Confucian Ethics and Confederate Memorials

Abstract

As self-conscious curators and critics of moral history, the early Confucians are relevant to the contemporary debate over the fate of memorials dedicated to morally flawed individuals. They provide us with a pragmatic justification that is distinct from those utilized in the current debate, and in many respects superior to the alternatives. In addition to supplying this curative philosophic resource, the early Confucian practices of ancestral memorialization suggest preventative measures we might adopt to minimize the chances of establishing divisive and oppressive memorials in the future.

Objectionable Commemorations: Ethical and Political Issues

“…Seventh, while a minority of scholars have started to explore commemorations and solutions in non‐Western countries – e.g. Korea (Yun, 2021), China (Lim, 2020b), and Taiwan (Lai, 2020, 2022) – very little engagement with non‐Western philosophical traditions has taken place (one noticeable example is Harris, 2023). We believe that more engagement with examples, solutions, and traditions outside the dominant philosophical literature and western politics will enrich our theorisation, and even help us come up with better solutions.…”