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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-03-23 Daily Xml
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CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE

The Hon. J.S. LEE (15:32): I rise today to speak about the Confucius legacy and the Confucius Institute. Of all Eastern philosophers, Confucius, born in 550 BC, is considered the most well known. He was a Chinese thinker and a social philosopher. His teachings are fundamental to Asian cultures. His writings, The Five Classics, which is a collection of ancient Chinese literature, and The Four Books, a collection of Confucius' and his disciples' teachings, was, for centuries, the standard curriculum for Chinese education.

The philosophy of Confucius emphasised personal morals and governmental responsibility, the importance of social relationships, justice and sincerity. Confucius' teachings and biography were written many years after his death and were edited by his disciples. Although historians present various accounts of his life, there are some basic facts and major events of his life that they are reasonably sure of.

Confucius was born in the province of Lu in northern China. He was born into a family of humble circumstance, and his father died at a young age. He began studying under the village tutor and at the age of 15 he devoted his life to study. In his twenties, he became a teacher and gathered a group of loyal disciples.

Confucius lived during the Chou Dynasty. At this time, the land was divided and the moral and social order was in a state of decay. Confucius sought a way to restore the cultural-political order because he believed that reform would come through educating the leaders in his philosophy. He therefore sought a political position of influence from which he could implement his principles. He was appointed to a cabinet position at the age of 50. Several historians believe he eventually ascended to higher positions of public office. Due to political disagreements and internal conflicts, he resigned his post at 55 and devoted the rest of his life to adopting his teachings.

His disciples were able to gain significant positions in government after Confucius died. They modified his teachings and added their own insights. Centuries later, Confucianism became the official religion of China, shaping Chinese culture. The values he championed, including education, family values, work ethic, value of traditions, conformity to traditional standards, honouring of ancestors and respect to your elders and superiors, remain entrenched in the Asian culture.

Because of his legacy, the Confucius Institute has become a public institution that promotes Chinese culture and language. The headquarters is in Beijing, China and is under the Office of Chinese Language Council International. In June 2004, the first Confucius Institute opened in Seoul, Republic of Korea, and many more have been established in other countries, such as the USA, Germany and Sweden, as well as Australia. The Office of Chinese Language Council International plans to set up 1,000 Confucius Institutes worldwide by 2020. Australia itself will have seven Confucius Institutes, one of which is in Adelaide.

The Confucius Institute at the University of Adelaide promotes the learning of Chinese culture and language and a broader and more informed understanding of China across South Australia and beyond. They seek to build an understanding of Chinese culture amongst interested groups, increase knowledge of China generally, strengthen language teaching and help Australians to build and strengthen their economic and business links with China.

On that note, I advise members that the Hon. Paul Holloway and myself from this house, and Martin Hamilton-Smith and Leesa Vlahos, MPs from the House of Assembly, are ambassadors of the Confucius Institute. We take this opportunity to invite all parliamentary colleagues for a briefing on the Confucius Institute by Professor John Taplin on Thursday 7 April in the Balcony Room.

Time expired.

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