Cultural Discourse of Confucian Scholarship: The Talent of Tang Shouqian

• In Event: 61.070 - Sheraton Roundtable 10 - Osgoode Ballroom
  In Roundtable Session: 61.070-2 - Philosophy and Practice in the Shadow (of) Curriculum Reform

Abstract

Questioning the modern conceptualization of talent as well as the epistemologically-grounded and knowledge-based inquiry of talent, this paper argues that the inquiry of talent needs a turn from a single, logically consistent theory of knowledge to cultural discourse. Taking the case of Tang Shouqian (1856-1917), a Confucian scholar, the paper aims at exploring how a talent of the Chinese traditional learning was fostered by developing a three-dimensional research framework focusing on Tang Shouqian's learning and acting on water conservancy, as well as his living space, Datangwu Village combining discourse-analytical approach and historical ethnography as methodological package. Specifically, two sub-themes, rethinking Chinese historical discourses in the curriculum building and the Cultural soil of learning will be discussed.

Author

• Yingchun Zhang