Some Features of The Vietnamization of Confucianism in The History of Vietnam = Some Features of The Vietnamization of Confucianism in The History of Vietnam

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

In this paper, the author considers some distinguished features of Vietnamese Confucianism. Confucianism was originally not an indigenous theoretical system in Vietnam, but in about 2000 years of introducing and developing in this country, it has gradually taken root into Vietnamese theoretical tradition and made an important contribution to its florescence. The process of ‘Vietnamization of the Confucianism’ took place during that long time. Vietnamese scholars also used original Confucian concepts and ideas, mainly the Neo-Confucian ones, but they chose only some of those concepts, considering them key concepts, and based on them they established a system more or less different from Chinese Confucianism. Furthermore, in explaining those concepts’ connotations, Vietnamese Confucianism was not similar to Chinese Confucianism. Some distinctive features of the Vietnamization of Confucianism are as follows: (1) Foreign theories and cultural factors could exist and develop if and only if they were based on Vietnamese reality and used in order to answer problems emerged from it. (2) Foreign culture was accepted, but the characteristics of the indigenous culture were well preserved. (3) “Vietnamization” was based on the confirmation of humanism. (4) The process of Vietnamization was realistic, every theory tended to the close connection with the reality. (5) “Vietnamization” was based on the open-minded and multiculturalist spirit and inclined to avoid monopoly of thought. (6) The Vietnamese are not fanatic: they show their critical spirit when acquiring foreign thoughts and cultures.