An Interrupted "Confucianisation"? Trends and contradictions in the revival of Confucius at the 20th Congress

Abstract

The article outlines the main advancements in the Party’s ideological work that occurred at the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, focusing in particular on Confucius' comeback. By highlighting the elements of continuity and discontinuity with the previous leaders’ approach to Confucianism, the article shows Xi’s struggle to achieve a synthesis between Maoism, Marxism-Leninism, and the values of the Confucian tradition. The contribution argues that the common denominator lies in considering Xi Jinping’s thought as “Ideopraxis”, meaning a political thought that, in order to be learned and understood, must not be separated from the concrete conditions of its formulation. The attempt of reconciling Confucianism with the Legalist tradition, socialism, nationalism, and the needs of the “new era” suggests that one single Confucius is no longer enough to ensure the survival of Xi’s rule.