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Ernst Faber’s (1839-1899): Theories of Human Nature
Isay, Gad C
Isay, Gad C
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Abstract
In 1893, a German Protestant missionary in China discussed Confucian theories of human nature in a book of 31 chapters. The intellectual background of the missionary himself—his name is Ernst Faber (1839–1899)—and the nature of his involvement in his contemporary Chinese scholarly scene, against the larger context of the cultural dialogue between China and the West, make this rather neglected source worthy of scholarly attention. The present study offers a selective outline of that book, with the purpose of acquainting readers with the contents of such work and encouraging various possible juxtapositions with intellectual developments around the turn of the twentieth century. This essay introduces Faber’s discussions of the early classics, Confucius (Kongzi), Zisi and The Doctrine of the Mean, Mencius (Mengzi), and Zhu Xi. Towards the end follows a full translation of Faber’s 26 concluding remarks that summarize both his learning of the Confucian sources and the ideas—mostly Christian—he thought would make his best contribution to his contemporary Chinese scholarly scene.
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2017
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Christian Study Centre on Chinese Religion and Culture, Chung Chi College, Shatin, Hong Kong