In the early 1990s, a group of Chinese scholars began translating the complete works of philosopher Baruch Spinoza. Overwhelmed by the complexities of translating ancient material, they enlisted Fu Youde, a professor of philosophy and Jewish studies at Shandong University in China, to help translate a volume called Hebrew Grammar from English to Chinese.Although the text was mainly in English, it included Jewish and Hebrew references that were hard to understand without any background in Jewish studies, Fu explained. It therefore seemed like an incredibly fortunate coincidence when he received a brochure from the Oxford Center for Jewish and Hebrew Studies, a branch of the University of Oxford in Oxfordshire, England.

His interest in Hebrew and Judaism piqued, Fu immediately took advantage of the opportunity to enroll in a postgraduate program at the center.

Throughout the two years that he spent studying at the center, Fu realized that he could learn many lessons about Confucianism from Judaism.

Upon graduating from the center and returning to China, in 1994 Fu established the Judaic Culture Study Center of Shandong University (renamed the Center for Judaic and Inter-religious Studies in China in 2003), where he is currently the director, in addition to Professor of Philosophy and Jewish Studies at Shandong University.

Fu visited Brandeis between Sept. 4 and 12 for a series of lectures on looking at Judaism from the Chinese perspective, inspired by Profs. Sylvia Fishman and Marc Brettler's (NEJS) visit to the Center in China last May.

During one public lecture and two guest lectures in Prof. Jonathon Dechter's (NEJS) "Philosophers, Poets, and Mystics: Jewish Intellectuals in the Middle Ages," Fu elaborated on the connections-as well as the differences-between Judaism and Confucianism.

"Judaism is of significance to China, to the reconstruction of Chinese culture," he said in an interview before the public lecture.

Nevertheless, Fu explained that the majority of Chinese people are unfamiliar with the concepts of Judaism.

In the past, "the Chinese people had no idea of Judaism," he said, noting that they only associated Judaism with their negative view on Zionism.

Fu said today's youth are unaware even of the principles of Confucianism. Although Confucianism was the Chinese state religion beginning in the second century B.C.E, the Chinese elite under Mao suppressed the spread of Confucianism during the Cultural Revolution in the mid-20th century.

"The young generation of Chinese people knows little of Confucianism," Fu explained.

In today's China, people are split among ties to Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism and Western religions, Fu said. Yet Fu's foray into Judaism motivated him to recognize the importance of unity and stability in religious life.

"It's the time for us to construct a new type of Chinese culture," he said.

Faced with this challenge, Judaism can serve as an example for Confucianism with its history of adapting its traditions to modern times.

"The Jewish people first of all modernized themselves, entered the mainstream of Western society," Fu said. "[Jews] maintained their cultural ritual identity by practicing Judaism, although they belong to different denominations."

The Chinese people, he said, face similar problems, aiming to simultaneously modernize their country and keep their cultural identity. Modernization has been successful from an economic standpoint, but culturally and ritually many Chinese people feel disoriented.

"Although the Chinese should open their minds to other countries and other people, other cultures," Fu said, "they should also maintain their identity."

Still, Fu explained during the public lecture that there are several key differences between Judaism and Confucianism.

"The existence of a single deity is the most fundamental concept in Judaism," Fu said. "He is creator of the world."

Although the concept of Heaven in Confucianism corresponds to the Jewish concept of God, Fu explained that, unlike the Jewish God, Heaven has no human characteristics.

Furthermore, he said, Confucianism emphasizes the role of nature gods, ghosts and spirits.

The two faiths also differ in that Confucianism tends to focus on self-discipline, while Judaism emphasizes man's faith in God.

In Judaism, Fu said, "man's moral motive . comes not from within, but from fear of an external power." In Confucianism, man behaves correctly "because he wants to."

"God functions as both the basis and the goal of Jewish ethics," he continues. "In Confucianism, the ultimate goal is to be a good man."

Students in Dechter's class were intrigued by the subtle links between Confucianism and Judaism.

"There's so many similarities between [the two faiths]," said John Wong '12.

It was especially significant for students to learn about a topic in religion they'd never before explored.

"I actually didn't know that much about Confucianism," said Alissa Thomas '11. "It's really interesting to bring in someone from the completely different, other side of the world."

Brettler thought Fu's discussion represented the development of new types of religious thought in Chinese culture.

"What really stands behind his talk is a real interest in religion in contemporary China," Brettler said, "and it will be very interesting to see what happens in the next decade or so in terms of religion within mainstream Chinese society."

Brettler noted that Fu's work was especially interesting in light of recent social and religious changes in China.

"There is to some extent a return to Confucianism; the numbers of Christians in China are growing very substantially," he said. "So I'm very curious to see how his interest feeds into major demographic changes in the country as a whole."

For Fu, the 2008 Olympic Games exemplify China's current attitudes toward religion.

"From the opening ceremony, we can understand a little bit the traditional Chinese culture and development in modern times," he explained in an interview. "We can see that the Chinese people are open-minded . to all of the world."

"[The Chinese people] want to enter the world family," said Fu, invoking the Games' slogan, "One World, One Dream.