Professor of History Thomas Wilson spoke about the “Confucius cuisine” dining trend in China in an Agence France-Presse (AFP) article titled “Confucius makes comeback at Chinese tables.” The Sept. 11 article addressed how the new fine-dining trend “reflects how the ruling Communist party -- which long saw the sage as a reactionary force -- has drafted him into its modern campaign to boost what President Xi Jinping has called China's ‘cultural soft power.’”
Wilson commented that the authorities are “going back and finding certain elements that existed before the 20th century and exploiting Confucius as a brand….The first motive for reviving any of these things is to make money,” Wilson continued. “The so-called Confucius cuisine is part of the opening up of the tourist industry in China.”
The article first appeared in the South China Morning Post but has continued to appear in the days following in The Japan Times, The Sun Daily Malaysia, the Omar Daily, CTV News (Canada’s largest private broadcaster) and Qatar Tribune, among others throughout the world.
