ABSTRACT
The main purpose of this chapter is to offer a reflection and reinterpretation of the ideas on teaching and learning in Confucian dialogue and to show how it can perform a significant role in the theoretical and practical development of the Philosophy for Children programme structured through the community of inquiry. The chapter employs the method of philosophy and critical analysis in explicating Confucian dialogue. By re-reading and interpreting Confucius’ Analects (Lau, 1992), and reviewing and assessing scholarly work on P4C and Confucius from the East and the West, the significance of Confucian dialogue to the development of community of inquiry in P4C is gradually unpacked. It finds out that Confucian dialogue shares ideas on teaching and learning in many ways with the community of inquiry informed by Socratic dialogue. Facing intractable challenges in developing the curriculum of P4C, particularly in the Chinese context, educators may consider redesigning the programme with the inspiration of Confucian dialogue at least regarding the objective, orientation and pedagogical strategy aspects of the curriculum.
