Author(s)

Ziyue Xu ¹, Yuxuan Liu ²

Affiliation(s)

¹ School of Sociology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
² School of Computer and Information Engineering, Heilongjiang University of Science and Technology, Harbin, China

Corresponding Author

Ziyue Xu

ABSTRACT

By revisiting Weber's thought process in studying Chinese religions through reading "Religion in China: Táoism and Confucianism," it becomes evident that Weber's discourse still contains paradoxes, particularly in his misunderstandings of Confucianism and Taoism. The confusion surrounding the concept of "religion," misinterpretations of the concept of "unity of heaven and man," and neglect of the idea of "three teachings merging" have led Weber to overlook the characteristic of Confucianism as a doctrine rather than a religion. Moreover, his misreadings of the theoretical foundation of Taoism, confusion between Daoism and Taoism, and misjudgment of the relationship between Confucianism and Taoism have caused Weber to overlook the process of religious transformation within Daoism. Despite Weber's misunderstandings of Confucianism and Taoism, his awareness of sociological issues and the depth of his work undoubtedly make him a great scholar.

KEYWORDS

Weber, Confucianism, Taoism, Religion in China: Confucianism and Taoism

CITE THIS PAPER

Ziyue Xu, Yuxuan Liu, Misinterpretations of Confucianism and Taoism by Weber: A Reading Note on "Religion in China: Confucianism and Taoism". Journal of Sociology and Ethnology (2023) Vol. 5: 98-105. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/jsoce.2023.050917.

REFERENCES

[1] Weber, M. (2009). The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism (Kewen Yan, Trans.). Shanghai: Shanghai People's Publishing House.
[2] The content cited in this paper from "Religion in China: Confucianism and Taoism" is all from Max Weber's work, "Religion in China: Confucianism and Taoism" (Le Kang and Huimei Jian, Trans.). Shanghai: Sanlian Bookstore, 2020.
[3] Fu, Q. (2011). A History of Chinese Taoism. Beijing: Commercial Press, 77.
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[6] Zheng, X. M. (1993). Lu Xun's Views on the "Integration of Three Religions." Lu Xun Research Monthly, (12), 4-10.
[7] Fu, Q. (2011). A History of Chinese Taoism. Beijing: Commercial Press, 26.
[8] Fu, Q. (2011). A History of Chinese Taoism. Beijing: Commercial Press, 78.
[9] Peng, Y. H., & Min, L. (2011). Max Weber's Study of Taoism: Purpose and Implications. Religious Studies, (02), 260-263.
[10] Chen, Z. Q. (2015). Max Weber's Misinterpretation of Taoism from "Confucianism and Taoism." Journal of Wenzhou Vocational and Technical College, 15(03), 62-64.
[11] Zheng, X. M. (1993). Lu Xun's Views on the "Integration of Three Religions." Lu Xun Research Monthly, (12), 11.
[12] Chen, Z. Q. (2015). Max Weber's Misinterpretation of Taoism from "Confucianism and Taoism." Journal of Wenzhou Vocational and Technical College, 15(03), 65-66.
[13] Gu, Z. H. (2004). Weber's Theory. Guilin: Guangxi Normal University Press, 91.

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