496. US Founders and Revival of Silk Roads

In his new paper, "Commerce is Destiny: Revival of Silk Road, Civilization and Sino-American Relations" Dr. Patrick Mendis again cited Dr. Dave Wang's academic papers on the US founders' efforts to use positive elements from Chinese civilization to build a great nation in North America.

In his academic papers, Dr. Dave Wang has revealed the following historical facts to students of history and general readers:

The American Founding Fathers were practically attracted by Chinese civilization. In colonial north American Chinese products were seen everywhere, including Chinese tea, silk, porcelain, wallpaper, Chippendalefurniture and other products. All the founders, including Dr. Benjamin Franklin and George Washington were heavy drinkers of Chinese tea. To overcome commercial dependence on British imports, Dr. Benjamin Rush used Chineseporcelain as a weapon to bring up national consciousness of the colonists. He helped set up “a china manufactory” for “the service of America” in Philadelphia. About the same time, George Washington worked hard to grow Chinese flowers at his Mount Vernon estate. Jefferson used Chinese gardening and architectural designs at his Monticello home.

495. Dr. Dave Wang's Research Article Has been Translated into Danish

Readers of this weblog know that Dr. Dave Wang's academic papers have been translated into some international languages, including Chinese, Italian and Japanese. I have found an introduction to Dr. Dave Wang's research on Benjamin Franklin and Confucius in Danish.  To my knowledge, it was the first time that Dave's article found in Danish. See the snatched picture below. It was done by the Schiller Institute.

Below I provide you with the English Translation:

April 4, 2017 - On the occasion of the 300th anniversary of Benjamin Franklin's birth (1706-1790), Professor Dave Wang of St. John's University published an investigation Of Franklin's extensive studies of Chinese philosophy and technology. In his The introduction states that "Franklin's efforts to involve positive Elements of Chinese civilization in the development of building an American Civilization had a major influence on Franklin's contribution to the formation of American civilization. His lifelong correspondence and miscellaneous survivors Papers show he was taken in and amazed at Chinese culture. He Explored virtually any aspect of Chinese civilization, right from that Spiritual to the material. He believed that China was the oldest, and, from Long experience, the wisest among nations. " Here are some quotes from Franklin, from Wang's survey. ( Continue to read it on line)

494. Confucius Ideas and Thomas Jefferson's Preamble to the Declaration of Independence

Russell Freedman, one of America's premier biographers for young people , wrote the book in 2002, titled Confucius: The Golden Rule Hardcover . In this book Freedman presents his readers the remarkable life and far-reaching influence of Confucius, the famous Chinese philosopher.

Confucius had influenced the United States, as we learned from Dr. Dave Wang's research. The  influence has been far greater than many people realize in world today. The Jesuit missionaries introduced Confucius and his works to Europe in the 16^th century. Some of the them became scholars in the field of China studies and some of them were hired by the Chinese imperial courts. It was in this period of time when the Lun Yu, known in Europe as the Analects of Confucius was translated into Latin.

According to Freedman, European philosophers, statesmen, and writers were surprised by finding that more than 2,000 years earlier, in the “mysterious Orient,” (p.38)  Confucius had lectured the "same thoughts " the European thinkers were thinking. The Europeans "were impressed by Confucius’s teachings about the honest use of language, by his attacks on hereditary privilege, and by his ideas concerning good government." (p.40). The Europeans were shocked by the doctrine that "a ruler must have the consent of his people, and if he fails in hisduties, then the people have the moral right of revolution." Confucius' ideas influenced the development of democratic ideals both in Europe and America." People in the world today are able to find Confucius' influence on the founding of the United States by reading Thomas Jefferson’s preamble to the Declaration of Independence:

“Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed….. Wherever any form of government becomes destructive of theseends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institutea new government.”  (p. 40.)

493. Dr. Dave Wang's Speech on the US Founders and China

On April 14, 2017 Dr. Dave Wang made a presentation on Chinese cultural influence on Benjamin Franklin. He told several dozens of audience who presented at the meeting:

"I wrote about Benjamin Franklin and Confucian moral philosophy, and that Franklin used the principles of Confucius to cultivate his virtue. In 2011, I published “The U.S. Founders and China: The Origin of Chinese Cultural Influence on the United States,” which includes a picture of the Supreme Court Building, and there is Confucius right there. When you go to the United States Supreme Court, if you go to the east gate, you can see Confucius right there.

Franklin published an essay on the morals of Confucius in 1737 in his Pennsylvania Gazette. He published several chapters of Confucius’ moral philosophy in 1737. In a 1747 letter to George Whitefield, a very well-known pastor, Franklin wrote, “Confucius was my example. I followed Confucius.” Twelve years later, Franklin published Confucius’ works.

In 1784, after the Revolution, some veterans hoped they could hand down their glories, their titles, to their descendants. They organized the Cincinnatus Society for this purpose. Franklin was not happy about the idea of handing down your title, your glory, to the next generation—that’s the inheritance system, or the aristocratic system of the Europeans, which was just what our Revolution opposed. What’s the meaning of the Revolution, if we restore the European aristocratic inheritance system? That’s totally wrong. We should adopt the Chinese merit system, and people with talents will be selected to serve the public."