Neo means new. So neo-confucianism is new Confucianism.

"Neo-Confucianism (traditional Chinese: 理學; pinyin: Lǐxué)/(traditional Chinese: 道學; pinyin: Dàoxué) is a form of Confucianism that was primarily developed during the Song Dynasty, but which can be traced back to Han Yu and Li Ao (772-841) in the Tang Dynasty. It is closely related to Confucianists in the Qing Dynasty of China and other dynasties, including the Song. The term should not be mistaken for New Confucianism which is an effort to apply Confucianism to the 21st century. It was a philosophy that attempted to merge certain basic elements of Confucian and Buddhist thought. Most important of the early Neo-Confucianists was the Chinese thinker Zhu Xi (1130-1200)." "Confucians of the Song Dynasty (960-1279) studied the classical works of their faith, but were also familiar with Buddhist teachings. Buddhist thought offered to them many things that they considered worthy of admiration, including ideas such as the nature of the soul and the relation of the individual to the cosmos, ideas not yet fully explored by Confucianism. Song Confucians drew greatly from Buddhist thought as well as their own traditions, thus giving rise to the name of Neo-Confucianism. There were many competing views within the Neo-Confucian community, but overall, a system emerged that resembled both Buddhist and Daoist thought of the time and some of the ideas expressed in the Book of Changes (I Ching) as well as other yin yang theories associated with the Taiji symbol (Taijitu). A well known Neo-Confucian motif is paintings of Confucius, Buddha, and Lao Tzu all drinking out of the same vinegar jar, paintings associated with the slogan "The three teachings are one!" One of the most important speakers for Neo-Confucianism was Zhu Xi (1130-1200). He was a rather prolific writer, maintaining and defending his Confucian beliefs of social harmony and proper personal conduct. One of his most remembered was the book Family Rituals, where he provided detailed advice on how to conduct weddings, funerals, family ceremonies, and the veneration of ancestors. Buddhist thought soon enticed him, and he began to argue with Confucian style for the Buddhist observance of high moral standards. He also believed that it was important to practical affairs that one should conduct both academic and philosophical pursuits, although his writings are concentrated more on issues of theoretical (as opposed to practical) significance. It is reputed that he wrote many essays attempting to explain how his ideas were not Buddhist or Taoist, and included some extremely heated denunciations of Buddhism and Taoism. While Neo-Confucianism incorporated Buddhist and Taoist ideas, many Neo-Confucianists claimed to oppose strongly Buddhism and Taoism. Indeed, they rejected Buddhism as a faith. One of Han Yu's most famous essays decries the worship of Buddhist relics. Nonetheless, Neo-Confucian writings adapted Buddhist thoughts and beliefs to the Confucian interest. In China Neo-Confucianism was an officially-recognized creed from its development during the Song dynasty until the early twentieth century, and lands within the scope of Song China (Korea, Vietnam, and Japan) were all deeply influenced by Neo-Confucianism for more than half a millennium." Source and further information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo-Confucianism Information about New Confucianism: "New Confucianism (traditional Chinese: 當代新儒學, "Contemporary New Confucianism") is a new movement of Confucianism that began in the twentieth century. It is deeply influenced by, but not identical with the Neo-Confucianism of the Song and Ming dynasties." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Confucianism

neo confucianism is a mixture of confucianism and buddism and taoism. It is different from new confucianism which is actually modifying traditional Confucianism to suit socialist modernization.

The resurrection of Confucianism.