538. American Links to Confucius and China Reach Far into Our Past

 With this post, I would like to introduce you the speech made by Mr. John M. Dunn, President of Western Michigan University,  Opening of Confucius Classrooms in Portage Public Schools. The speech was delivered on October 24, 2011. However I just came across it on line. This serves as an indicator that Dr. Dave Wang's research has been widely cited throughout the country. Below I will quote from his excellent speech:

American links to Confucius and China reach far into our past:
➢ Recently learned, for example, that in 1737, Benjamin Franklin
published part of the book THE MORALS OF CONFUCIUS in his
PENNSYLVANIA GAZETTE.
➢ FRANKLIN was interested in the ways Confucius linked moral
behavior between the common people and the government1 and
thought Americans could learn from Confucian thought.
➢ Thomas Jefferson incorporated numerous Chinese architectural
designed in his home at Monticello and in other buildings that he
designed.2

1 Dave Wang, “The US Founders and China—the Origins of Chinese Cultural Influence on the United States,” Education About Asia (Volume 16) p. 6.
2 Wang, p. 10.