- Orientalism is a concept created by Westerners to confirm their position of domination by dividing the world into East and West and characterizing them very differently. - Some conflicts were caused by Orientalism because the idea was not fully understood. - However, Orientalism also has positive influences and values, as seen in its influence on cultures like Confucianism in Singapore and its role in the reorientation and innovation of Buddhism in North America.

1. Values of
Orientalism 
— fully understanding the idea
makes sense
Name: Zhehui Wang
Student ID: 140483738

2. Proposition 
It has been said that some conflicts in the world were
caused by Orientalism.
However, this is because the term is not fully
understood.
In fact, Orientalism has many positive influences on
the world.

3. Structures 
• What is orientalism? (quick review)
• Why orientalism discuss today?
• Values of orientalism at present
－cultural ： Confucianism, Singapore
－ religious : Buddhism, North America
• Summary

5. Orientalism? 
• Orientalism” in this sense is a discourse about the
Orient as the “other” of Europe, which confirms
Europe’s dominant position. (Heehs,2003)
• Divided the world up into “East” and “West”,
“Orient” and “Occident” and gave each very
different characteristics. (Longhurst ,2008)
• Key words: Colonization & hegemony

6. East 
West 
Orient 
Occident 
• Asia(mainly China,
Japan, India )
• Middle East (Islam,
Afghanistan)
• Europe
• North America
Negative
Positive
The others!
(Said, 1978)

7. Orients  Occidents 
(Said, 1978)
Rational
Democratic
progressive
Irritional
Despotic
Timeless

8. Some conflicts in middle east were cause by Orientalism.

9. Why Orientalism Today? 
The term is not fully
understood. 
Do have positive values. 

10. Values of Orientalism
at present 
• Cultural aspect: example of Singapore about
Confucianism
• Religious aspect: reorientation and innovation of
Buddhism in North America

11. Asian Value-­‐‑ Singapore 
• a Western project which is best labelled “reverse
Orientalism”
• Confucianism – supposedly the keystone of East
Asian values, only became a major important thing
of the Singapore government after 1982.
• neo-Confucian cultures had potentially higher
economic growth rates than other cultures.
(Hill, 2000)

12. Confucian Ethic -­‐‑-­‐‑
Positive characteristics
• hardworking, responsible,
skilful and ambitious
member of society who
would contribute to the
group
• rather than pursuing
individual, selfish interests
• contributed to a society
that was based on
complementarity
• rather than the fractious
society characterised by
the Western pattern of
interest groups
(Hill, 2000)

13. Buddhism orientation 
contact
confrontation
& conflict
Ambiguity &
adaptation
reorientation
& innovation
• a four stage adaptation process of
transplanting Buddhism in North America
1 2 3 4
(Goldberg,1999)
• non-Asian North Americans ,called “sweet
and sour Buddhism”

14. Buddhism Innovation 
• Ian Harris'( 1995) term "ecoBuddhism" used for
those movements which promote a view of
Buddhism as essentially environmentalist
• Innovation: seek a similarity between Buddhist
and environmental ethics
• environmental movement linking it with general
systems ideas in Western life sciences.
(Goldberg,1999)

15. Summary 
• Orientalism is the concept created by westerns ,
confirm the position of their domination and
hegemony.
• Many conflicts were caused by orientalism because
the idea was not fully understood.
• Orientalism has good values both in cultural and
religious aspects.

16. References 
• HEEHS,P.(2003) Shades OF Orientalism: Paradoxes And
Problems in Indian Historiography, Wesleyan University ,
History and Theory Vol.42 (May)p169-195
• LONGHURST, B. et al. (2008) Topographies of Culture:
geography, meaning and power, Introducing Cultural
Studies, London: Prentice Hall
• SAID, E. W. (1978, 1995(Afterward) and 2003(Preface)),
Orientalism, London: Penguin
• HILL, M. (2000) Asian values’ as reverse Orientalism:
Singapore. Blackwell Publisher, Asia Pacific Viewpoint,
Vol. 41, No. 2 ,(August ) p177–190
• GOLDBERG,E(1999) The Reorientation of Buddhism in
North America. Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, Theory of study
of Religion, Vol.11,p340-356

17. References 
• http://www.reyagroup.com/site/wp-content/
uploads/2013/05/8-Confucius3.jpg
• http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bKgB2qPJVyc/
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strongweakbw.gif
• http://frustratedarab.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/
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