Self-Cultivation as the Basis of Person Making: A Confucian Perspective Illustrated by a Case Study of Zeng Guofan

2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-53
Author(s):  
Liu Yongli ◽  
Liu Yiping
Keyword(s):  
Historical Data ◽  
Life Experiences ◽  
Moral Self ◽  
Self Reflection ◽  
Moral Cultivation ◽  
Self Blame ◽  
The Qing Dynasty ◽  
Confucian Scholar ◽  
Zeng Guofan

As a model of self-cultivation in accordance with the Confucian theory of Xinxing-Gongfu (心性-功夫论), Zeng Guofan (1811–1872), a well-renowned Confucian scholar and successful minister of the Qing Dynasty (1636–1912) in China, is a prime exemplar of ‘self-cultivation as the basis of person-making’ (修身为本). Considerable historical data proves he consciously strove to perfect himself in a systemic way. By examining his Diaries, Family Letters, and Reading Records, this study identifies that he had three interrelated practices of self-cultivation: (a) The establishment of the moral self. With the proposition that ‘if you are not a sage, you are a beast’, Zeng advocated improving one’s character through self-reflection, self-blame, self-discipline and self-encouragement. (b) Individual moral practice and the learning of moral knowledge. Zeng believed that one could strengthen one’s moral cultivation by keeping a diary, meditating, reading Confucian classics, extracting and reciting famous quotes from former sages, writing essays and practicing calligraphy. (c) The construction of family and cultural community. Zeng’s experience provides illustration that cultural communities can be constructed through the process of a father delivering life experiences to his children, friends and colleagues, and that self-criticism can be used in the service of self-enhancement in Confucian psychology.

Introduction to Confucian Psychology: Background, Content, and an Agenda for the Future

2021 ◽  
pp. 097133362199044
Author(s):  
James H. Liu
Keyword(s):  
Self Reflection ◽  
Highly Educated ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
New Confucianism ◽  
Diary Writing ◽  
Confucian Philosophy ◽  
Zeng Guofan ◽  
Mental And Physical Health ◽  
Background Content

Psychology has a pervasive but shallow engagement with Confucian philosophy, mainly referencing its popular form as a part of Chinese tradition. This special issue takes a more systematic view of Confucianism as comprehensive philosophy. Drawing from New Confucianism, it is argued that the signal contribution of Confucianism to psychology as human (rather than natural) science is an ontology of the moral mind (heaven and humanity in union). This holistic ontology makes the cultivation of benevolence (仁) a lifelong mission for Confucianists. Practices of self-cultivation are exemplified by a case study of Zeng Guofan, a Qing Dynasty official and scholar, who combined academics, calligraphy, meditation, diary writing and self-reflection to refine his character, nurture and educate his family, and be of service to society. Second, Confucianism’s traditional lack of interest in epistemology is addressed through the complementary (dialectical) principle of ‘one principle, many manifestations’, where methods of Western science can be incorporated into the investigation of practices such as brush calligraphy that are shown to have beneficial effects on mental and physical health. Confucianism can also be treated as an object of scientific inquiry: We find that even among highly educated Chinese people, understanding of Confucianism today is mostly fragmented and abstract. Confucian Psychology can be summarised as a psychology of aspirations for bettering the condition of humanity through character development and greater awareness of the situation to realise the endowment of moral mind. Finally, there are deep connections between Confucian and Indian psychology—both involve height psychology, a psychology of aspirations and for spiritual transformation.

Teaching Computer Based Historical Data Analysis

1994 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles Anderson ◽  
Robert J. Morris
Keyword(s):  
Data Analysis ◽  
Social History ◽  
Historical Data ◽  
Good Practice ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Historical Data Analysis ◽  
University Of Edinburgh ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
The University

A case study ofa third year course in the Department of Economic and Social History in the University of Edinburgh isusedto considerandhighlightaspects of good practice in the teaching of computer-assisted historical data analysis.

A Case Study on the Un-Used Capacity Assessment Using Time Driven Activity Based Costing for Magnetic Components

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-39
Author(s):  
Areena Zaini ◽  
Haryantie Kamil ◽  
Mohd Yazid Abu
Keyword(s):  
Historical Data ◽  
Manufacturing Sector ◽  
Type I ◽  
Activity Based Costing ◽  
Cost Rate ◽  
Continuous Innovation ◽  
Magnetic Components ◽  
Alignment Process ◽  
Capacity Cost

The Electrical & Electronic (E&E) company is one of Malaysia’s leading industries that has 24.5% in manufacturing sector production. With a continuous innovation of E&E company, the current costing being used is hardly to access the complete activities with variations required for each workstation to measure the un-used capacity in term of resources and cost. The objective of this work is to develop a new costing structure using time-driven activity-based costing (TDABC) at . This data collection was obtained at E&E company located at Kuantan, Pahang that focusing on magnetic component. The historical data was considered in 2018. TDABC is used to measure the un-used capacity by constructing the time equation and capacity cost rate. This work found three conditions of un-used capacity. Type I is pessimistic situation whereby according to winding toroid core, the un-used capacity of time and cost are -14820 hours and -MYR2.60 respectively. It means the system must sacrifice the time and cost more than actual apportionment. Type II is most likely situation whereby according to assembly process, the un-used capacity of time and cost are 7400 hours and MYR201575.45 respectively. It means the system minimize the time and cost which close to fully utilize from the actual apportionment. Type III is optimistic situation whereby according to alignment process, the un-used capacity of time and cost are 4120 hours and MYR289217.15 respectively. It means the system used small amount of cost and time from the actual apportionment.

Leading through ritual: Ceremony and emperorship in early modern China

Leadership ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 435-459 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gazi Islam ◽  
Macabe Keliher
Keyword(s):  
Early Modern ◽  
Analogical Reasoning ◽  
Modern China ◽  
Historical Case Study ◽  
Historical Case ◽  
Ritual Performance ◽  
The Qing Dynasty ◽  
Structural Aspects ◽  
Institutional Order

Ritual performance is well understood in organizational maintenance. Its role in leadership and processes of change, however, remains understudied. We argue that ritual addresses key challenges in institutionalizing leadership, particularly in fixing the relation between a charismatic leader and formal governance structures. Through a historical case study of the institutionalization of the emperor in Qing China (1636–1912), we argue that the shaping of collective understandings of the new emperor involved structural aspects of ritual that worked through analogical reasoning to internalize the figure of the leader through focusing attention, fixing memory, and emotionally investing members in the leader. We argue that data from the Qing dynasty Board of Rites show that ritual was explicitly designed to model the new institutional order, which Qing state-makers used to establish collective adherence to the emperorship. We further discuss the implications of this case for understanding the symbolic and performative nature of leadership as an institutional process.

Teachers' learning in extraordinary times: shifting to a digitally facilitated approach to lesson study

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
James Calleja ◽  
Patrick Camilleri
Keyword(s):  
Technology Use ◽  
Lesson Study ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Self Reflection ◽  
Opportunities For Learning ◽  
Study Process ◽  
The University ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThe research reported in this paper brings forth the experiences of three teachers working in different schools. These teachers learned about lesson study through a course offered at the University of Malta while, at the same time, leading a lesson study with colleagues at their school. With the COVID-19 outbreak, these teachers had, out of necessity, to adopt and accommodate for their lesson study to an exclusive online approach. This paper, hence, focuses on teachers' learning as they shifted their lesson study online.Design/methodology/approachThis paper presents a case study that delves into the experiences and perceptual insights that these teachers manifested in shifting to an exclusive online lesson study situation. Data collection is derived from a focus group discussion, teacher reflective entries and detailed reports documenting the lesson study process and experiences. Employing technological frames as the theoretical lens, a description-analysis-interpretation approach was employed to analyse and interpret reflections and grounded experiential perceptions that the respondents disclosed during their lesson study journey.FindingsNotwithstanding their initial discerned sense of loss and unpreparedness of being constrained to migrate lesson study to exclusive online means, teachers eventually recognised that digitally mediated collaborative practices enhanced self-reflection about the lesson study process. Therefore, the extraordinary situation that the teachers in this study experienced not only disrupted their modus operandi but also allowed them to discern new opportunities for learning about digital technology use in lesson study.Practical implicationsDisruption, brought about by unforeseen circumstances, takes teachers and professional development facilitators out of their comfort zones, invariably helping them grow out of their limitations and rethink lesson study practices.Originality/valueIntentionally driven disruptions prompt teachers to resolve their dissatisfactory situations by thinking out of the box, eventually helping them to improve their professional practices.

scholarly journals Conceptions of Speech Acts in the Theory and Practice of Argumentation: A Case Study of a Debate About Advocating

2014 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean Goodwin
Keyword(s):  
Natural Resource ◽  
Speech Acts ◽  
Speech Act ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Ongoing Debate ◽  
Self Reflection ◽  
Communication Challenges

Abstract Far from being of interest only to argumentation theorists, conceptions of speech acts play an important role in practitioners’ self-reflection on their own activities. After a brief review of work by Houtlosser, Jackson and Kauffeld on the ways that speech acts provide normative frameworks for argumentative interactions, this essay examines an ongoing debate among scientists in natural resource fields as to the appropriateness of the speech act of advocating in policy settings. Scientists’ reflections on advocacy align well with current scholarship, and the scholarship in turn can provide a deeper understanding of how to manage the communication challenges scientists face.

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