News

News: November/December 2006

Philosopher court-martialled • Confucian reigns in China • Darwin evolves online • Philosophy under the hammer — News reports by Sue Roberts in London and John Ruddy in New York

Daughters of Confucius

Confucius scholars and feminists enjoyed a rare moment of harmony recently thanks to a policy change by the sage’s descendents as they compile a new edition of the family tree. Selected female descendants of Confucius (551-479BC) are finally to be recognized in his published lineage, which until now has included only male descendents. It’s forecast that Confucius’ recorded descendents, male and female, will number over three million once the scholarly survey has been completed in 2007. The family name is ‘Kong’.

Confucianism was heavily suppressed during Mao’s Cultural Revolution, but is now enjoying a resurgence in China, with the apparent approval of the regime.

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