The Ascended Confucius: Images of the Chinese Master in the Euro-American Esoteric Discourse

Abstract This article provides a diachronic panorama of the nineteenth- and twentieth-century Euro-American esoteric images of Confucius. After selected appraisals capturing the polyphony of nineteenth-century notions of Confucius, emphasis is given to spiritualist and Theosophical appropriations. Next, his soteriological elevation and the introduction of fellow Chinese Masters within the Ascended Masters context are explored in relation to the I AM Activity and, specifically, the post-Second World War groups The Bridge to Freedom (present-day The Bridge to Spiritual Freedom) and The Church Universal and Triumphant. Overall, this article traces the transformation of the esoteric Confucius trope, which substantially contributed to the wider public perception of Confucius and Confucianism.