The Disenchantment and Re-enchantment of Zhao’s Jesus

Abstract: The first Life of Jesus（1935） written by a Chinese author represents Zhao Zichen’s significant attempt to explore the life of Jesus in the Bible.It interprets Jesus’ character as the essence and origin of Christianity,draws rational and scientific discourse from the May Fourth Enlightenment thought and European liberal theology,and demythologizes Jesus into a historical figure.At the same time,through the “Shangyou Fa”(“尚友法”) based on religious experience,it retains the charm of Jesus’ mystical consciousness and unique character.Furthermore,with the increasingly fierce patriotic discourse as the main theme,it shapes Jesus into a charismatic savior of the times.As a master good at both Chinese and Western culture,Zhao Zichen continues the European modern theological tradition in his Life of Jesus while also utilizing Confucian resources.The rationalism inherent in Confucianism itself coincides with the criticism of the Biblical text and church authority initiated by European modern liberal theology,while the ethical interpretation of personality is a particular strength of Confucianism.In essence,the “Zhao’s Jesus” with distinct Chinese characteristics is still the revolutionary sage in the Confucian tradition.