Photo by Stefan Wagener on Unsplash
Creative Genealogy and
Modernity in China
Chinese High School Student:
If being "modern" means rejecting the past as a source of intellectual and spiritual nourishment, with truths of its own, then I don't want to be modern. I want to be an engineer, but a thoughtful one. I want to learn with and from the past as I move into the future. And if being modern means thinking that all the wisdom of the past is now contained in the present, again I don't want to be modern. The past has many voices, sometimes competing, but they may well contain possibilities for beauty, goodness, and truth that I have not even imagined. I want the past to be a partner in dialogue. Is there a name for this approach: where you explore the past with humility and a willingness to learn, even as you also add your own critical voice?
Teacher:
Yes, it is called creative genealogy.
Student:
But I thought genealogy refers to how we inherit from the past through our genes?
Teacher:
That's literal genealogy, which focuses on biological inheritance. But I'm talking about a different kind of genealogy—a creative cultural genealogy. This type of genealogy explores the ideas, values, and feelings we inherit from the past. It’s about tracing the intellectual, cultural, and spiritual "lineages" that shape us today. Just like we inherit physical traits through our genes, we also inherit wisdom, traditions, and even struggles from the past.
What’s important about creative genealogy is that it’s not just about passively receiving what’s been handed down. It’s an active process of engaging with the past—learning from it, questioning it, and even reimagining it. It’s about seeing the past as a dynamic partner in dialogue, not a static repository of truths. By doing this, we can discover ideas and possibilities for beauty, goodness, and truth that might otherwise be overlooked or forgotten. It’s a way to honor the past while creatively shaping the future.
Student:
Can you think of an example of where this is already happening?
Teacher:
Yes, many Chinese scholars are already practicing creative genealogy; they just don't call it that. You might also take a look as the China Project of the Center for Process Studies. It engages the rich philosophical and spiritual traditions of Chinese culture, including the Yi Jing, Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism, Chinese Medicine and the Arts, not as relics to be discarded, but as living sources of wisdom.
It critically dialogues with these traditions, integrating their insights with contemporary process thought to address modern challenges. This is an example of creative genealogy in action: honoring the past, learning from it, and creatively reinterpreting it to enrich the present and future.
Student:
So, creative genealogy is about exploring the past with humility, questioning and learning from it, and using it to shape the future. That sounds really meaningful. How do we avoid either blindly following tradition or dismissing it altogether?
Teacher:
That’s an excellent question. Creative genealogy requires a balance between reverence and critical thinking. On the one hand, you honor the wisdom of the past, recognizing it as a source of insight and beauty. On the other hand, you engage with it critically, aware that no tradition is perfect or complete. It’s like having a dialogue with a wise elder—listening carefully, asking questions, and thoughtfully responding.
Avoiding extremes means staying open to possibilities. Blind adherence can lead to stagnation, while outright dismissal can rob us of valuable lessons. Creative genealogy is an ongoing process of discernment: What ideas remain relevant? What needs reimagining? What can inspire new possibilities for addressing contemporary challenges?
Student:
That makes a lot of sense. It’s like the past isn’t a set of rules, but a kind of conversation.
Teacher:
Exactly. And a creative genealogical approach doesn’t just preserve traditions; it allows them to evolve. For example, look at how classical Chinese concepts, like harmony (he) or qi, are being revisited today. They’re not just museum pieces—they’re inspiring new ways of thinking about ecology, healthcare, and spirituality.
Student:
So, it’s not just about individual reflection, but also how a culture or society engages with its history?
Teacher:
Precisely. Take the China Project of the Center for Process Studies, which I mentioned earlier. It treats Chinese traditions as living, evolving sources of wisdom. By integrating insights from Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism, and even Chinese medicine with contemporary process thought, it creates fresh ways to address issues like environmental sustainability, social harmony, and personal well-being.
This approach reminds us that traditions don’t exist in isolation—they’re part of a larger web of relationships. Creative genealogy allows us to see those connections and draw from them in meaningful ways.
Student:
I think I’d like to learn more about how this works in practice. How do we start?
Teacher:
Start by exploring the traditions that resonate with you, whether they’re part of your heritage or something you’re curious about. Read their texts, listen to their stories, and immerse yourself in their practices. At the same time, ask yourself: How do these traditions speak to the challenges we face today? Where do they inspire, and where might they need to be challenged.
Creative genealogy is about making the past a partner in the journey, not a weight to carry or a script to follow. It’s a way of being thoughtful about your roots while staying open to growth and transformation.
Student:
That sounds like a way of being modern that I can embrace—a kind of thoughtful modernity.
Teacher:
Thoughtful modernity—I like that. Perhaps that’s what creative genealogy helps us achieve: a way to be modern without losing our connection to the depth and richness of the past. At the China Project they call it "constructive postmodernism." And some others call it "metamodernism." You might just call it "process thought."
If being "modern" means rejecting the past as a source of intellectual and spiritual nourishment, with truths of its own, then I don't want to be modern. I want to be an engineer, but a thoughtful one. I want to learn with and from the past as I move into the future. And if being modern means thinking that all the wisdom of the past is now contained in the present, again I don't want to be modern. The past has many voices, sometimes competing, but they may well contain possibilities for beauty, goodness, and truth that I have not even imagined. I want the past to be a partner in dialogue. Is there a name for this approach: where you explore the past with humility and a willingness to learn, even as you also add your own critical voice?
Teacher:
Yes, it is called creative genealogy.
Student:
But I thought genealogy refers to how we inherit from the past through our genes?
Teacher:
That's literal genealogy, which focuses on biological inheritance. But I'm talking about a different kind of genealogy—a creative cultural genealogy. This type of genealogy explores the ideas, values, and feelings we inherit from the past. It’s about tracing the intellectual, cultural, and spiritual "lineages" that shape us today. Just like we inherit physical traits through our genes, we also inherit wisdom, traditions, and even struggles from the past.
What’s important about creative genealogy is that it’s not just about passively receiving what’s been handed down. It’s an active process of engaging with the past—learning from it, questioning it, and even reimagining it. It’s about seeing the past as a dynamic partner in dialogue, not a static repository of truths. By doing this, we can discover ideas and possibilities for beauty, goodness, and truth that might otherwise be overlooked or forgotten. It’s a way to honor the past while creatively shaping the future.
Student:
Can you think of an example of where this is already happening?
Teacher:
Yes, many Chinese scholars are already practicing creative genealogy; they just don't call it that. You might also take a look as the China Project of the Center for Process Studies. It engages the rich philosophical and spiritual traditions of Chinese culture, including the Yi Jing, Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism, Chinese Medicine and the Arts, not as relics to be discarded, but as living sources of wisdom.
It critically dialogues with these traditions, integrating their insights with contemporary process thought to address modern challenges. This is an example of creative genealogy in action: honoring the past, learning from it, and creatively reinterpreting it to enrich the present and future.
Student:
So, creative genealogy is about exploring the past with humility, questioning and learning from it, and using it to shape the future. That sounds really meaningful. How do we avoid either blindly following tradition or dismissing it altogether?
Teacher:
That’s an excellent question. Creative genealogy requires a balance between reverence and critical thinking. On the one hand, you honor the wisdom of the past, recognizing it as a source of insight and beauty. On the other hand, you engage with it critically, aware that no tradition is perfect or complete. It’s like having a dialogue with a wise elder—listening carefully, asking questions, and thoughtfully responding.
Avoiding extremes means staying open to possibilities. Blind adherence can lead to stagnation, while outright dismissal can rob us of valuable lessons. Creative genealogy is an ongoing process of discernment: What ideas remain relevant? What needs reimagining? What can inspire new possibilities for addressing contemporary challenges?
Student:
That makes a lot of sense. It’s like the past isn’t a set of rules, but a kind of conversation.
Teacher:
Exactly. And a creative genealogical approach doesn’t just preserve traditions; it allows them to evolve. For example, look at how classical Chinese concepts, like harmony (he) or qi, are being revisited today. They’re not just museum pieces—they’re inspiring new ways of thinking about ecology, healthcare, and spirituality.
Student:
So, it’s not just about individual reflection, but also how a culture or society engages with its history?
Teacher:
Precisely. Take the China Project of the Center for Process Studies, which I mentioned earlier. It treats Chinese traditions as living, evolving sources of wisdom. By integrating insights from Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism, and even Chinese medicine with contemporary process thought, it creates fresh ways to address issues like environmental sustainability, social harmony, and personal well-being.
This approach reminds us that traditions don’t exist in isolation—they’re part of a larger web of relationships. Creative genealogy allows us to see those connections and draw from them in meaningful ways.
Student:
I think I’d like to learn more about how this works in practice. How do we start?
Teacher:
Start by exploring the traditions that resonate with you, whether they’re part of your heritage or something you’re curious about. Read their texts, listen to their stories, and immerse yourself in their practices. At the same time, ask yourself: How do these traditions speak to the challenges we face today? Where do they inspire, and where might they need to be challenged.
Creative genealogy is about making the past a partner in the journey, not a weight to carry or a script to follow. It’s a way of being thoughtful about your roots while staying open to growth and transformation.
Student:
That sounds like a way of being modern that I can embrace—a kind of thoughtful modernity.
Teacher:
Thoughtful modernity—I like that. Perhaps that’s what creative genealogy helps us achieve: a way to be modern without losing our connection to the depth and richness of the past. At the China Project they call it "constructive postmodernism." And some others call it "metamodernism." You might just call it "process thought."
Definitions
from the Genealogies of Modernity Project
Modernity
"A mode of thinking that sees the present (modernity) as a complete rupture from the past. In this mode of thinking, the past becomes obsolete, either because the present is so completely different that we can afford to erase the past, or because the present completely encompasses and subsumes everything from the past."
Critical Genealogy
"A mode of thinking that sees the present in relationship to the past, much like the relationships in a family genealogy, but focuses primarily on how people have fabricated their histories in order to cover up abuses of power and to pretend to have noble origins."
Creative Genealogy
"A mode of thinking that sees the present in a complex relationship with a plurality of stories from the past, and that holds enough distance from and perspective on the past to be open to gleaning new understandings of our present life from those stories. Creative genealogy is on the lookout for resources in the past that can bring about new beginnings, repair injustices, and reconcile conflicts. It recognizes that the past can be a resource even if we disagree with beliefs and systems that shaped our ancestors."
"A mode of thinking that sees the present (modernity) as a complete rupture from the past. In this mode of thinking, the past becomes obsolete, either because the present is so completely different that we can afford to erase the past, or because the present completely encompasses and subsumes everything from the past."
Critical Genealogy
"A mode of thinking that sees the present in relationship to the past, much like the relationships in a family genealogy, but focuses primarily on how people have fabricated their histories in order to cover up abuses of power and to pretend to have noble origins."
Creative Genealogy
"A mode of thinking that sees the present in a complex relationship with a plurality of stories from the past, and that holds enough distance from and perspective on the past to be open to gleaning new understandings of our present life from those stories. Creative genealogy is on the lookout for resources in the past that can bring about new beginnings, repair injustices, and reconcile conflicts. It recognizes that the past can be a resource even if we disagree with beliefs and systems that shaped our ancestors."
Oceans of Possibility
Creative Genealogy & the China Project of CPS
Creative genealogy is a mode of thought that honors the past as a dynamic, pluralistic reservoir of stories, ideas, and possibilities. It does not treat the present as a rupture from the past but instead views it as deeply interconnected, shaped by the reception of the past in the mode of what Whitehead calls "experience in the mod of causal efficacy." Creative genealogy acknowledges what Whitehead calls the "objective immortality of the past—its enduring presence in the present through inherited ideas, feelings, and technologies. This approach does not merely preserve the past but actively engages with it, creatively transforming it to meet contemporary needs and aspirations.
Creative genealogy differs from two other dominant approaches: modernity and critical genealogy. Modernity often perceives the present as a decisive break from the past, dismissing historical legacies as either outdated or fully assimilated. This perspective risks arrogance, neglecting the formative influence of past experiences on current realities. On the other hand, critical genealogy focuses on exposing historical distortions, abuses of power, and fabricated noble origins. While critical genealogy fosters accountability and transparency, it can lead to an overly skeptical stance, overlooking the constructive potential embedded in the past.
Creative genealogy offers a middle path. It embraces the past with both critical distance and constructive imagination, seeking meaningful contrasts in the present guided by ideals of beauty, truth, and goodness. This approach enables the discovery of new possibilities, the redress of historical injustices, and the reconciliation of conflicts. It recognizes that even as we critique certain beliefs and systems of the past, they may contain valuable insights capable of inspiring renewal and transformation.
The work of the China Project exemplifies this approach. The project aims to guide contemporary Chinese thinkers and practitioners toward a creative engagement with their cultural and intellectual heritage while at the same time looking toward the future. The China Project seeks to learn from, and with, the best of the Chinese past: Confucianism, Taoism, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chinese Buddhism, the traditional arts (painting and poetry). It uses Whitehead's philosophy to help receive and interpret the wisdom from these paths; see Comparing Whitehead and Chinese Thought.
In so doing the China Project encourages avoiding the extremes of modernity’s hubris and critical genealogy’s cynicism. Instead, it invites Chinese to explore the rich multiplicity of their history, mining it for insights and resources to address contemporary challenges.
What distinguishes the China Project is its additional invitation for Chinese individuals to learn from the Western past, fostering a dialogue between traditions. This integrative approach is captured in the concept of the Second Enlightenment, developed by Zhihe Wang and Meijun Fan in their book of the same name. Influenced by process philosophy’s emphasis on relationality, interconnectedness, and creative transformation, Wang and Fan envision the Second Enlightenment as a transcending of the limitations of the 17th- and 18th-century Western Enlightenment. While the latter often overemphasized reason and mechanistic thinking at the expense of holistic understanding and ecological harmony, the Second Enlightenment values beauty, relationality, and the interconnectedness of all life.
This vision illustrates creative genealogy by fostering cross-cultural engagement that respects diversity while seeking common ground. For Wang and Fan, the past is not a static relic but a dynamic source of inspiration for shaping a sustainable and harmonious future. The Second Enlightenment is not only for China but for the world, offering a model for reimagining the past in ways that address global challenges.
By integrating process philosophy’s insights into relationality and creative transformation, Wang and Fan demonstrate how creative genealogy can guide transformative thinking and action. It invites us to approach the past with an open heart and a critical eye, gleaning wisdom from its multiplicity while creatively reimagining its possibilities for the present. It is a philosophy of hope, grounded in the recognition that the past is never truly gone but lives on in the present, ready to be woven into new patterns of meaning and purpose.
Creative genealogy differs from two other dominant approaches: modernity and critical genealogy. Modernity often perceives the present as a decisive break from the past, dismissing historical legacies as either outdated or fully assimilated. This perspective risks arrogance, neglecting the formative influence of past experiences on current realities. On the other hand, critical genealogy focuses on exposing historical distortions, abuses of power, and fabricated noble origins. While critical genealogy fosters accountability and transparency, it can lead to an overly skeptical stance, overlooking the constructive potential embedded in the past.
Creative genealogy offers a middle path. It embraces the past with both critical distance and constructive imagination, seeking meaningful contrasts in the present guided by ideals of beauty, truth, and goodness. This approach enables the discovery of new possibilities, the redress of historical injustices, and the reconciliation of conflicts. It recognizes that even as we critique certain beliefs and systems of the past, they may contain valuable insights capable of inspiring renewal and transformation.
The work of the China Project exemplifies this approach. The project aims to guide contemporary Chinese thinkers and practitioners toward a creative engagement with their cultural and intellectual heritage while at the same time looking toward the future. The China Project seeks to learn from, and with, the best of the Chinese past: Confucianism, Taoism, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chinese Buddhism, the traditional arts (painting and poetry). It uses Whitehead's philosophy to help receive and interpret the wisdom from these paths; see Comparing Whitehead and Chinese Thought.
In so doing the China Project encourages avoiding the extremes of modernity’s hubris and critical genealogy’s cynicism. Instead, it invites Chinese to explore the rich multiplicity of their history, mining it for insights and resources to address contemporary challenges.
What distinguishes the China Project is its additional invitation for Chinese individuals to learn from the Western past, fostering a dialogue between traditions. This integrative approach is captured in the concept of the Second Enlightenment, developed by Zhihe Wang and Meijun Fan in their book of the same name. Influenced by process philosophy’s emphasis on relationality, interconnectedness, and creative transformation, Wang and Fan envision the Second Enlightenment as a transcending of the limitations of the 17th- and 18th-century Western Enlightenment. While the latter often overemphasized reason and mechanistic thinking at the expense of holistic understanding and ecological harmony, the Second Enlightenment values beauty, relationality, and the interconnectedness of all life.
This vision illustrates creative genealogy by fostering cross-cultural engagement that respects diversity while seeking common ground. For Wang and Fan, the past is not a static relic but a dynamic source of inspiration for shaping a sustainable and harmonious future. The Second Enlightenment is not only for China but for the world, offering a model for reimagining the past in ways that address global challenges.
By integrating process philosophy’s insights into relationality and creative transformation, Wang and Fan demonstrate how creative genealogy can guide transformative thinking and action. It invites us to approach the past with an open heart and a critical eye, gleaning wisdom from its multiplicity while creatively reimagining its possibilities for the present. It is a philosophy of hope, grounded in the recognition that the past is never truly gone but lives on in the present, ready to be woven into new patterns of meaning and purpose.
The Center for Process Studies:
China Project
"The China Project, a program of Center for Process Studies, was founded in 1998 to promote the study and application of process thought by Chinese scholars and to enhance mutual understanding between Chinese and Western cultures. The China Project believes that process thought opens the possibility of combining Chinese and Western cultures and integrating premodern, modern, and postmodern insights from both Western and Eastern thinkers. It is hoped that through this interaction process thought will play a vital role in contributing to the well-being of China and the global community. The China Project promotes and fosters this constructive interaction between East and West through the sponsoring of conferences, translation projects, publications, visiting scholar programs and establishing process centers in China."
Podcasts on Modernity & Genealogy
Introduction |
What is Modernity |
What is Genealogy |