Digital Confucius: The Role of AI in Chinese Ethical Thought and Education

In recent years, China has accelerated the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies into its educational system, particularly within the domain of moral and civic instruction.This qualitative study investigates how AI-driven educational tools-such as facial recognition systems, behavior tracking software, and automated moral evaluation platforms-are reshaping ethical instruction historically rooted in Confucian philosophy.Drawing on 20 semi-structured interviews with teachers, students, and school administrators, as well as field observations in AI-enhanced classrooms, the study explores how core Confucian values like Ren (benevolence), Li (ritual propriety), and Xiao (filial piety) are being reinforced, diminished, or reinterpreted through technological mediation.Findings suggest that AI systems align closely with Confucian ideals of social order and ritual (Li), but often struggle to embody the emotional depth and interpersonal empathy central to Ren.Surveillance-driven moral behavior tracking also reveals tension with the Confucian emphasis on self-cultivation and internal moral development.Despite these philosophical conflicts, educators express pragmatic acceptance, reframing AI as a tool to complement, rather than replace, traditional virtue pedagogy.This paper proposes a new conceptual framework termed "Digital Confucianism," representing a hybrid ethical paradigm where algorithmic logic and classical moral values intersect.The study contributes to emerging debates on culturally contextualized AI ethics and calls for greater sensitivity to indigenous moral frameworks in global discussions of educational technology.