447. China in the Eyes of the Founders

In Search for a New Humanity: A Dialogue Between Josef Derbolav and Daisaku Ikeda (ed. and tr. by Richard L. Gage (New York and Tokyo: Weatherhill, 1992), the authors tell his readers that there are two courses for the European intellectual regarding Chinese civilization, the first one is that " He may reject his own tradition and attempt to assimilate with the alien culture. " And the second one is "he may reject the alien culture and close himself up in the traditions of the West." According to the book, it is the one of the major tasks facing the contemporary Western intellectual to find "a middle road among these complexities is ."

Clearly when they fabricated the book the authors didn't read Dr. Dave Wang's papers on the founders efforts to borrow from Chinese civilization in order to build a new civilization in North America. Some argue that American civilization is the extensions of European civilization. In a sense, yes. However, for Professor Frederic Jackson Turner, American civilization was a new civilization remade by the western movement.  Turner argued that "the moving western frontier shaped American democracy and the American character from the colonial era until 1890."

The founders created the third road already during the founding era of the United States. It was to incorporate positive elements from Chinese civilization to create a new nation in North America. It is clear now the United States would be different without the founders efforts to learn from Chinese civilization. In the eyes of Benjamin Franklin, China was resources for various industrial technologies that badly needed in North American colonies. For Thomas Jefferson, Confucian classics provided him an ideal example of how to be a great leader to be remembered by the people. For Thomas Paine, Confucius was a great moral teacher in the same rank as Jesus.

442. Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Chinese Civilization

                It is well-known that "for much of their history, Americans defined their society in opposition to Europe."^[1] "America, it was argued, was a distinct civilization."^[2] George Washington had believed that “the new nation would develop a unique American character.”^[3] Thomas Jefferson alleged American civilization “was the part of a form of civilization higher than the polished societies of Europe.”^[4] US cultures have evolved and absorbed elements from other cultures in the historic process of the formation of American civilization. American civilization drew positive elements from other major civilizations of the world, including Chinese civilization. In contemporary society, American political leaders have also clearly realized the influence of Chinese civilization on the development of American civilization. Bill Clinton pointed out that China as “a stronghold of creativity, knowledge and wealth” had an impact on American life long before the United States was even born. He told Americans that “From the printing China invented to the poetry it produced, from medicine and mathematics to the magnetic compass and humanistic philosophies, many of China’s earliest gifts still enrich our lives today.”^[5]

            The founding fathers of the United States were among the main weavers of the fiber of American civilization. Benjamin Franklin, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson had positive attitudes towards Chinese civilization and worked hard to borrow from it in their efforts to make a new and flourishing society in North America.^[6] Benjamin Franklin studied and promoted Confucian Moral philosophy in his effort to cultivate his own morals as well as to encourage Americans to do the same. George Washington personally conducted an experiment to grow Chinese flowers in his garden. Thomas Jefferson incorporated Chinese architectural elements into his own buildings in Monticello. 

---

^[1]  Samuel P. Huntington, The Clash of Civilizations and Remaking of World Order, Simon & Schuster, Rockfeller Center, New York, 1996, P.46.

^[2]  Ibid.

^[3]  A. J. Langguth, Union 1812: The Americans Who Fought the Second War of Independence, New York, Simon & Schuster, 2006, p.4.

^[4]  Robert W. Tuck and David C. Hendrickson, “Thomas Jefferson and American Foreign Policy,” in Foreign Affairs, Spring 1990, Vol. 69, Issue 2, p.135.

^[5]  Bill Clinton, Remarks at a state dinner Honoring President Jiang, October 29, 1997, Executive Office of the President, Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, Weekly Ending Friday, October 21, 1997 (Washington, D.C: US. Government Printing Office, 1997), 33: 1685-1686.

^[6]  As for more information on the founding fathers’ connection with Chinese civilization, see Dave Wang, “The Founding Fathers of the United States and Chinese Porcelain Ware,” in Huaren-E Magazine, January 2008; Benjamin Franklin and Chinese Civilization, U.S –China Relation Series, No. 2, New York, Outer Sky Press, August 2006; Benjamin Franklin’s Attitude toward Chinese Civilization, Social Science Journal of Harbin Institute of Technology, Issue 4, 2006; Benjamin Franklin and China: A Survey of Benjamin Franklin’s Efforts at Drawing Positive Elements from Chinese Civilization during the Formative Age of the United States, published since 2005 by the Official Website of the Tercentenary Commission. The paper is available at http://www.benfranklin300.org/etc_essays.htm

436. Why Do We Study the US Founders and China

What is important about study of the history that the US founders made their efforts to draw positive elements from Chinese civilization?  Why so people need to know all that.

The importance of the history is the importance of understanding the United States. There can be no true understanding of the present with out knowledge of the past. By examining the founders’ attitudes towards and their efforts to borrow from Chinese civilization, we learn how to examine ourselves and move forward. Particularly in a multi-cultural world, the capacity to acceptance of positive elements from foreign cultures will mainly decide a country’s future. The Founders’ great efforts to identify and to use positive elements from traditional Chinese civilization to help build the United States to be a great nation will always enlighten and inspire us. 

So I want you to remember, history of the US Founders and China is not just a bunch of names, such as Confucius, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine and others. The history is a main part of the story of how the United States became what it is now.  

 

421. American Images of China

It seems that American Image of China is a catchy title as a book. Recently one used the title again for his book published in 2014. History is a study of the past. It is good for a writer do trace back the history of American’s image of China. The author started his description of Americans’ understanding of China from 1776. However, the founders of this country had started their efforts to borrow from Chinese civilization long before 1776. Can a nation's history be cut? Can we understand the whole process of Americans' understanding of China? Clearly, without the examination of the founders great visions on how Chinese civilization could be used to build a new nation in North America, any image of China created after the founding of the United States remains an image of the writer’s own image, even though plus some quotes from some persons. A simple question is, In a book of discussing the image of China, should an author ignore the founders’ image of China?

418. Why The Founders Found Confucian Moral Philosophy Irresistible

In his book, The Idea of America; Reflections on the Birth of the United States, Professor Gorgon S. Wood provided his readers his unique insight on the success of the American Revolution. Through reading of his book, one also will understand more clearly on the founders' introduction of Confucian moral philosophy to the Americans. It shouldn't be regarded as a choice of convenience for the founders' efforts to promote the philosophy in the critical time of the nation.

Professor Wood pointed out correctly, the American revolutionaries' view of the ancient past was very selective. They focused "on the moral and social basis of politics and on social degeneracy and corruption." (p.59) Not only the founders, but the planters also "were voicing a growing sense of impending ruin, whose sources seemed in the minds of many to be linked more and more with the corrupting British connection and Scottish factors but for others frighteningly rooted in 'our Pride, our Luxury and Idleness.'" In addition to the planters, the public in Virginia and other colonies "became obsessed with 'corruption' virtue, and luxury." Therefore, in the eve of the Revolution, the remarkable growth of dissent "suggests some sort of social stress." (p.50)

Naturally, the founders were looking for a kind of moral philosophy to help them build new virtue for the new nation. It was in this vital conjuncture of the US history, Confucian moral philosophy was entrusted the responsibility by the founders to start a new virtue for the liberated Americans.

Dr. Wood's research allows us to understand further on the founding father's efforts to bring Confucian moral philosophy over the Atlantic Ocean to the new nation they created. They saw the need of such a moral philosophy.

417. The Significance of Confucius Portrait at James Madison's Home

James Madison (1751-1836), the father of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights, had a portrait of Confucius hanging in his Virginia home. 

In his 2013 book, The Founders at Home: The Building of America, 1735-1817, Dr. Myron Magnet made his efforts to examine the reasons why the American revolution the only successful revolution. Readers may get the answer from reading his book. For me, one of the reasons was that the founders drew positive elements and received inspiration from other cultures, particularly Chinese culture. 

The below vivid description of Madison's personal experiences in his Virginia home reveals the significance of Confucius portrait at his house. The fourth president "had lived nineteen years in Montpelier, the columned brick Virginia plantation where he had grown up since age nine or ten, where as a young legislator he had pored over history and political philosophy to help fame his plan for the U.S. Constitution". (From The Founders at Home, p.321)

408. Gouverneur Morris, Woronzow and Macartney's Mission to China

On April 8, 1792, five months before the Macartney's mission started its journey to China. Morris had a conversation with Count Woronzow, Russian ambassador at London. Morris recorded in his diary, "that the British Government have spread all over Europe the most unfavorable impressions respecting America. ...He says the object of Lord Macartney's mission to China is to get some exclusive right to the trade, and that money well employed at Pekin will insure success, the Chinese being the most corrupt, as well as the most cowardly wretches in existence. He says that a leading character in the administration of India affairs was heard to say, in the time when they expected to learn every hour of the fall of Seringapatam, that now was the time to turn their arms against China. "

It is very interesting. The diary shows two important things, the British government planned to bribe the Chinese officials and had prepared for a war against China if the strategy didn't work.

389. Nicholas Kristof and John Adams Wisdom

In his Op-Ed article, Starving for Wisdom, The New York Times, April 16, 2015, Mr. Nicholas Kristof quoted John Adams, " “I must study Politicks and War that my sons may have liberty to study Mathematicks and Philosophy. My sons ought to study Mathematicks and Philosophy, Geography, natural History and Naval Architecture, navigation, Commerce and Agriculture, in order to give their Children a right to study Painting, Poetry, Musick, Architecture, Statuary, Tapestry and Porcelaine.” (John Adam's letter to Abigail in 1780).

Mr. Kristof called for educators to pay more attention to humanity. I totally agree with his opinion.

To his strong arguments what I want to add is that John Adam's wisdom was beyond the humanity. Adams wanted moral education to the younger generation. In Dr. Dave Wang's paper, CONFUCIUSIN THE AMERICAN FOUNDING:  THE FOUNDERS’EFFORTS TO USE CONFUCIAN MORAL PHILOSOPHY IN THEIR ENDEAVOR TO CREATE NEWVIRTUE FOR THE NEW NATION (Virginia Review of Asian Studies, vol. 16 (2014), readers will find John Adam's efforts to advance virtue.

For John Adams, the purpose of government is to allow the pursuit of happiness. Such happiness lies not merely in “ease, comfort, [and] security,” but also characteristics such as virtue, humility, industry, and goodwill. Adams confidently declares “Confucius… agreed in this” goal of happiness through virtue. Adams also realized that virtue ennobled individual character and lifted the entire society. Adams’ statement conveys the significance of virtue for a good government and the significance of Confucius's moral philosophy in Adams’ own efforts to bring up “the minds of the people.” John Adam showed his high regard for Confucian virtues and believed that any good Americans should possess these traits. In a letter to Thomas Jefferson, Adams criticized the English theologian and natural philosopher Joseph Priestley for ignoring Confucius in his writing: "Priestley ought to have given us a sketch of the religion and morals of Zoroaster, of Sanchoniathon, of Confucius, and all the founders of religions before Christ, whose superiority would, from such a comparison, have appeared the more transcendent."

384. Benjamin Franklin was America's first Confucian

In his book, The Life of Benjamin Franklin, Volume 3: Soldier, Scientist, and Politician, 1748-1757, Volume 3 (Google eBook), the late Professor, J. A. Leo Lemay stated, "Just as, from his knowledge of Chinese history and culture, and especially from his publication of the Morals of Confucius in the
Pennsylvania Gazette of 7 and 21 March 1737/8, one could argue that Franklin was America's first Confucian and Sinologist. " (p. 586)

I think that his argument is reasonable based on Franklin's efforts to enhance his and others' virtue through Confucian moral philosophy. I want to point out here is that other founders, including Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson, also quoted Confucian principles in their papers.
Jefferson included in his own personal book a poem of Prince Wei, recommended by Confucius as an example for leaders of a nation. For more information, one can read Dr. Dave Wang's paper, "Confucius in American Founding, " Virginia Review of Asian Studies. Volume 16, 2014.

380. Thomas Jefferson and A Chinese Peom in Shijing

In the section, “Poems of Nation,” of his Scrap book,  Thomas Jefferson included certain commentary on his presidency. The “Poems of Nation” shows that Jefferson viewed his legacy as intertwined with the success of the republican experiment.

 

Believing that he should help the United States to maintain its political, moral, and personal values in the history of the America Revolution, Jefferson collected documents, books, newspapers, and other materials so that later historians could construct an a right and comprehensive American revolutionary history.

 

Jefferson was very serious about preserving his personal legacy. His inclusion of the ancient Chinese poem in his scrapbook shows that Jefferson valued Confucian moral principles highly and used some of the principles to build new nation in the new land with rich natural resources. With the help of Confucian moral philosophy, Jefferson was confident that he could achieve his goal of bringing up a new virtue for the United States in its forming time.

377. The Founders’ Homes and Chinese Cultural Elements in Colonial North America

 

Readers of this blog and Dr. Dave Wang’s publications have learned the hard facts of Chinese cultural influence in colonial North America. With this post I want to demonstrate specifically where you could find Chinese cultural elements in colonial North America.

Actually, there are many places one can find them, however you will be amazed that one can find Chinese cultural components in the three homes of the founders.  The first one is Benjamin Franklin’s printing shop in Philadelphia.  It was in his printing shop that Franklin published Confucius moral teachings in his widely circulated Pennsylvania Gazette . The Second is Thomas Jefferson’s main building in Monticello. Jefferson installed Chinese railing on the top of this building. The third is James Madison’s home. He hung Confucius portrait together with some Western saints in his home. In this library he had a copy of Ta-Hyoh (Daxue, GreatLearning) one of the four classics of Confucianism.

From the Chinese civilization in the founders' homes you will further understand the founders' efforts to obtain insights from Chinese civilization in their efforts to build a great nation in North America.  

343. John Adams and Confucian Moral Philosophy

John Adams (1735-1826)realized that virtue ennobled individual character and lifted the entire society. Virtue encompasses a variety of characteristics, such as humility, industry and goodwill. These precepts serve as the cornerstones for both individual and societal governance. Adams came to the conclusion, "All sober inquirers after truth, ancient and modern, pagan and Christian, have declared that the happiness of man, as well as his dignity, consists in virtue. Confucius … agreed in this".

Adams’ statement conveys the significance of virtue for a good government and the significance of Confucius's moral philosophy in Adams’ own efforts to bring up “the minds of the people”. John Adam showed his high regard for Confucius virtues and believed that any good Americans should possess these traits. In a letter to Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), Adams criticized the English theologian and natural philosopher Joseph Priestley (1733-1804) for ignoring Confucius in his writing: Priestley ought to have given us a sketch of the religion and morals ...of Confucius, and all the founders of religions before Christ, whose superiority would, from such a comparison, have appeared the more transcendent.

328. The Founders and Chinese Plants and Industrial Technologies

The founding fathers regarded China as a place where they could find important resources to promoting agricultural and industrial development in North America. They made their exertion to transplant valuable plants from China to North America. In 1770, Benjamin Franklin also sent soybean seeds from London to John Bartram in Philadelphia.

Two years later Franklin obtained rhubarb seeds and sent them to Bartram. George Washington made his own experiments to plant Chinese flowers in his garden on Mountain Vernon. Thomas Jefferson made long time commitment to transplant the dry rice to southern United States. In addition to Franklin, Benjamin Rush promoted the sericulture in North America. Franklin expressed his great interest in Chinese industrial technologies, such as heating house in the winter, ship building, paper making, candle and mill and other technologies.

Gouverneur Morris (1752-1816) was influenced by the literature on the Grand Canal of China. The Chinese canal construction technologies had an impact on the New Yorkers, who wanted to build the Erie Canal, which could help making New York one of the great cities in the United States. Jefferson borrowed elements from Chinese architecture in his effort to create a new style of building.

318. Did They Drink Out of China Cups?

The enlightenment of a society could be measured by the spread of material possession. Readers of Dr. Dave Wang’s papers on the Chinese cultural influence on the colonies in North America have realized the significance of Chinese products for the colonists. I am not going to talk about how the fight to win the right of drinking Chinese tea without inappropriate taxes triggered the War of Independence. Instead I will discuss the importance of Chinese porcelain.

It is indeed beyond your imagination about the importance of the product. To own a Chinese porcelain bowl or not was regarded as the standard to judge if a colonist is civilized or not. Did they drink out of china cups instead of wooden vessels? It was a sign of civilization.

According to Thomas Jefferson, to judge a society’s enlightenment, we must look into “their kettles, eat their bread.” Now you should understand better why Benjamin Franklin was so happy when his wife bought him a Chinese bowl. In his widely read autobiography, Franklin told his first experience of drinking out of a Chinese porcelain bowl vividly. (See Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography)

309. Joint Efforts Started by the Founding Fathers

February 22, 1784 was an important day in United States history. On that day the Empress of China sailed off the New York Harbor for Canton, China. The owners of the ship who were also founding fathers of the United States were aboard for the run to Sandy Hook. The ship exchanged salutes with harbor batteries when she sailed down the bay.

The Empress of China served as a vivid symbol of the great cooperation in American history. This cooper-sheathed ship was built in Baltimore and financed in Philadelphia; the business manager was from Boston. The ship started her adventure at New York. The united efforts behind the great sail tell a great story of the United States, which waged its heroic struggle to rise above the economic blockage by the British. Clearly, without this great cooperation among the newly independent states, it was unthinkable for her great success.

274. US Founders Found Resources in China

The founding fathers regarded China as a place where they could find important resources to promoting agricultural and industrial development in North America. They made their exertion to transplant valuable plants from China to North America. Benjamin Franklin obtained rhubarb seeds and sent them to John Bartram in 1772. George Washington made his own experiments to plant Chinese flowers in his garden on Mountain Vernon. Thomas Jefferson made long time commitment to transplant the dry rice to southern United States. Samuel Bowen introduced soybeans from China into Savannah, Georgia in 1765.

Franklin also sent soybean seeds from London to John Bartram in Philadelphia in 1770. Franklin expressed his great interest in Chinese industrial technologies, such as heating house in the winter, ship building, paper making, candle and mill and other technologies. Gouverneur Morris (1752-1816) was influenced by the literature on the Grand Canal of China. The Chinese canal construction technologies had an impact on the New Yorkers, who wanted to build the Erie Canal, which could help in making New York one of the great cities in the United States.

Jefferson borrowed elements from Chinese architecture in his effort to create a new style of building. Benjamin Franklin and Benjamin Rush also promoted the sericulture in North America. (Dave Wang, Benjamin Franklin’s Efforts to Promote Sericulture in North America, in Benjamin Franklin Gazette, Vol. 18, no. 2, Summer 2008. Benjamin Rush told his fellow colonists “Mulberry trees are so plenty among us that we might raise silkworms in a few years to supply us with all the silk we want, as oak leaves (when those of the mulberry are not to be had) have been found in China to afford a food to the worms.” )

265. The Main Weavers of the Fiber of American Civilization

As a reader of this blog, you have realiezed through Dr. Dave Wang's reserach the influenc of Chinese culture on the development of the United States. The founding fathers of the United States were among the main weavers of the fiber of United States Civilization. Benjamin Franklin, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson had positive attitudes towards Chinese civilization and worked hard to borrow from it in their efforts to make a new and flourishing society in North America.

Benjamin Franklin studied and promoted Confucian Moral philosophy in his effort to cultivate his own morals as well as to encourage Americans to do the same. George Washington personally conducted an experiment to grow Chinese flowers in his garden. Thomas Jefferson incorporated Chinese architectural elements into his own buildings in Monticello.

Thanks to Dr. Wang's study of the subject, we can learn the relations between Chinese culture and the United States. Enjoy the poster of Dr. Wang's Speech in Rome in 2006

262. Resources For A Great Classroom Day: Immigration

Dave Wang, “The US Founders and China: The Origins of Chinese Cultural Influence on the United States,” Education About Asia 16 no. 2 (2011): 5–11 (reprints for educational purposes are granted with the permission of the Association for Asian Studies, Inc.).

“In his work of over several years, Dr. Dave Wang has explored Chinese culture and the early development of the United States, particularly the efforts of eminent colonists, including the founding fathers, who worked hard to draw nourishments from traditional Chinese Civilization. Dr. Wang has written recently an excellent article titled "The US Founders and China: The Origins of Chinese Cultural Influence on the United States," useful for the Chinese-American community and teachers and students interested in their roots in early America. It is a must-have resource for education about Asia. ( Permission to use has been granted b: Peggy Creswell, Managing Editor, Education About Asia. 302 Pfeiffer Hall, Dept. 2222 University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, TN 37403. Phone (423)425-2118, Fax (423)425-5441. Website: http://www.asian-studies.org/EAA/ (Above paragraph is from this link.

259. Ginseing and the Founding Fathers

American Ginseng, nicknamed Flower Flag Ginseng, was the most important commercial good in the trade between Chinaand the United Statesduring the late 1700s leading into the early 1800s. American Ginseng’s role in promoting the trade between China and the United States is evident by how the amount of Ginseng shipped to China increased proportionally during the first five administrations of the United States.

During the Washingtonadministration of 1789-1797, the United States exported 374,792 lb. of Ginseng to China. However, during John Adam’sshort administration, 1797-1801, the United States exported 337,192 lb., close to that of the Washington administration. During the Thomas Jefferson Administration of 1801-1809, the American merchants sent 1,617,594 lb. to China.  Compared with that of Washington’s administration, the export of Ginseng increased 4.3 times.  In theJames Madison administration, 1809-1817, the US exported 1,000,660 lb. to China. During the last presidency of the founding father generation, the James Monroeadministration (1817-1825), the amount of American Ginseng exported to China reached 2,868,062 lb.  

245. Benjamin Rush and China

Benjamin Rush (1745-1813) was among the first group of colonists who wanted to build a porcelain factory in North America. For Dr. Rush, colonies’ production of porcelain ware was one of the means to overcome the colonies’ dependence on Great Britain for goods and trade. The endeavor of building such a factory was far beyond the porcelain only. It demonstrated the colonists’ determination to be independent from their motherland.

"Go on in encouraging American manufactures. I have many schemes in view with regard to these things. I have made those mechanical arts which are connected with chemistry the particular objects of my study and not without hopes of seeing a china manufactory established in Philadelphia in the course of a few years. Yes, we will be revenged by the mother country. For my part, I am resolved to devote my head, my heart, and my pen entirely to the service of America, and promise myself much assistance from you in everything of this kind that I shall attempt through life."
More information on Chinese cultural influence on the founding fathers is available through reading this article.