Research and Practice of the “Independence + Integration” Moral and Self-cultivation Teaching Method for Online Specialized Courses

In the context of the COVID-19 outbreak,online teaching has spread rapidly.However,the existing research on moral and self-cultivation teaching methods for online courses remains inadequate.This paper proposes an“independence+integration”moral and self-cultivation teaching method for online courses.The method divides the targets of moral and self-cultivation teaching into independent and integrated ones,and fits them both explicitly and implicitly into the online teaching of specialized courses in higher education.When this method was employed to teach engineering mechanics to industrial design students at a college in China,it effectively increased the students’acceptance of online courses as well as their understanding of moral and self-cultivation knowledge and the course itself,and improved the quality of online teaching.The method provides a new way of thinking about online moral and self-cultivation teaching.

Ezra Pound's Zhi Ren and Confucian Self-cultivation

Ezra Pound quoted the Chinese characters zhi ren知人seven times in his stimulating book Guide to Kulchur.However,such frequently-recurring characters haven’t received enough attention from Pound scholars at home and abroad.The paper first illustrates the copious meanings of zhi ren and then explores Pound’s self-cultivation so as to reach the ideal state of human being—Ren仁.It proves that the seemingly insignificant Chinese characters zhi ren知人start Pound’s real exploration of the humanist ideology and deep contemplation of human nature.

UbD Framework in Teaching Confucian Filial Piety and Its Relevance in Modern Society

This study explores the lasting relevance of Confucian filial piety in Chinese culture that promotes individual self-cultivation, family harmony, and social stability. The Understanding by Design (UbD) framework is proposed as an effective approach for teaching Confucius’ wisdom and the reinforcement of the cognitive, affective and psychomotor learning outcomes. This approach emphasizes “backward design” which prioritizes meaningful understanding over memorization. Integrating filial piety into the UbD framework enhances students’ understanding of its philosophical foundations and modern significance, while also strengthening their intercultural communication skills. The study concludes that UbD approach develops language skills and cultural sensitivity, encouraging insights into the dynamic nature of cultural values. The meaningful outcomes through integrating the approach into filial piety curriculum design can support students’ development of self-awareness, empathy, and ethical maturity, which foster values essential for ethical leadership and community-oriented responsibilities.

Somaesthetics and Chinese Philosophy： Between Unity and Pragmatist Pluralism

Responding to three articles in a symposium dedicated to my research in somaesthetics, this paper explores a variety of themes connecting my theories with classical Chinese philosophy. The symposium topics discussed here range from the ontology of body-mind and world to the ethics of somaesthetic self-cultivation, and then to the somaesthetic meanings of our practices of erotics and of eating. The paper shows how the pragmatist orientation of somaesthetics reconciles values of unity with those of difference and how key ideas of somaesthetics intersect, in different ways, with both Confucian and Daoist thought.

Water, Plant, Light, and Mirror： On the Root Metaphors of the Heart-Mind in Wang Yangming＇s Thought

Clarifying Wang Yangming＇s thought through a study of his root metaphors of heart-mind is an important step toward explaining his further concepts of the human world. Along with the root metaphors of water and mirror, the metaphors of plant and light work together for Wang to form a coherent theoretical and practical system of xin （heart-mind）. This method is also a good way to unravel the various theories of the ＂three teachings＂ that are intermingled in his thinking. By using this methodology Wang＇s attempts to harmonize several ancient traditions of heart-mind that appear as possibly polarized to modem readers, are illuminated （though they did not appear contradictory to the Neo-Confucians）.

The Integration of Psychology and Linguistics from the Perspective of Cognitive Science—The Example of the Psychological Reality of Language

In the traditional debate centered on the nature of language,the question of“the psychological reality of language”occupies a pivotal position.The key lies in the recognition of language(competence)as a natural entity that exists in the brain in some physical way.The empirical research perspectives supporting the psychological reality of language fall into four main categories:(a)linguistic perspectives based on introspective linguistic intuitions;(b)developmental psychology perspectives;(c)psycholinguistic perspectives;(d)neurolinguistic perspectives.In analyzing the four areas of research,it is clear that psychological realism does indeed reveal the physiological basis of language ability,but it does not fully explain how“reality”is expressed,i.e.,at what level the operation and representation of language can be linked to human neurobiological mechanisms,and how the psychological reality of language is related to the semantic“material”reality of language.In essence,the ontological foundation of psychological realism is the logocentric tradition of“In the beginning was the Word,”while Chinese thought,which espouses“In the beginning was the Deed,”provides a transcendental framework for solving the dilemma of psychological realism by virtue of its self-cultivation theory of“heaven,in its motion,shows strength.”The focus is not on how language precisely maps reality,but how to mobilize the energy of language through the cultivation of the body and mind.This implies that human language and even its physiological basis develop according to how one learns to change the natural world,and that the most essential basis of language is the change in the world caused by its“doing”(self-cultivation),thus providing an adequate explanation for the problem of the psychological reality of language.

On Developing Chinese Didactics:A Perspective from the German Didaktik Tradition

Over the last century,the development of didactics(教学论)in China has been profoundly influenced by Kairov’s theory of pedagogics.The German Didaktik tradition,which can date back to Comenius and Herbart,remains largely unknown to educational scholars in China while they possess basic knowledge of Comenius and Herbart.This article expounds three basic tenets of the German Didaktik tradition-(1)the concept of Bildung,(2)a theory of educational content,and(3)the idea of teaching as a learner-content encounter-and discusses the implications for developing Chinese didactics.It argues for a rethinking of the purposes,content,and practice of teaching with respect to the subjectification aim of education(i.e.,the becoming of unique individuals,with autonomy,critical thinking,and creativity).

Developing Ethical Leadership in China:The Value of Confucian Virtue Ethics

Most research into ethical leadership depends on Western corporate experience,however current research findings may not fit the Chinese context.As a result,it is necessary to appeal to indigenous and traditional Chinese sources of wisdom when defining and evaluating ethical leadership in China.Both rule-following ethics and instrumental approaches,which are mainly used in recent empirical studies about ethical leadership,cannot enable people to have inner motivation to behave ethically.Accordingly,this article intends to establish an ethical leadership model in China by appealing to Conflician virtue ethics.A Confucian ethical leader possesses benevolence(ren仁)inside and treats others in a proper way according to ritual and rites(li禮).He/she makes self-cultivation as the first priority and is a virtuous role model,influencing others in a natural way by of his/her moral charisma.For such a person,economic profitableness is not a primary concern,where instead the goals,strategies and practices of his/her organization are defined by the principle of righteousness(yi義).

The Introversive Political Meritocracy:A Political Possibility Beyond"The End of History"

The criticisms of the falsity of universal recognition carried| out by leftists, led by Karl Max, and the queries of its desirability proposed by rightists, represented by Friedrich Nietzsche, raise challenges to Francis Fukuyama’s theory of “the end of history” from two opposite directions. At present, Chinese-style political meritoc­racy based on the party state is a political form that combines these left-wing and right-wing challenges and has the potential to move beyond “the end of history”. However, whether it can truly surpass “the end of history” depends on whether it can form a desirable and stable alternative political form under modern condi­tions. To this end, Chinese-style political meritocracy must respond positively to the three challenges it faces under modern conditions: the tension between “debicheng- wei” (one’s virtue must have a matching position, 德必称位) and moral universal- ism, the corrosion of social justice from the hierarchical social structure caused by “weibichenglu” (one’s position must have a matching salary, 位必称禄), and the threat of social indoctrination to individual autonomy. The “introversive political meritocracy” jointly shaped by “advocating morals for the public,” “arete based on altruism,” and “introversive self-cultivation” is a desirable political form that can successfully respond to these three challenges.