This book provides a good introduction to the ways in which Confucianism was both manipulated and challenged during one of the darkest periods of East Asian history. It illuminates the complexity of Confucian thought and its role in justifying and opposing imperialism, war and nationalism. The work is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand how ancient philosophies can be reinterpreted in modern contexts for both peace and conflict.
Jana S. Roker, Professor of Sinology and Chinese philosophy, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
This groundbreaking volume is the first book-length study in any language of Confucianism during the Asia-Pacific wartime era. Comprising fourteen insightful and interdisciplinary chapters, it offers a comprehensive examination of the ideological salience of modern Confucianism, highlighting its role in various Pan-Asianist, imperialist, and nationalist discourses. By shifting the focus away from the conventional narrative of the Second World War as a conflict between fascism and anti-fascism, this book provides a refreshing and nuanced perspective. It is an essential read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of WWII and its global ramifications. Furthermore, it is a timely work, as the canonical authority of Confucianism is once again being revived as symbolic capital in the service of authoritarian agendas.
Zhiyi Yang, Professor of Sinology, University of Frankfurt, Germany
It is often forgotten that the recent global resurrection of Confucianism as a philosophical and political tradition is only the second wave of modern Confucianism. In this historically rich and philosophically penetrating volume, Shaun ODwyer and other contributors show that while the second wave of modern Confucianism largely revolves around an intellectual debate among contemporary Confucians, the first wave, which began in modernizing Japan and culminated during the wartime period (1910-1945), was both intellectual and, more importantly, deeply political, making a tremendous impact not only on the formation of Japans nationalism, imperialism, and colonial ideology but also on the mode of modernity that fundamentally reshaped the historical trajectories of the neighboring countries. Being the first book-length study of Asia-Pacific War era Confucianism in any language, this volume is a must-read as a sobering reminder for anyone interested in reinvigorating Confucianism as a modern intellectual tradition and political ideology in East Asia and beyond.
Sungmoon Kim, City University of Hong Kong
A thought-provoking volume on a hitherto neglected topic in East Asian history, Confucianism at War is essential reading for anyone interested in the role of religion in war, in twentieth-century Sino-Japanese Relations, and in the East Asian part of World War II in general.
Sven Saaler, Professor in Modern Japanese History, Sophia University, Japan
"This book is a treasure of fascinating articles on one of the most intriguing and understudied episodes in modern Asian history. Filling a massive lacunae in the fields of both East Asian history and Confucian studies, it unpacks the multiplicity and centrality of deployments of Confucianism during WWII and into the Cold War. Through this study, Confucianism emerges as a clearly modern and political object of contention between global historical forces as significant as the Japanese Empire, Chinese nationalists, the Chinese Communist Party, and early Korean nationalism. This book jettisons previous cliches of Confucian history as a purely pre-modern relic of tradition, propelling studies of Confucianism to a central position in our understanding of modern Asian history and nationalism."
Kiri Paramore, Professor of Asian Studies in the National University of Ireland, University College Cork
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