Lecture Notes on CONFUCIUS/CONFUCIANSIM
By
Clinton Bennett
Kong Fu Zi (c 551 - 479) - latinized as Confucius by Jesuit missionaries in the sixteenth century.
Chinese religion/thought - primarily social/civil/
Lived in CHOU dynasty/ state of LU
Politics - period of inter-family rivalry - result disorder.
Kong, from humble background, entered Duke of Lu's service; some say as an accountant, others as chief of police. Between 497 and 484 he traveled, offering advice to various rulers and spending time in Wei. Became first professional teacher! Probably advised Duke of Lu in the last years of his life.
He asked, how can social order be maintained? What makes a good ruler?
Greatly admired the founder of the Chou dynasty, King Ch‘eng.
Always said he was reviving ancient ideals, not introducing new ideas: "I transmit but do not innovate" (An.V11: 1).
Some answered, order is maintained by honoring - ancestors/spirits - ritual intercession.
Kong agreed that RITUAL (li) is crucial but not to appease spirits - as symbols of civilized/correct/human (and humane) behavior, or benevolence); ritual as social etiquette, courtesy, social mores.
Only a polite, civilized society could be well ordered. Kong extrapolated from FAMILY to STATE; within family, authority is exercised with love and responsibility; ditto in the state - a good emperor/governor/manager LOVES their citizens/workers.
"Just desire the good yourself and the common people will be good" (12: 19).
"Guide them by virtue … and they will reform themselves" (11: 3).
Coercion never workers: "If a man is correct in his own person [others] … will obey without orders being given". If he is not correct, "there will be no obedience even though orders are given" (13: 6).
All relationships involve a set of defined roles/duties: all should UNDERSTAND and fulfil their proper role/ no one should aspire to become what they are not meant to be/destiny prescribes status/ disorder results from ambition.
CONSERVATIVE - accepted the values and norms of his day/ BUT wanted people to live happy and conflict-free/to co-operate humanely/ not fight (like animals).
Thus: Confucianism served both as a conservative (status quo endorsing) and as a reforming ideology.
Ren (ethics/humane conduct; relationship between two persons/compassion) - inner cultivation of character.
"If the rites and rightness are absent, the distinction between superior and inferior will not be observed; if government is not properly regulated, the state will not have enough resources to meet expenditure" (Mencius, Bk 7: 12).
Politeness, when universal, will banish hatred and conflict.
Highest aim: to be gentlemen (chun-tzu); "He cultivates himself so as to bring tranquility to all the people" (A 14: 45).
Benevolence for its own sake, because it is right not for personal gain (4: 3 - 4).
Benevolence = love of others (12: 22)
"When a Prince is benevolent, everyone will be benevolent" (Mencius, Bk 4: 5)
Ethics: j[r]en (love of humanity), li (propriety), chi (wisdom), yung (courage), yi (righteouness).
Kong he did not write about after-life/heaven. He honored the dead and the gods but stressed duty to the LIVING:
"Chi-lu asked how 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'" (11: 12).
To keep one's distance from the gods and spirits while showing them reverence can be called wisdom (6: 22)
- BUT Confucianism has a TRANSCENDANT dimension -
ideals of ruler/parent/child are TRANSCENDENT: "heaven is the author of the virtue within me" (7: 23)
DESTINY or the Decree of heaven determines our status.
perfection is an UTIMATE goal/all have equal potential for moral growth
duty to OTHERS comes before self- interest
T/DAO - did not define: but it is the natural state of the Universe eg order/not chaos/ and this can be achieved; "Is benevolence really so far away? If we really wished for it, it would come" (A7: 30).
yi (internalised li) - righteousness as part of one's character.
shu - treat others as you want them to treat you! (golden rule; 4: 15).
"At the heart of Confuciansim there was a rare humanism and a cry for mankind to be guided by moral considerations .... the ... message was adapted by politicians to suit the needs of an autocratic state, although the Master's original vision was preserved in the hearts of many individuals" ( Dawson, 1981 p 89).
Humanistic philosophy or religion?:
Any beliefs which involve the acceptance of a sacred, trans-empirical realm and any behaviours designed to affect a person's relationship with that realm. (Connolly, 1998 p7 -7).
There is a UTOPIAN aspect - the good society/world peace/responsible rulers/ethical peoeple/class distinction will be overcome by universal education (also shared by Marxists).
"I was not born with knowledge but… am quick to seek it" (7: 20).
Became state ideology under Han Emperor Wu (r. 140 - 87 BC) evoling into the Ju Chia [Ru Jia], or School of the Literati.
Civil Service Exam (until 1905).
civic awards for filial sons/chaste wives/loyalty to government/keeping to ones station = harmonious society/status qou. Here is an excellent resource on how the imperial system recruited and used 'Confucianism' Go to "The Cult of Confucius" by Thomas A Wilson. A state sponsored cult with Temples, sacrifices, rituals and images developed.
Continuity Between the New and the Old China?
Maoism - tries to transform this world by applying Utopian ideals (very Confucian).
"I have not come across a man whose strength proves insufficient for the task [of being benevolent] (4: 6).
Strong central government/party.
Belief that people can 'improve', 'reform', be -re-programed'
Belief that education willabolish class/classless society.
The Four Books
Analects of Confucius Doctrine of the Mean
The Great Learning Mencius
References:
The Analects. translated by D. C Lau (1979), Harmonsdworth, Penguin
Mencius, translated by D. C Lau (1970), Harmondsworth, Penguin
Connolly, Peter Approaches to the Study of Religion,London, Cassel
Dawson, Raymond(1981) Confucius,Oxford, OUP
©2000 Clinton Bennett