Humility and competition in Confucianism and Daoism: Lessons for today’s education

ABSTRACT

This paper examines the relationship between the concepts of humility and competition in Confucianism and Daoism, and discusses their relevance to contemporary education. It argues that while both philosophical traditions value humility and caution against excessive competition, they do not outrightly reject competition; instead, they advocate for a harmonious balance between humility and competition through yielding (rang) and showing reverence (gong) or acting through non-action (wei-wu-wei) to resolve conflicts and promote healthy competition. The insights gleaned from this exploration carry significant implications for the moral development and mental well-being of students, particularly in the context of high-stakes testing cultures in China and other countries. They also offer valuable support in nurturing students’ qualities such as openness to learning, humble leadership, and appreciation of diversity and multiculturalism essential for success in a diverse and interconnected world.

KEYWORDS:

• Humility and competition
• Confucianism
• Daoism
• moral education

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The article is funded by the Humanities and Social Sciences Project of the Ministry of Education in China [20YJA880075] ‘The philosophical system of traditional Chinese moral education and its cultural implication.’

Notes on contributors

Zhuran You

Zhuran You is Professor of Education at Shaoxing University in China. His research focuses on Chinese philosophy and moral education, higher education policy, teacher education reform. His recent publications include, The Philosophy of Chinese Moral Education: A History (2018), and the professionalisation of teaching and teacher education in China: a policy analysis of a nation-wide reform (2022).

A.G. Rud

A.G. Rud is Distinguished Professor of Cultural Studies and Social Thought in Education at Washington State University (USA). His research focuses on the cultural foundations of education, with particular emphasis on the moral dimensions of teacher education, P-12 educational leadership, and higher education. His recent work examines the role of misinformation and disinformation in a democracy and in schools. His books include Albert Schweitzer’s Legacy for Education (2011) and The Philosophy of Chinese Moral Education: A History (2018) with Zhuran You and Yingzi Hu.