The Image of Confucius in Ezra Pounds Chinese Cantos (Cantos LII - LXI)

The purpose of the present paper is to take a close look at the image Ezra Pound portrays of Confucius in his Chinese Cantos (cantos LII - LXI), which he wrote in the 1930s. Focusing on Confucius's ideas on culture and economy, it studies Pound's reasons for his approval or disapproval of a number of Chinese emperors. The main concern of the paper is to realise how Confucius is pictured in the Chinese Cantos and what are the implications of his portrayal. The paper starts with a brief digest of Pound's views on economy, culture, banking systems, Douglas's Social Credit Theory, and war and proceeds to observe Confucian recommendations regarding peace and economic solidity in the selected cantos. The article shows that through condemning inefficient Chinese emperors and praising authoritative and competent rulers, Pound, in fact, is voicing his advocacy not only for the Chinese philosopher, but also for Italian fascism. In other words, in his Chinese Cantos, Pound extols Confucian views on agriculture, order, and administration with an eye on a leader he deemed to be the modern version of Confucius ? Benito Mussolini.