Be a Sedentary Confucian Gentlemen

The Construction of Anti-Physical Culture by Chinese Dynasts using Confucianism and the Civil Service Examination

Bibliographic Data

ID12966116
AuthorsJunwei Yu (0000-0003-2737-9789, National Taiwan University of Sport, corresponding author)
Year2011
Volume51
Issue1
Pages80-90
Publication date2011-06-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePhysical Culture and Sport Studies and Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1899-4849 • E-ISSN: 2081-2221
PublisherDe Gruyter Open (PUBLISHER • PL)
DOI10.2478/v10141-011-0004-x
OpenAlexW1981657288
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited7

Be a Sedentary Confucian Gentlemen: The Construction of Anti-Physical Culture by Chinese Dynasts using Confucianism and the Civil Service Examination Although there has been a growing body of research that explores Chinese masculinities within imperial China, the connection between masculinity and physical culture has been neglected. In this article, the author argues that Chinese emperors used Confucianism and the civil service examination ( keju ) to rule the country, and at the same time, created a social group of sedentary gentlemen whose studiousness and bookishness were worshiped by the public. In particular, the political institution of keju played a crucial role in disciplining the body. Behavior that did not conform to the Confucian standards which stressed civility and education were considered barbaric. As a result, a wen -version of masculinity was constructed. In other words, an anti-physical culture that strengthened the gross contempt towards those who chose to engage in physical labor

China · Civil service · Civility · Contempt · Institution · Masculinity · Physical culture · Political science · Politics · Public service · Social science · Sociology · Chinese history and philosophy · Gender Studies · Historical Gender and Feminism Studies · Japanese History and Culture · Law · Medicine

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