Ruism (sometimes called “Confucianism”) began in China more than 2,500 years ago. This tradition has had such a profound influence on Asian culture that some Westerners wonder if it’s strictly a “Chinese thing” or an “Asian thing.” This is a fair question. After all, there are real differences between Eastern […]
What do Americans know about Ruism (i.e., Confucianism)? What is their opinion of it? Two of RAA, Inc.’s founding members, Bin Song and Ben Butina, recently published an article on this topic in Confucian Academy, a bi-lingual academic journal of Chinese thought and culture. The article combines an empirical study […]
One of the most important texts in Ruism is the Zhongyong. The title is usually translated as The Doctrine of the Mean, but a more accurate translation might be Finding the Mean in Ordinary Life. On Ordinary Life Some traditions point us away from everyday life by providing instructions on […]
One of the very best books written about Ruist ideas for a lay audience in recent years is Amy Olberding’s The Wrong of Rudeness: Learning Modern Civility from Ancient Chinese Philosophy. To get a taste of Olberding’s ideas, check out her recent blog post, 20 Theses Regarding Civility. Here’s a […]
Have you ever started a meditation program, only to give up because the demands are too stringent? Do you find it hard to meet the requirements of a meditation program given your other obligations? Here in the U.S., we’re most familiar with meditation approaches derived from Buddhist or Hindu traditions. […]
Brief instructions for quiet-sitting (a Ruist form of meditation) are available on InsightTimer, the world’s most popular meditation app. You can access the audio here or by search the app for quiet-sitting. To learn more about Quiet-Sitting, check out our free PDF, Quiet Sitting: A Beginner’s Guide to Ruist Meditation.
Suppose you’re the lead singer of an up-and-coming rock band. Your lead guitarist just left the band to join another group, so you’re auditioning new players. I answer your Craigslist ad with an enthusiastic email: Guitar is my life! I’ve spent the last two years focused on learning to play […]
The reason why “Confucianism” is a misnomer unacceptable by Ru practitioners can be understood from this perspective: When James Legge (1815-1897 C.E), a congregationalist Christian missionary who worked in China in the middle of 19th century, coined the name “Confucianism” to designate the Ru tradition, he thought Confucius enjoyed the […]
One of the most important concepts in Ruism is called li (禮), which is often translated as ritual. As you read the word ritual, what comes to mind? A religious ceremony? Standing to sing the national anthem before a baseball game? The recitation of vows at a wedding? In fact, […]
A few months ago, we set out to assess Americans’ self-reported knowledge of, and attitudes toward, Ruism. To achieve this, we conducted a survey of 379 adults living in the United States. We’ll be sharing the results in the coming weeks. The final question of the survey asked respondents if […]
The Ruist Association of America, Inc. is a non-profit organization that shares the treasures of the Ruist tradition with anyone who desires to live a better life and to improve themselves, their families, their communities, and the world.
