Transcript Pre-chin Confucianism

Pre-chin Confucianism I
20.06.2006
Lecture Outline
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Confucius the Sage
Attitude on Traditional Heritage
Attitude on Afterlife
Political Ideas
Important Ideas in Confucius’ Analects
1. xue/learning
2. ren
Confucius: the Sage
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Confucius was considered as “the Teacher
of the Ten Thousand Generations”/ a sage
Born in Spring-Autumn period
Lived in a period of political struggle
He wanted to bring the states back to the
harmonious period of early Zhou.
The Life of Confucius (551-479
B.C.)
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Confucius was orphaned at a very early
age.
Of his youth little is known except that
he was poor and fond of learning.
He said, “I was of humble station when
young. That is why I am skilled in
many menial things” (Analects 9.6)
The Life of Confucius (551-479
B.C.)
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In the time of Duke Ting (r. 509-494 B.C.) of Lu
(Confucius’ home state) that Confucius became the
police commissioner of Lu for a short period of time.
During his term of office two events took place which
are recorded.
First, Confucius accompanied the Duke to a meeting
with Duke Ching of Chi and scored a diplomatic
victory.
Second, he was responsible for the abortive plan to
demolish the main city of each of the three powerful
noble families.
The Life of Confucius (551-479
B.C.)
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It was probably in 497 B.C. that Confucius left
Lu, not to return until 13 years later.
An account is given in the Analects of how he
came to leave Lu, “The men of Chi [the noble
of Lu] made a present of singing and dancing
girls. Chi Huanzi accepted them and stayed
away from court for three days” (A 18.4)
Confucius decided to leave Lu because its
noble, instead of being a good ruler, only
focused on women.
The Life of Confucius (551-479
B.C.)
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In the Mencius, a different account is given.
“Confucius was the police commissioner of Lu, but his
advice was not followed. He took part in a sacrifice,
but afterwards, was not given a share of the meat of
the sacrificial animal. He left the state without
waiting to take off his ceremonial cap.
Mencius’ comment was: “Those who did not
understand him thought he acted in this way because
of the meat, but those who understand him realized
that he left because Lu failed to observe the proper
rites (li)” (M 12.6)
The Life of Confucius (551-479
B.C.)
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He went to various states, hoping to actualize
his teachings.
He failed and eventually went back to his
home country, Lu, with his students in 484
B.C. (when he was 68).
He then became a professional teacher with
3000 students.
His last years were saddened by the death
first of his son and then of his favorite
disciple, Yan Hui, at an early age.
Confucius’s Analects
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A collection of everyday conservations between
Confucius and his disciples
20 chapters, each is entitled with the first 2 words in
the first passage
Not a systematic or logical text, but composed of
scattered passages
Passages are condense and short, probably due to
the fact that people had to write on bamboo sheets,
which were very expensive.
Such a style is commonly found in text written in that
period of time.
How to read it???
How to read the Analects ?
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To look for all the passages containing the
particular important words/terms.
Try to get a better understanding of the idea
by synthesizing the passages together.
D.C. Lau & Chen Fong Ching, The ICS Ancient
Chinese Texts Concordance Series, The
Commercial Press: Hong Kong, 1995.
Confucius’ Attitude on
Traditional Heritage
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Tradition inheritage can be taken as the foundation in
Confucius’ self-cultivation.
The Shijing, the Shujing, the li, and music are all
traditional inheritance for Confucius.
Confucius is the editor of the existing The Book of
Rites/Lijing.
The great respect for history Confucius inherited can
be shown by the fact that he “uses the correct
pronunciation for the Book of Songs (Shijing), the
Book of History (Shujing) and the performance of the
rites, li 禮” (A 7.18).
Confucius’ Attitude on
Traditional Heritage
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Those who already know how to learn
from the tradition are described as
“Having ascended the hall, though they
may not have gained entrance to the
inner chamber” (A 11.15)
That is, those people have already
achieved some progress in their selfcultivation/ becoming a junzi.
Confucius’ Attitude on
Traditional Heritage
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Confucius clearly points out the usage of historical
heritage: “Be stimulated by the Shijing, take one’s
stand through with the help of the li, and be
perfected by music” (A 8.8).
He says that an apt quotation from the Shijing can
stimulate the imagination, endow one with breeding,
enable one to live in a community, and give
expression to grievances (A 17.9).
In his conversations with his disciples, Confucius
frequently quotes from the Shijing to illustrate his
point (A 1.15, 8.3, 3.8, 16.13, 17.9).
Confucius’ Attitude on Afterlife
Did not care/ talk about life after death/
spiritual beings.
 He said, “It is man who is capable of
broadening dao (the Way). It is not dao that
is capable of broadening man.” (A 15.29)
---the Way does not pre-determine human
being; his understanding of the Way is
different from the Western conception of
God/ Platonic Idea/Aristotelian potential
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Confucius’ Attitude on Afterlife
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(A 11.12) Zhilu [a close disciple of Confucius]
asked about the spirits of the dead and the
gods should be served. The Master said,
“You are not able even to serve man. How
can you serve the spirits”
“May I ask about death?”
“You do not understand even life. How can
you understand death?”
Confucius’ Attitude on Afterlife
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(A 6.22) Fanzhi [a disciple of Confucius]
asked about wisdom. The Master said,
“To work for things the common people
have a right to and to keep one’s
distance from the gods and spirits of
the dead while showing them reverence
can be called wisdom.”
Confucius’ Philosophy
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1. philosophy of life, how to become a
full human being/ junzi (by selfcultivation)
2. To have a good government and
harmonious human relations. He looks
for a community that works by virtue
and moral examples rather than
punishment and rules.
Political Ideas
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(A 2.3) The Master said, “Guide them
by edicts, keep them in line with
punishments, and the common people
will stay out of trouble but will have no
sense of shame. Guide them by virtue
(de), keep them in line with the rites (li),
they will, besides having a sense of
shame, reform themselves.”
Philosophy of Life
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For Confucius, nobility was not a matter of
blood, but of moral character.
In being moral one can neither be assured of
a reward or guaranteed success, morality
must be pursued for its own sake.
One begins the process of self-cultivation first
by learning, then by reflection.
Important Ideas in the
Analects
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1.xue 學 (to “learn,” to “study by heart,” to
“understand,” always includes to “act
according to what you have learn”)
2. ren 仁 (“benevolent”, “authoritative”, “love”,
“kindness”, “altruism”)
3. li 禮 (“rites”, “propriety”, “ceremony”,
“manners”)
4. junzi 君子 (“gentleman”, “good person”,
“moral person”)
1. xue
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Xue 學 appears 65 times in the Analects.
It is important to note the difficulties in
translating the Chinese word, xue.
The natural choice in English for an
equivalent is the verb “to learn,” but
very often we are forced by the
demands of the English language to use
“to study” instead.
1. xue
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The verb “to learn” needs an expressed object.
We do not say, “He learns.” We can, of course,
say, “He learns quickly,” but this is a special
case where the focal point of the sentence is
not in the word “learn.” We do, on the other
hand, say, “He studies.”
In the English language, we tend to “learn”
something practical and “study” something
theoretical.
1. xue
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In learning, the focus is on the learner, who
improves himself by learning new skills or
becomes more proficient in an old one.
In studying, the focus is on the subject and
the person who has studied acquires new
knowledge, which need not make any
difference to him or her as a practical man.
1. xue
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For instance, when Confucius talks about xue
shi, it is natural to render this as “to study the
Shijing.” But this changes an activity with a
practical application to something theoretical.
Yet to render the phrase as “to learn the
Shijing” suggests learning the Shijing by heart.
Though this certainly is part of the meaning,
it definitely is not the whole of it.
1. xue
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The main purpose of xue shi is 學詩 both to
improve one’s sensibility and to enable one to
use lines from the Shijing to convey a
meaning capable of a subtle interpretation.
The words of Zixia (a disciple of Confucius)
further support this point and he would grant
those who act and behave appropriately as
schooled, even though they never received
formal education (A 1.7).
1. xue
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Xue, for Confucius, is a long and arduous
process that few people are willing to go
through.
E.g., though Confucius has a lot of students
(A 11.3), there is but one, Yan Hui, who truly
loves learning (haoxue好學).
“After his [Hui’s] death, there is no one” (A
6.3).
1. xue
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Xue is always referring to the process of human
becomig/ self-cultivation and the development of
character in the promotion of the way (dao 道), as
opposed to the way various craftsmen will practice
specific skills and master a trade (A 19.7).
Xue cannot simply be taken as book-learning, but
life-learning.
Confucius was once reproved by a villager for not
having mastered any specialty although he was broad
in learning (A 9.2).
He might have replied that an exemplary person is
not a “mere vessel,” (A 2.12) meaning that the junzi
君子 is not a person of instrumental skills.
1. xue
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Confucius is keen to maintain a distinction between
education (for self-cultivation) and training in a skill
(for earning a living).
He points out that we should be concerned with how
to live our lives with dao but not preoccupied with
making a living (A 15.32). The passage continues as
follows, “Go and till the land and you will end up by
being hungry as a matter of course; study, and you
will end up with the salary of an official as a matter
of course.”
However, most people study with an eye to fame,
power, or wealth.
1. xue
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Even Confucius himself was asked by one of his
disciples about studying (xue) to an official post. His
answer was that if one focused on self-cultivation, an
official post would come therein (A 2.18).
Confucius once lamented that it was difficult to find
one who would study (xue) for three years without
concentrating on the matter of salary (A 8.12).
There was only one, Yan Hui (the favorite disciple of
Confucius) who focused on studying without fixing
his eye on fame, wealth, or power.
1. Passages on xue in the
Analects
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(A 2.15) The Master said, “If one learns from
others but does not think, one will be
bewildered. If, on the other hand, one thinks
but does not learn from others, one will be in
danger.”
(A 19.13) Zihsia [a disciple of Confucius] said,
“When a man in office finds that he can more
than cope with his duties, then he studies;
when a student finds that he can more than
cope with his studies, then he takes office.”
1. Passages on xue in the
Analects
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(A 14.24) The Master said, “Men of antiquity studied
to improved themselves; men today study to impress
others.”
(A 16.9) Confucius said, “Those who born with
knowledge are the highest. Next come those who
attain knowledge through study/xue. Next again
come those who turn to study/xue after having been
vexed by difficulties. The common people, in so far
as they make no effort to study/xue even after
having been vexed by difficulties, are the lowest.”
2. ren 仁
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Appears 109 times in the Analects.
Confucius answered direct questions about
ren 6 times in the Analects.
The most important moral quality one can
possess.
This word was used before Confucius but he
added much complexity and moral quality to
the term.
It is the moral quality a junzi 君子must
possess.
2. ren 仁
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“If the junzi forsakes ren, wherein can he make a
name for himself? The junzi never deserts ren, not
even for as long as it takes to eat a meal. If he
hurries and stumbles one may be sure that it is in ren
that he does so.” (A 4.5)
In some context “the junzi” and “the renzhe” (person
of ren) are almost interchangeable terms.
“The junzi is free from worries and fears” (A 12.4) &
it is the renzhe who is said not to have worries (A
9.29, 14.28).
2. ren 仁
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Confucius’ answer (on ren) to his disciple, “Do not
impose on others what you yourself do not desire” (A
12.2).
“A renzhe helps others to take their stand [become a
junzi] in that he himself wishes to take his stand, and
gets others there in that he himself wishes to get
there. The ability to take as analogy what is near at
hand can be called the method of ren” (A 6.30)
This is similar to the famous German philosopher,
Immanuel Kant’s morality and duty.
2. ren 仁
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The conception of “universal conformity
to law” is Kant’s central notion of duty.
Kant defines it, as a generalized version
of the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as
you would have them do unto you.”
The point is, decide what you ought to
do by asking you the question, “What if
everyone were to do that?”
2. ren 仁
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Confucius: negative aspect
-“Do not impose on others what you
yourself do not desire” (A 12.2).
Immanuel Kant: positive aspect
- “Do unto others as you would have them
do unto you.”
2. ren 仁
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ren: “Love your fellow men” (A 12.22).
A 12.22 is brief.
“In guiding a state of thousand
chariots…keep expenditure under
proper regulation and love your fellow
men; employ the labor of the common
people in the right seasons” (A 1.5).
2. How to become ren 仁?
(A 14.4) The Master said, “…A renzhe is sure
to possess courage, but a courageous man
does not necessarily possess ren.”
---a renzhe is a courageous person
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(A 13.27) The Master said, “Unbending
strength, resoluteness, simplicity and slowness
of speech are close to be ren.”
---characters close to being ren
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2. How to become ren 仁?
(A 4.3) The Master said, “It is the renzhe
alone who is capable of liking or disliking
other men.”
---only a renzhe is capable of distinguishing
other people
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(A 4.4) The Master said, “If a man were to
set his heart-and-mind on ren, he would be
free from evil.”
---a renzhe is a good (moral) person
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2. ren in the Analects
(A 4.1) The Master said, “Of neighborhoods ren
is the most beautiful. How can the man be
considered wise who, when he has the choice,
does not settle in ren?”
---to be with other renzhe.
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(A 7.30) The Master said, “Is ren really far away?
No sooner do I desire it than it is here.”
--- being ren or not, depends on yourself, your effort
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2. ren 仁 in the Analects
(A 4.6) The Master said, “Is there a man who,
for the space of a single day, is able to devote
all his strength to ren? I have not come
across such a man whose strength proves
insufficient for this task. There must be such
cases of insufficient strength, only I have not
come across them.”
---everyone is capable of becoming a renzhe
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Example of a Sage: Confucius
(A 6.30) Zigong said, “If there were a man who gave
extensively to the common people and brought help
to the multitude, what would you think of him?
Could he be called ren?”
The Master said, “It is no longer a matter of ren with
such a man. If you describe him, “sage” is, perhaps,
the right word. Even Yao and Shun [the most
respectable ancient kings] would have found it
difficult to accomplish as much…”
---Confucius is known as a Sage, as his teaching cares
for the common people and brings help to the
multitude. His ideal is even higher than being ren.
Example of a renzhe:
Confucius
(A 7.16) The Master said, “In the eating of
coarse rice and the drinking of water, the
using of one’s elbow for a pillar, joy is to be
found. Wealth and rank attained through
immoral means (biyi) have as much to do
with me as passing clouds.”
---Confucius’ life is similar to that of Yan Hui,
(the favorite disciple of Confucius), who is
greatly praised and considered as a renzhe by
Confucius (A 6.3, 11.7).
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Example of a renzhe: Yan Hui
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First, Hui focused on studying without fixing
his eye on fame, wealth, or power. He
enjoyed himself in the process of selfcultivation so that he could live with joy even
in a mean dwelling with plain rice and water
(A 6.11).
Throughout his short life span, Hui lived in
poverty.
His everyday life was a hardship most people
would find intolerable.
Example of a renzhe: Yan Hui
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Secondly, Hui is highly appreciated for
his achievement in the process of
human becoming.
Hui is the only person (in Confucius’
eyes) who does not lapse from ren for
three months at a time, whereas the
others attain ren merely in fits and
starts (A 6.7).
Example of a renzhe: Yan Hui
(A 6.11) The Master said, “How admirable Hui
is! Living in a mean dwelling on a bowlful of
rice and a ladleful of water is a hardship most
men would find insupportable, but Hui does
not allow this to affect his joy. How
admirable Hui is!”
---though Hui is in poverty, he finds joy in being
a renzhe
Example of a renzhe: Yan Hui
(A 6.3) When asked which of his disciples was
eager to learn, Confucius answered, “There
was on Yan Hui who was eager to learn. He
never transferred the anger he felt towards
one person to another. Nor did he make the
same mistake twice. Unfortunately his
allotted span was a short one and he died.
Now there is no one. No one eager to learn
has come to my notice.”
---Hui does not transfer anger, rectifies his
mistakes & love learning
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Example of a renzen: Yan Hui
Confucius’ most talented disciple, Yan Hui, also asked
about ren.
 (A 12.1) The Master said, “To return to the
observance of the rites (li) through overcoming the
self constitutes ren. If for a single day a man could
return to the observance of the rites through
overcoming himself, then the whole Empire would
consider ren to be his. However the practice of ren
depends on oneself alone, not on others.”
---ren consists in overcoming the self; & to be ren one
has to return to li.
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2. Being ren
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Being the Confucian renzhe is not like winning a medal.
One does not possess a kind of status attained once and for all,
in the sense that one can carry a glorious name for the rest of
one’s life.
Being ren is an attitude towards life
Human life and humanity is an ongoing process
E.g. by doing so and so (such as share your food with a hungry
person), you are being ren.
But it is possible that in the next moment, you do something
else, such as cheating in an exam), which is not the behavior of
a renzhe, then you are no longer being ren.