362. The American Revolution: A Moral Revolution

The great founders’ collective esteem of Confucius during the formation of the United States has stimulated my curiosity to find why Confucius’ moral teachings became so important. The American Revolution was a political revolution which marked the birth of the United States as a new nation. However, it was also simultaneously a moral revolution.

While the founders were concerned with preserving their civil liberties and economic freedom through their stance, “no taxation without representation,” they were also concerned with public morality. They fully understood that the war was as much a battle against “the corruption of 18th century British high society” as it was against financial oppression. As a result, the founding fathers were determined to construct new virtues responding to the needs of the new nation. Having seen the results of the moral corruption in the old world, the founders worked diligently to use all valuable moral resources available for them to create virtues for the new nation.

361. Dr. Dave Wang's Speech on Benjamin Franklin and the Great Wall of China

This poster is a kind of old, which was designed in 2007. However, I feel that it is interesting. It serves as a memory for Dr. Dave Wang's speech, Benjamin Franklin and the Great Wall of China, at Benjamin Franklin House in London. The house is the only museum in London for this great founding father of the United States. Franklin lived in this house from 1757 to 1775.

Most readers of my blog have been amazed by Franklin's vision to use valuable elements from Chinese civilization in his efforts to build a great nation in North America. I don't remember if any other prestigious figures in North American colonies raised the notion of the Great Wall of China around the founding of the United States.

360. Dr. Dave Wang's Publications and their Impact

I want to find out the impact of Dr. Dave Wang's publications on the Internet. From the printcreen on the left you can tell that Dr. Dave Wang's research has reached the other side of the Pacific Ocean. I just searched "Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Chinese civilization" in Google search bar.

I find some information that shows the impact of Dr. Dave Wang's research on the US founders and Chinese civilization. Most importantly, you will find Dr. Wang's research has been cited in great works by prestigious scholars.

359. The Start of US China Trade

Dave Wang, PhD — manager of Queens Library in Laurelton — said the early Americans saw ginseng “as a valuable opportunity to break their economic blockage by Britain” (e-mail, April 23, 2012). Other sources document the Empress as an attempt to establish a new source of tea, which was becoming dearly missed after the United States was banned from trading with the British West Indies. Meanwhile, China also had a need for new ginseng sources. Though the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) first sought to protect the region’s ginseng populations by controlling collection, it eventually gave up that mission. “[The Empress] triumphed because it made it there and back, and made a profit, which was never guaranteed at that point in time.

Economically, it was important in terms of making contact between the US and China,” said Taylor, noting a Congressional resolution, passed after the Empress’s return, encouraging more such ventures. According to Dr. Wang, American ginseng “was the most important commercial good in the trade between China and the United States during the late 1700s leading into the early 1800s.” The above paragraph is from Lindsay Stafford' s article, First US-China Trade Ship Carried 30 Tons of American Ginseng Helped Establish American Identity and Roots of International Trade. It is available on line from this link.

358. Law, Moral, Confuicuis and Founding of the United States

As the main designers of the new nation, the founders knew that it took more than a perfect plan of government to preserve liberty. They needed some moral principles accepted by the people to encourage them to obey laws voluntarily. They recognized that a free government should be supported by people who could act morally without compulsion, and would not willfully violate the rights of others.

Benjamin Franklin firmly believed that "Laws without morals are in vain. (quid leges sine moribus vanae proficient)" Cultivating new virtues for the fledgling United States therefore became one of the most significant themes during this time of social and political transformation. With this notion in mind, the founders turned to Confucian moral philosophy.

357. Poster of Dr. Dave Wang's Presentation in Italy

I found the poster that promotes Dr. Dave Wang's speech on Benjamin Franklin and Confucian Moral Philosophy in Rome, Italy several years ago. It reflects the fact that the Italians are very interested in how Confucius moral philosophy influenced Franklin, the giant icon of American culture. Dr. Dave Wang still remembers the good questions raised from the floor during his presentation. Some scholars from Universities and the Center for American Studies in Rome had a great discussion with Dr. Dave Wang.

356. Confucian Moral Philosophy in North America around the Revolution

In the 18th century colonial society, the impact of Confucius was widely discussed in the North American colonies. Some eminent colonists, including Benjamin Franklin, expressed their respect for the philosopher. Franklin followed Confucius’ procedure for moral cultivation and started to develop his own virtues as early as 1727. Franklin saw it as his responsibility to spread Confucius’ moral teachings.

Franklin published some chapters from Morals of Confucius in his widely circulated Pennsylvania Gazette in 1737 . Franklin also made it clear that he regarded Confucius as his role model in 1749. In August 1775, just before the eve of the Independence, Thomas Paine revealed a vital and informed interest in China. He published a series of works about China in the Pennsylvania Magazine.