Transformative Experience, Self-Cultivation and the Chinese Path to Modernisation

The very idea of a particular Chinese path to modernisation may seem controversial, especially when it is taken to imply that Chinese modernisation should be subject to normative constraints reflecting Chinese traditions and culture. This paper considers a possible justification for this idea, exploring an analogy between personal and societal development. Personal development is commonly viewed as being constrained by concerns for authenticity and continuity, that is, remaining true to oneself and acting in accordance with one's character, preferences and core values. This paper uses the notions of transformative experience and self-cultivation (the latter known from both Western and Chinese philosophy) to further substantiate the idea that processes of societal development should be sensitive to concerns other than maximising welfare and meeting universal criteria of rightness.