius. The painting series displayed at the exhibition is the first version to portray many famous stories about Confucius life and trace his journeys. It was also the first narrative painting series in Chinese history.

Development and Inheritance of Confucianism

Yang notes that the exhibition is not confined to Confucius because it is a broader showcase of traditional Chinese culture with focus on Confucianism. He points out that in a broad sense Confucian culture includes Confucius， Confucianism and major pieces of traditional Chinese culture.

The exhibition positions Confucianism in the context of the longer history of Chinese civilization. From a wide perspective， it divides the relations between Confucianism and Chinese society into three phases. During the pre-Qin period before 221 B.C.， Confucianism set certain moral standards. Between the Qin Dynasty （221-206 B.C.）and the Qing Dynasty （1644-1911）， it merged with social politics and evolved into advocacy of authoritarianism. Around the Revolution of 1911， especially after the May Fourth Movement， people began to rethink Confucianism.

The merits of Confucianism are some of the most precious cultural and spiritual jewels of the Chinese nation and an Eastern philosophical treasure for humanity. Its concepts spread to East Asia and Southeast Asia as early as 2，000 years ago and to Europe and other parts of the world by the 16th century. Confucianism includes ideas about philosophy， ethics， politics， education， culture and social governance that have enlightened world civilizations. The Analects， a collection of speeches and arguments of Confucius and his disciples， has been translated into dozens of languages， many of which are displayed at the exhibition.

New Technology to Display Traditional Culture

In addition to ancient relics， the exhibition also includes 40 Confucius-themed works by 41 contemporary artists as well as a dozen multimedia interactive exhibits including a multimedia display of the painting series Sacred Footprints of Confucius， an immersive experience display， Q&A games about Confucianism and a VR display.“We tried to create a culture-based space that would attract more people to the exhibition，” reveals Liu Weixian， designer of the exhibition at the National Museum of China.

A corridor connecting the exhibition halls is adorned with small wooden boards carrying famous idioms from The Analects， which inspire many visitors to stop to take pictures.

“Some visitors may be surprised to learn that some very familiar idioms come from The Analects，” says Yang. “We can see how far-reaching the influence of Confucianism is. We are in a time of diverse cultures with wide-ranging ideas， philosophies and theories. But we cannot deny that Confucianism has flowed in the veins of Chinese culture and remains an important pillar of Chinese civilization.”